When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 175? We're going to fight France?
On the night of the European Championship group stage, France's dominant 4-1 thrashing of the Netherlands still shone brightly in the headlines of major media outlets. Although England also won, they were completely unable to shake the blue storm unleashed by the Gallic Roosters.

L'Équipe's live commentary hit the nail on the head: "While Roy was waltzing past the entire Dutch defense, the English were still using long balls and crosses against weaker opponents. This was not a performance of the same caliber."

Against Bulgaria, the Three Lions unleashed their full firepower – 18-year-old Rooney scored twice, showcasing his amazing talent, while midfielder Lampard also contributed a goal.

England ultimately won 3-0, demonstrating their determination to win the title with a clean and decisive victory.

On the morning of June 18, 2004, after the second round of the European Championship group stage, the front pages of major French newspapers were almost entirely occupied by the same person.

L'Équipe dedicated a full page to the moment Roy dribbled past Stam, with the headline proclaiming: "A new king shall rise!"

Long queues formed in front of newsstands on the streets of Paris.

Fans rushed to buy the day's sports newspapers, and people passed around France Football magazine in cafes.

The magazine's commentary stated, "This 19-year-old has proven in two matches that he is fully capable of taking over Zidane's mantle."

The TV is replaying highlights from last night's game.

The commentator's excited voice drifted from the windows of every house: "Look at this goal! Roy is like a ghost in the Dutch defense, completely outmaneuvering the two stalwart defenders, Stam and Cocu!"

France's recent performance has sparked much discussion among fans and media, especially regarding their two key forwards.

Roy and Henry.

Roy is in red-hot form, scoring goals in a row and becoming the team's attacking core. The media and fans alike are full of praise for him.

In contrast, Henry has fallen into a goal drought, failing to score in two games, which has made him the focus of reporters' questions.

A column in L'Équipe asked directly: "What's wrong with Henry?"

The article points out that the Arsenal striker appeared hesitant on the field, choosing to pass rather than shoot several excellent opportunities.

"The once ruthless killer seems to have lost his shooting boots."

Le Parisien questioned the tactical arrangement, saying, "Starting Henry and Roy together is like putting two cheetahs in the same cage. Their overlapping runs actually limit each other's performance."

The newspaper suggested that Santini consider rotating the two players.

During a live broadcast, a commentator on France 1 lamented, "Watching Henry play is like watching a slow-motion movie. Every movement of his is still elegant, but that killer instinct is gone."

However, some media outlets defended Henry.

France Football wrote: "Don't be blinded by the number of goals. Look at the space he created for Roy, look at his aggressiveness in tracking back. A true superstar's value goes far beyond goals."

In addition, French media are also discussing a key issue: how to adjust the tactical system if Zidane retires?
L'Equipe analyzed: "Roy's talent destined him to become the new core, but Henry is still a world-class striker. The key is how to make them work together."

"Perhaps we can learn from Monaco's 4-3-3 system," a former national team player analyzed in detail in his column. "Let Trezeguet be the center forward pivot, with Henry and Roy on the left and right wings respectively. Zidane would then lurk behind the three as a free-roaming forward, just like Roy, Giuly, and Rothen did in Monaco, each fulfilling their respective roles."

"Specifically: Trezeguet is responsible for suppressing the center-backs and winning the first ball; Henry uses his experience to cut inside or go down the left flank; Roy uses his explosiveness on the right flank. And Zidane, the maestro, can organize the offense with ease in the space created by the three of them."

"This configuration retains our firepower while allowing each player to utilize their strengths. Imagine: when Trezeguet draws the attention of two center-backs, Zidane will have a wide-open space in front of him, while Henry and Roy are ready to receive his brilliant passes."

"Of course, this requires Henry to adapt to the role on the wing, but with his technique and awareness, it's not a problem at all. After all, he often played on the wing when he was at Juventus."

"But we must be careful not to confine Roy to the traditional right winger position. He needs to roam freely like a false nine—sometimes drifting wide to break through, sometimes dropping back to link up play, and even directly attacking the penalty area."

"When he starts cutting inside from the right wing, the defenders have no idea what he's going to do next. Is it a cross? A shot? Or a sudden change of direction to the byline? This unpredictability is his greatest weapon."

"Therefore, in the 4-3-3 system, Roy's positioning should be more flexible. When Henry has the ball on the left wing, Roy can move diagonally into the middle to form a two-striker formation with Trezeguet; and when Zidane drops back to organize the attack, Roy can quickly move wide and use his speed to break through the defense."

“This is not a simple winger style of play, but a dynamic attacking system – making Roy a real tactical variable, while Henry and Zidane are responsible for controlling the tempo.”

2004年6月18日，拉脱维亚0:3丹麦。

Latvia, making their European Championship debut, played somewhat nervously against the experienced Danish team.

Denmark took the initiative from the start, and in the 10th minute, Tomasson headed in a cross from his teammate to give Denmark a 1-0 lead.

Latvia attempted a counter-attack, but their attack was not well-organized and they struggled to threaten the Danish goal.

In the second half, Denmark continued to apply pressure. In the 57th minute, Gronkjaer broke through on the left and scored with a low shot, making the score 2-0.

In the final stages of the match, Jorgensen scored another goal, and Denmark ultimately won easily 3-0.

Although Latvia lost the game, their defense was quite tenacious at times, but the lack of experience made it difficult for them to withstand Denmark's offensive.

2004年6月18日，意大利1:1瑞典。

The match between Italy and Sweden was very close.

Italy created threats with a solid defense and quick counter-attacks. In the 37th minute, Cassano received a precise through ball from Pirlo and calmly slotted the ball into the net, giving Italy a 1-0 lead.

Sweden intensified their attack in the second half, and in the 85th minute, Ibrahimovic scored a brilliant scorpion kick in the penalty area to equalize the score.

Italy nearly scored a last-minute winner, but Vieri's header was brilliantly saved by the goalkeeper.

The two sides ultimately drew 1-1, with Italy failing to secure a victory, complicating the group's qualification situation.

2004年6月19日，克罗地亚0:0德国。

Croatia and Germany played to a dull draw.

Germany dominated possession but lacked creativity, making it difficult for them to break through Croatia's defense.

Croatia created several threats through quick counter-attacks, but their forwards lacked the finishing ability to score.

The player who came closest to scoring in the match was Germany's Ballack, whose long-range shot hit the crossbar and bounced out.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, leaving Germany with only one point after two rounds, making their chances of advancing uncertain.

(Italy is in Group C, Germany is in Group D; this was a mistake in the previous draw section.)
2004年6月19日希腊0:0捷克
Greece continued their counter-attacking tactics, setting up a tight defensive formation against the powerful Czech team, making it difficult for their opponents to find a scoring opportunity.

The Czech team had a high possession rate, but Greece's defense was very well organized, and both Nedved and Rosicky's long-range shots were saved by the goalkeeper.

Greece's occasional counter-attacks failed to pose much of a threat.

The match ended in a 0-0 draw, giving Greece a valuable point and allowing them to continue their "dark horse" journey.

2004年6月20日俄罗斯1:1瑞士
The match between Russia and Switzerland was evenly matched.

In the 34th minute, Switzerland's von Lantang headed in a corner kick to give Switzerland a 1-0 lead.

Russia intensified their attack in the second half, and in the 75th minute, Sychev scored from a cross by his teammate, leveling the score.

In the final stages of the match, the Russian team almost scored a last-minute winner, but Blighin's shot was saved by the goalkeeper.

The score remained 1-1 until the final whistle, with both teams taking one point each, making their hopes of advancing slim.

2004年6月20日西班牙0:1葡萄牙。

After the match started, Portugal launched a series of attacks, but Spain's defense remained solid.

In the 57th minute, Portugal's Simão headed in a cross from Figo, scoring the only goal of the match.

Spain then launched a full-scale counterattack, but Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo made several brilliant saves to keep Portugal in the game.

Portugal ultimately won 1-0, advancing as group winners with a perfect record of three wins out of three matches.

Spain, though defeated, advanced as the second-place team in their group, but at a heavy cost.

They will face the in-form French team from Group B in the quarterfinals.

After the match, Spain's coach, Saisz, looked somber, while the entire Portuguese team celebrated wildly, indicating that Scolari's team was gradually finding its rhythm.

On the day of the match, the Estádio da Luz in Lisbon was rather deserted. Having already been eliminated after losing both of Bulgaria's group stage matches, their fans were not in high spirits, with only a few scattered figures in red in the stands.

On the contrary, French fans occupied most of the stadium early on, with blue, white and red flags forming a sea in the stands and cheers rising and falling.

During the pre-match warm-up, the Bulgarian players appeared listless and their movements were somewhat sluggish, as if they had already accepted the outcome of defeat.

On the other side, the atmosphere was vibrant, with every pass and shot drawing cheers from the stands.

When the starting lineup was announced over the loudspeaker, the cheers of the French fans almost drowned out the commentary, while the names of the Bulgarian players received only sporadic applause.

As the match drew closer, the French fans' chants grew louder and louder, and some even set off fireworks ahead of schedule.

The Bulgarian fan section remained quiet throughout, with occasional attempts to cheer quickly drowned out.

The entire stadium seemed to have become the home ground of the French team.

When the players from both teams lined up to enter the field, the French team received a deafening roar of cheers, while the Bulgarian team seemed to have entered a stage that didn't belong to them.

The atmosphere was already one-sided even before the match started.

This was destined to be a performance by the French.

Less than three minutes into the match, the French team gave Bulgaria a rude awakening.

After intercepting the ball in midfield, Vieira looked up and made a precise long pass to Roy, who was making a high-speed run down the right flank.

Roy deftly tapped the ball with his right foot before it hit the ground, securing control of the ball firmly under his feet.

Bulgarian left-back Petkov rushed forward to block, but Roy suddenly stopped and changed direction, cutting the ball inside with his right foot and easily shaking off his opponent.

Petkov was completely fooled by the feint and staggered, losing his balance.

After shaking off his defender, Roy dribbled straight into the penalty area.

Facing the center-back who came to cover, he calmly observed the situation and delivered a low cross.

The ball flew swiftly and accurately through the gap between the two defenders, heading straight for the edge of the six-yard box.

Henry, having anticipated this, moved into position and easily slotted the ball into the net unmarked.

The entire attack, from the interception to the goal, was executed flawlessly, and Roy's breakthrough and assist were nothing short of perfect.

He tore apart the defense with a simple change of direction, and his final pass was perfectly timed.

The French fans on the sidelines erupted in cheers, while the Bulgarian players looked at each other in disbelief, clearly not expecting such a blow at the start of the game.

Bulgaria tried to stabilize their position, but France's high pressing made it difficult for them to pass the ball out.

In the 12th minute, Zidane calmly received the ball in midfield. Facing Hristov's close marking, he first feinted to the left with a drop of his shoulder, then quickly flicked the ball with his right foot to change direction. Hristov was fooled and staggered, losing his balance.

Zidane then dribbled forward two steps and suddenly unleashed a curling shot from the edge of the penalty area. The ball arced beautifully towards the top right corner of the goal, but unfortunately grazed the outside of the post and went out of play, giving the Bulgarian goalkeeper a scare.

In the 15th minute, the French team launched another attack.

Giuly received a diagonal pass from Vieira on the right wing. Facing the defender, he first pretended to cut inside, then suddenly accelerated down the wing, using his speed to outpace the Bulgarian left-back.

After reaching the byline, Giuly looked up to observe and delivered a precise cross.

Roy was already lurking in the center of the penalty area. After judging the landing point, he leaped high, overpowering the tall and strong Kirillov, and slammed a powerful header into the goal!

Bulgarian goalkeeper Zdravkov delivered an outstanding performance, diving to his side and tipping the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

In the 23rd minute, the French team won a corner kick on the right.

Giuly stood at the corner flag, took a deep breath, and ran up to shoot. The ball arced in a tricky arc towards the far post of the penalty area.

Thuram, like a beast breaking free of its chains, suddenly burst forth from the crowd. Despite Ivanov's panicked tugs, he leaped high and slammed a powerful header into the goal! 2-0!

Bulgarian goalkeeper Zdravkov stood frozen in place, not even having time to make a save.

Before Giuly took the corner kick, Roy moved around the penalty area like a ghost, first pretending to move towards the near post, then suddenly changing direction and retreating, successfully drawing the attention of two defenders.

It was this clever positioning that created an unmarked space for Thuram to jump.

35 minutes.

Zidane and Henry completed a beautiful one-two pass in midfield, and then Zidane suddenly delivered a precise 30-meter long pass, the ball flying like a guided missile into the open space on the right flank.

Giuly arrived just in time and skillfully controlled the ball before it went out of bounds.

At this moment, Roy had already made a quick run into the penalty area, and Giuly, understanding the situation, delivered a low cross.

When Roy received the ball with his back to goal, Bulgarian center-back Kirillov immediately closed in on him.

Roy made three quick stepovers with his right foot, and just as his opponent's center of gravity shifted, he suddenly flicked the ball to the right with the outside of his right foot, and then with amazing explosive power, he pulled the ball to change direction, and the ball seemed to be glued to his foot, drawing a "Z" shaped trajectory!

Kirillov was completely outmaneuvered by the "fritter" and stumbled to the ground.

Roy dashed into the penalty area like a blue lightning bolt. Facing the onrushing goalkeeper, he calmly aimed for the far corner but suddenly flicked his ankle, unleashing a low shot with the inside of his right foot that flew straight into the top corner of the post! 3-0!

After the break, Bulgaria substituted Stoyanov for Jankovic in an attempt to strengthen their attack, but France's control of the game left them hopeless.

In the 51st minute, Zidane dribbled past several players in midfield and passed the ball to Evra on the left wing. Henry's volley hit the crossbar!

In the 63rd minute, Roy dropped back into midfield to initiate an attack, delivering a pinpoint through ball that pierced the defense, but Henry's one-on-one shot was brilliantly saved by Zdravkov.

One minute later, Vieira's long-range shot from outside the penalty area was once again saved by the goalkeeper.

Bulgarian midfielder Petrov hesitated slightly while holding the ball in the backfield, and Pedretti seized the opportunity to rush forward and cleanly poked the ball away.

Before the opponent could react, Pedretti immediately took a quick free kick, passing the ball to Zidane near the center circle.

After receiving the ball, Zidane looked up and noticed that the Bulgarian defense was not yet fully in position.

He immediately started, dribbling the ball forward as if taking a leisurely stroll.

The Bulgarian players fought and retreated, with no one daring to press them.

Zidane calmly dribbled the ball to the edge of the penalty area, then suddenly unleashed a powerful long-range shot!

The ball flew like a cannonball straight into the top right corner of the goal. The Bulgarian goalkeeper leaped desperately, but it was too late. He could only watch as the ball slammed into the net! 4-0!

This goal ignited the stadium, and the cheers of the French fans were deafening.

In the final moments of the match, Bulgaria attempted a bicycle kick through Berbatov, but Barthez tipped the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

最终法国4-0大胜，全场完成18次射门（10次射正），而保加利亚仅有4次射门（1次射正）。

Roy shone with one goal and one assist, leading France to advance to the knockout stage with a perfect record of three wins.

In their hotel room in Lisbon, Morientes and Raul watched in silence as France thrashed Bulgaria 4-0 on television.

Roy's brilliant performance on screen made the two men frown.

This teammate who fought alongside him in Monaco has now become Spain's most dangerous enemy on their road to the final.

"Do you remember how he helped us win the treble last season?"

Morientes shook his head with a wry smile, "That's Roy for you."

(End of this chapter)