Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 205 The Semifinals Are Here

The news that China's U17 national team has made it to the semifinals of the U17 World Cup continues to generate buzz online.

Despite the fact that players like Wei Lai and He Chaoyue are known as geniuses, this result still excited and shocked fans.

A Weibo post by football commentator Zhan Jing:

What impressed me most about this match wasn't Xiang Ming's equalizer in the 27th minute, nor He Chaoyue's game-winning goal in the 75th minute, but rather the choices these kids made after we conceded a goal in the opening stages.

They executed the tactics calmly, proactively, intelligently, and patiently. They remained composed and had a clear goal; even when trailing, they never wavered. They firmly believed they could equalize! This match showed me the confidence of these young players! Even against the formidable French U17 team, even when they were behind, they remained confident they could win!

Zhan Jing's words resonated strongly with the fans.

They also watched that game.

Despite trailing in the score, the Chinese U17 team continued to battle closely with the French U17 team.

Everyone was running actively and demonstrating their tactical value.

Their eyes shone with light; they never wavered. Even when they were behind, they were confident they could win the game.

It was this confidence that led them to victory!
Football commentator Zhang Lu also posted an article:
Perhaps this is the result of using competition as training; a greenhouse can only cultivate delicate flowers, while only through trials and tribulations can a strong root system be established!

They've been competing all over the world since they were young. For us, those might be talented European players, formidable opponents. But for these kids, these are opponents they've faced and defeated before; they're not afraid of them at all! That's the sharpness honed through competition!

In the recently concluded Chinese Super League, Jiaozhou Wely won the league championship, and Zhang Zhenting, the head coach of the season, posted on Weibo:
While we're eager to take shortcuts, some people are dedicating themselves to youth training, and their ten years of hard work have led to the growth of these young players.

Ten years of sweat and dedication have finally irrigated fertile soil and nurtured a group of so-called Chinese geniuses.

I can't predict how far they can go or how successful they will be, but at least at this moment, Chinese youth training is truly bearing fruit. A salute to those football professionals who have dedicated themselves to youth training and worked tirelessly behind the scenes.

More and more people involved in football are getting involved in this topic.

They were moved to tears, some with emotion, some with excitement, and some with overwhelming feelings.

But at this moment, they also have a passionate heart, hoping that these young people can go further.

And these messages are also bringing positive impacts.

As the online discussion continued to gain traction, some companies seized the opportunity presented by this public opinion wave. They announced their intention to fund the youth training industry, help more young players from disadvantaged backgrounds, and use the funds to pave the way for these players to pursue opportunities to play abroad.

Jiaozhou Weili Football School, Guangfa Youth Training, Tengfei Football School, Hongyun Football School, and Green Lions are among the pilot schools that have recently begun to invest in the overseas training sponsorship model.

All of this indicates that young players are having more opportunities to play abroad, no longer limited by funding, and with more chances to try and fail.

On November 14th, CCTV announced that the semi-finals of the Chinese U11 national team competition would be broadcast live on CCTV.

CCTV's top football commentator Hao Wei will travel to Japan to provide live commentary for the match.

Fans from all over the country began to gather, preparing to travel to Japan to cheer on these young Chinese players.

At the same time, Tan Yong, captain of the Hong Kong Celebrity Soccer Team, posted on social media:
On November 16th, in the U17 World Cup semi-final in Japan, China's U17 national team will face Germany's U17 national team. The 23 members of the Hong Kong All-Star Football Team will travel to Japan to cheer on the young players and help them bring glory to their country!

The Hong Kong Celebrity Soccer Team was founded in 1986 and now has more than 100 members, all of whom are star players.

They travel all over the world to organize various charity matches or fundraising events, and are active in various charity arenas.

Their purpose this time was simple: they were inspired by the competition among these Chinese teenagers and wanted to cheer them on.

Celebrities naturally generate a lot of buzz, not to mention these are all veteran stars from Hong Kong, each with a huge influence and a lot of public interest.

Among them, fans were pleasantly surprised to find that Andy Lau, singer Chen Xun, and pop diva Deng Xiaoqi were also on the list.

This further fueled the craze for watching the game, and also showed signs that the Chinese national youth team was gradually gaining popularity beyond its immediate circle.

"No way? Even Andy Lau is here?"

"I like Chen Xun, I love his songs!"

"Deng Xiaoqi watches football too? Isn't she a girl? And a singer at that!"

"Bullshit! Have you forgotten that video of someone staying up all night to watch the World Cup and almost skipping work?"

The Chinese national youth team players also learned about these messages through their mobile phones.

They were utterly astonished that a semi-final match could involve so many people and groups.

This is just the U17 World Cup!

Wei Lai chewed on a banana, watching the crowd's heated discussion, but he didn't feel much about it.

This isn't a big deal.

The real sensation will come when this golden generation fully matures and makes it to the World Cup.

"Next match is against the German U17 team!"

He Chaoyue walked towards Wei Lai.

Wei Lai nodded: "Jacob seems to be here too!"

Jacob was their foreign teammate when they played in Spain. He now plays for the reserve team of Bundesliga club Sinsheim and is currently the starting center-back for the German U17 national team.

He Chaoyue nodded; "This German U17 team will be tough to beat!"

Wei Lai shrugged: "There aren't any easy matches. After all, we're already in the semifinals. Germany, Brazil, and Morocco—which one is easy to beat?"

China isn't the only country reaping huge rewards from youth training programs.

A new generation is also being nurtured in Germany.

When German football is mentioned, many people can think of the word 'rough'.

The tall, burly German was so clumsy that he was often mistaken for a telephone pole and made a fool of.

However, many of the players in this German U17 team are technically skilled, which marks the beginning of Germany's shift towards a more technical style of play.

Subsequently, more and more German technical midfielders will be playing in the top five European leagues.

For example, Auguste Teit, the midfield maestro of the current German national team, is this type of player.

He not only has the strong physique of a German, but also outstanding footwork skills.

He's not the type with quick feet, but he has a great grasp of dribbling rhythm. He plays at a moderate pace, yet his shots are sharp and effective.

For the Chinese national youth team, there are two things they fear most.

One is absolute speed, similar to Hunter Denny!

The other is purely physical, similar to the German national youth team!

Now, they are about to encounter both of them.

In terms of physical attributes alone, the German U17 team is undoubtedly the best in this U17 World Cup.

Among them, Juan Dart, the starting center forward for the German U17 team, has the most distinctive characteristics.

He is 187 cm tall, has a strong build, is very good at aerial duels, and has excellent shooting skills in front of goal.

It can be said that the strength of this German U17 team is holistic, unlike the French U17 team which relies on a single point of attack for tactical dominance.

On November 15th, the first match of the Japan U17 semi-finals began, with Brazil's U17 team facing off against Morocco's U17 team.

The match lasted 90 minutes, with the final score being 2-1.

Brazil's U17 team secured a victory, but the process was not easy.

Despite having a day off in between, they were still exhausted and almost got overwhelmed by Morocco.

In the last match, the Argentine U17 team took a heavy toll on the Brazilian U17 team, and neither team has fully recovered yet.

Fortunately, Ronaldo's explosive wing play created two dangerous opportunities, leading to their victory.

Brazil's U17 team became the first team to reach the final of the U17 World Cup.

The remaining spot will be decided between the Chinese U17 team and the German U17 team.

On the same day, a massive influx of Chinese fans began entering Japan, heading straight for Tokyo.

On the streets of Tokyo, you can see many Chinese fans marching in red jerseys.

Although it wasn't as exciting as the adult World Cup, it still added a touch of passion to the football experience.

Not only fans, but also professional players such as Wang Hao, Xie Yuanneng, and Chen Lingpeng also took advantage of the holiday to come to watch the game as a group.

The appearance of the Hong Kong Celebrity Soccer Team at Tokyo Airport also caused quite a stir.

They were all wearing the Chinese national youth team jerseys, with Andy Lau personally carrying the flag, and familiar veteran Hong Kong actors such as Tan Yong, Chen Xun, and Huang Renhua also making appearances.

They were wearing different jersey numbers, clearly showing that they were genuinely following this national youth team and choosing to support their favorite players.

In the afternoon, the CCTV live broadcast team arrived at Itabashi International Stadium in Tokyo.

With only two matches in the semifinals, the number of spectators will undoubtedly increase several times over.

Not only Chinese fans traveling from afar, but also Japanese fans will pay attention to the semi-finals and choose to come to the stadium to watch them.

Therefore, the venue for this match is a large stadium that can accommodate 50,000 people.

Meanwhile, the organizers prepared nearly 30,000 tickets for Chinese fans, with the remaining 20,000 tickets provided to local and German fans.

"Teacher Hao, do you think this is acceptable?"

The live broadcast studio was located in the mezzanine between the upper and lower stands. The space was small, but sufficient for Hao Wei's work.

Hao Wei flipped through various documents, nodded, and said, "Okay! Let's do it this way!"

The staff member leaned over and said with a smile, "Still busy."

Hao Wei smiled and looked up, saying, "I need to prepare well. I submitted my commentary application during the group stage, but it wasn't approved until the semi-finals. I was so frustrated!"

"I heard that the broadcasting rights for the U17 World Cup in Japan cost quite a lot!"

"That's unfair! Selling a U17 match for such a high price." After complaining, he laughed and said, "But as long as there's commentary, it's fine."

Staff: "Are you looking forward to it?"

"I'm really looking forward to it!" Hao Wei laughed. "This isn't going to be a disaster! Take the match against the French U17 team, for example. They played so calmly, everyone was in top form, and they didn't panic when they were behind. They just carried out their tactical plan step by step. I felt like they had a chance when I watched the broadcast. They didn't back down at all. Who cares about the French U17 team or any other kind of prodigy? These kids are really awesome!"

"Let me tell you, I like Wei Lai the most. He arranged the rhythm of the game for you so well, and every now and then he would make a beautiful cross-court pass and immediately switch to the side to play one-on-one. He showed all of Xiang Ming's outstanding individual abilities. The game was so exciting. This time, we are playing against the German U17 team. Although the opponent is very strong, we are not without a chance. To be honest, the game against the French U17 team really boosted our confidence!"

Seeing Hao Wei excitedly chattering on and on, the staff member laughed and said, "Take it easy, save your energy for tomorrow, don't give up halfway through."

"No way!" Hao Wei waved his hand excitedly, "I can't just quit. This match is so exciting, I can't possibly commentate on it all!"

After saying that, he stood up and turned to look at the field.

The empty stadium was very quiet.

But it is foreseeable that tomorrow, this place will be packed with people and bustling with activity.

"Come on! Show some spirit!"

Hao Wei clenched his fist tightly.

The next day, the sky appeared to be covered with the belly fat of a fish.

The sky was clear and the weather was fine.

Tokyo continues to move into its usual routine of life and work, but at the same time, a wild atmosphere is slowly rising in every corner.

When the Chinese fans appeared on the streets, they marched in groups, chanting loud slogans.

Japanese people looked over curiously, and some even took out their phones to take pictures.

They couldn't understand why a U17 series match would excite these Chinese fans so much.

A comment from a Japanese fan answered this question.

We were like that 20 years ago; when we saw a glimmer of light in the darkness, everyone was overjoyed!

Around noon, groups of Chinese fans began to emerge from the plaza of Banqiao International Stadium.

Although the match wasn't scheduled to start until 3 p.m., fans arrived early.

More and more fans joined in, gradually spreading from a small number until it covered the entire square.

The Hong Kong Celebrity Soccer Team also arrived, and like other fans, they joined in with banners and flags.

Andy Lau, holding a megaphone, climbed to a high point and shouted:
"Is everyone here to cheer for our national youth team?"

Andy Lau's voice resonated throughout the venue through the loudspeakers.

The fans loved him very much and responded loudly.

yes!!!!!--

Andy Lau smiled and said, "Let's cheer for the youth of China together! Sing along with me, 'The five-star red flag flutters in the wind~~~'"

The five-star red flag flutters in the wind!

How resounding is the song of victory!

The chorus of tens of thousands of people suddenly erupted in the Banqiao International Stadium at this moment.

The singing was loud and clear, the flags were waving, and everyone was looking up and shouting.

At this moment, they are united as one, all for the triumphant return of the Chinese youth!
Tokyo, the hotel where the Chinese national youth team is staying. Wow!!

Yang Fan gasped, unable to suppress a grimac, and said, "This is going a bit too far, I can't handle it!"

Wei Lai: "You have to endure it whether you like it or not! We have to fight this game!"

Yang Fan turned his head: "When have we never fought each other!"

After saying that, he put the phone in a box.

Before the competition, all cell phones must be handed in.

Yang Fan slung his backpack over his shoulder, stood up, and pointed to the door:
"Go! Go! Go! Target: German tanks!"

A large crowd had gathered on the first floor of the hotel.

Reporters from all over the country gathered here, all waiting to capture footage of the Chinese national youth team's departure for the competition.

"So many people!"

Yao Chaoyang, a reporter from Shanghai's "Football" magazine, looked around and saw that the entire hall was packed with reporters from all over the country.

"This has generated a lot of buzz; almost all the domestic media outlets have been mobilized," Lao Zhang said with a smile.

Yao Chaoyang nodded; "How many people did you bring?"

"Ten!"

"I brought fifteen!"

Yao Chaoyang and Lao Zhang exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Old Zhang sighed, "I used to lead a team of five people at most. The last time I led a team of 10 was back in 2005."

“Times have changed. With the rise of social media, we traditional media outlets have to learn to improve!” Yao Chaoyang shook his head and said, “Now, being able to lead a team of 10 people is already considered a great honor.”

At that moment, someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

"Out!"

Everyone's eyes immediately turned to the elevator.

Liu Guowei walked out wearing the national youth team coach's uniform. He gestured with his hand, and Lang Sheng said:
"We're about to set off for the competition, and I'm sorry, I can't give you any interviews this time. We'll talk about everything after the competition!"

Upon hearing this, the reporters felt regretful.

"Can't we do pre-match interviews?"

"What a wasted trip!"

"It wasn't a wasted trip; consider it an opportunity to cheer on the young men!"

"Pre-match preparation is indeed crucial, which is understandable!"

"Let's wait until after the match, then we'll find an opportunity to interview him!"

Soon, the elevator dinged again.

The entire hotel lobby suddenly fell silent.

Lu Chaokuan led Wei Lai and other national youth team players out of the elevator.

The teenagers turned their heads and glanced around. Everyone was staring intently at them, and the entire hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

boom!
Suddenly, applause erupted throughout the hotel lobby.

*Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!*
All the reporters put down their equipment and began to applaud in unison.

Good luck in the competition!

We're here to cheer you on!

"Charge! Charge! Take down Germany!"

"Great play! Ladies!"

"If He Chaoyue scores a few more goals, she'll win the Golden Boot!"

"Xiang Ming! Seize the opportunity and detonate! Believe in yourself!"

"Yang Fan! Just do it!"

"Wei Lai! Stay calm! You're the team's playmaker! We'll all be cheering you on!"

The most fervent and sincere expectations from fellow countrymen, fans, and fellow villagers were conveyed to these young people.

CCTV-5 is currently promoting the game before it starts.

The host was Li Kangping, and the guest was the heavyweight Zhang Zhenting.

"Coach Zhang, hello. The semi-final of the U17 World Cup in Japan is about to start. We are playing against the German U17 national team. What points should we pay attention to?"

Zhang Zhenting said loudly:

"German football is very physical; they are good at using their bodies in the game, but we cannot ignore their technical aspects because of that!"

"When I was studying in the Netherlands, I led the youth team to play against German youth teams. The German youth players now are different from those of the past. Under Germany's second five-year youth training plan, a new generation has been cultivated. In addition to their strong physiques, their footwork is also very exquisite. We are definitely at a disadvantage in terms of physique. Therefore, the national youth team coaching staff needs to consider this factor and how to turn the passive situation into the active one!"

Li Kangping nodded; "Yes! Just as you said, Germany's youth training is also bearing fruit. The new batch of German national youth team players combines physical and technical characteristics, with Juan Dart and Auguste being the most typical examples. In the past few rounds of matches, the German national youth team has used the characteristics of these two players to finish the game. Coach Zhang, how do you evaluate these two players?"

Zhang Zhenting pondered for a moment; "These two players are indeed very good, but the strength of this German youth team lies in their overall cohesion, especially their ability to find opportunities in a fast-paced game. They like to accelerate the pace of the game and then use their bodies to create space and create threatening attacks. Their overall offensive and defensive capabilities are also their characteristics. Therefore, we cannot start with individual players, but rather make tactical arrangements for the whole team."

Li Kangping nodded, listened to the director's voice through his earpiece, and then spoke:
"News from the front lines: the Chinese national youth team has arrived at the Banqiao International Stadium. We're handing the camera over to our reporter, Yao Cheng!"

The scene shifts to the Banqiao International Arena.

On-site reporter Yao Cheng could barely speak without shouting.

"This is the Itabashi International Stadium in Tokyo, Japan, which is also the stage for the semi-finals of the Chinese national youth team!"

"You can easily tell from my voice how exciting the atmosphere is!"

"The organizers prepared 30,000 seats for us, which are now sold out. However, many fans are still lingering around the stadium. Even though they can't get in, they are still here to support the young men. Let's randomly interview one of these fans."

A young man wearing a Chinese national youth team jersey was pulled over for an interview, and he seemed very excited.

"Of course I'm very excited. I was only 2 years old during the 02 World Cup. Everyone said it was so exciting, but I didn't really feel it. After that, everyone knows what the situation was like with Chinese football. I thought there would never be another chance, but the emergence of this group of young players makes me very excited."

"Yes! I couldn't get a ticket. I heard there was a second round of ticket sales, so I bought a plane ticket specifically to support them, but it was gone in less than a minute. So, who is it?"

Yao Cheng grabbed the microphone, immediately silencing the young man's inappropriate remarks.

"The fans at the stadium are very enthusiastic, and we wish the young men a great performance. We cheer for the Chinese youth! This is Yao Cheng reporting from the scene!"

The camera then switched back to the domestic live stream room, where Li Kangping secretly grimaced, realizing he had almost caused a live stream mishap.

He took a deep breath and shouted:
"Alright, now let's turn the camera to Hao Wei, the commentator, who is on-site!"

The camera then switched again, this time showing the figure of Hao Wei, a famous CCTV commentator.

His unique, sharp, and penetrating voice appeared on camera.

"The semi-final match is about to begin. Both teams are still preparing, but our stands are already incredibly lively. The enthusiastic fans have turned this match into our home game, cheering on the young players with the loudest cheers!"

"In the past 20 years, there has been almost no record of the Chinese youth team playing against Germany. Apart from playing one friendly match, there are no other records, so it is impossible to analyze the data."

"We are unfamiliar with the German U17 team, and the German U17 team is equally unfamiliar with the Chinese U17 team, which is a dark horse team."

Suddenly, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.

Hao Wei shouted loudly, "Young men, come out and warm up!"

The camera pans to the field, where the Chinese national youth team players are warming up under the guidance of their assistant coach.

The starting players warmed up with the team, while the substitutes warmed up on their own.

After a series of warm-up activities, they began a simple circle-grabbing activity to activate their state.

boom! boom! boom!
A smooth pass, the two players vying for the lap, but neither managed to touch the other.

Snapped!
Wei Lai suddenly turned to the side and flicked the ball with the instep of his foot, sending it flying between Yang Fan's legs.

Everyone immediately jumped up.

"Grit! Another round penalty!"

Yang Fan's face turned as red as a monkey's bottom, and he lunged at Wei Lai with bared teeth and claws.

He tackled Wei Lai to the ground, and the two began to playfully wrestle.

The others stood by and cheered.

"Add more penalties! They must be increased!"

"Yo yo yo! Yang Fan got groined again!"

"Is your crotch not closing properly? Why is it always getting penetrated?"

"Which bastard is yelling again?"

Yang Fan, who was riding on Wei Lai's back, suddenly turned his head.

Pei Le immediately made a face, and Yang Fan scrambled to his feet and started chasing Pei Le again.

Because the rondo game was played on the sidelines near the right-hand stand, the fans could see it very clearly.

One fan said, not knowing whether to laugh or cry:

"Why aren't they nervous at all?"

So it's because I have a bad mentality?

"Hey! That's the German U17 team over there! Be serious!"

"It's no use talking to them! These kids have been playing in the European Cup since they were kids. They don't care about Germany, France, or Spain, they're not afraid of anything!"

"That rondo move was so smooth!"

"It's not only smooth, but also quite fast-paced."

"So, you really think they call themselves a 'genius team'?"

"There's potential! Germany's youth national team is very strong, but we don't seem to be weak either!"

"Weak? If they were weak, they would have been knocked out by the French U17 team in the last round. These kids are really something!"

The warm-up session is over.

From the sidelines, Xue Guohao watched the little ones playing around, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Great! It's not so tense anymore!"

Meanwhile, on the other half of the field.

The German youth team players were astonished to see that almost half of the stands had been dyed red.
"Is the football market in China really that hot? Are there this many people watching U-series matches?"

They were genuinely envious.

The football market in Germany is booming, but U-series matches don't receive nearly as much attention.

Apart from a small number of fans who traveled from afar, the majority of the fans in the stands were family and friends, as well as some local Japanese fans.

"Never mind that, approval ratings don't equal ability!" Auguste used the instep of his foot to hold the ball, and suddenly kicked it hard into the air.

The moment the ball hit the ground, the toes of the foot hooked up to cushion the impact, stopping the ball steadily as if it were a piece of tape.

“We will win the game!” Auguste said calmly.

Jacob said seriously, "Taylor, there are some very strong guys on the other side, don't let your guard down."

He has played with players like Wei Lai, He Chaoyue, Yang Fan, and Xiang Ming, and therefore knows how strong these Chinese youth team players are.

Taylor Auguste shrugged: "Maybe!"

"Pretending!"

Yang Fan stared at Auguste, then turned to Wei Lai and said, "Old Wei, give him a Crescent Moon Blade and show him what real skill is!"

Wei Lai rolled his eyes; "Just focus on your game, let's go! Let's go back!"

Wei Lai turned his head to look at the German half of the field.

Germans are meticulous, and they are also very meticulous in developing players.

Most of these German youth national team players will play in the Bundesliga.

Auguste and Juan Dart are among the key players in Baines Sporting's future treble-winning campaign.

call!
Wei Lai let out a sigh of relief.

That's right! These guys will all be very strong in the future, but right now they're all in their developmental stage, just like me.

Scared!
Just do it!

(End of this chapter)