Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 209 Proving Myself (Second Update)

Jiaozhou Weili Football School.

A light snowfall has just occurred, a thin layer that covers the lawn like a veil.

The evening glow painted half the sky red, and with the clear ringing of the school bell, the quiet campus suddenly became noisy.

School's out!

"Kick the ball! Kick the ball!"

A group of little kids carrying balls rushed onto the field, trampling the thin snow curtain into a mess.

This is a group of children around 9 years old, wearing Willys Football School training uniforms, running around the field with joy.

In the recently concluded July enrollment, Willy Football School has once again added to its U09 team!

This is a training course suitable for children aged 9, mainly focusing on basic teaching.

Of course, these young players who are able to enter the Willys Football School already have a certain foundation.

A dark-skinned boy with a buzz cut shouted, "I am Senior Brother Wei Lai. From now on, you will all follow my orders!"

Another boy with a small braid immediately jumped up: "Then I'll be Senior Brother Beyond!"

After saying that, the crew-cut boy shoved the ball to the cool-looking boy next to him, who had his hands in his pockets, and said, "You'll be Yang Fan's senior brother!"

"Why am I Yang Fan's senior?" The cool young man kicked the ball away. "I want to be Wei Lai's senior. I'm the one who plays midfield!"

The crew-cut boy blinked: "Then who will be Yang Fan's senior brother?"

"Whoever wants to be it can be it! I'm not!" The cool boy kicked the ball away and shouted, "Charge!"

After saying that, a group of young boys immediately rushed out to chase the ball.

The youthful voices echoed through the stadium, yet they were so full of youthful vigor.

Inside the office, Zhao Xiaotang watched the scene outside, a slight smile playing on her lips.

Old Chen puffed on his cigarette; "This 09 team is in your hands. You'll lead them all the way. If you don't do a good job, I'll replace you."

Zhao Xiaotang immediately nodded: "I can definitely do it well."

Old Chen nodded; "There are a few good prospects here, with great talent. Take good care of them. If you don't understand something, ask me. Don't mess around with them yourself and ruin them, or I'll beat you up."

Zhao Xiaotang grinned: "Teacher, I know what's important. I've done a pretty good job teaching He Chaoyue and Wei Lai's class, haven't I?"

Old Man Chen: "You didn't wear it for very long, it was just an overdone thing."

"Whatever you say is fine," Zhao Xiaotang said with a smile. "Once I get the results, I'll definitely lead this group well."

Old Chen nodded and turned to look out the window. The children were tumbling in the snow. Although their skills weren't outstanding, they were imitating the movements quite well.

"The first batch has already emerged, and they serve as role models for these young players. But the key is not this batch, but that each batch must have a high success rate. Only by continuously producing high-quality players can our football continue to improve."

Zhao Xiaotang nodded: "I understand. I dare not say that they can surpass the U16 group, but they can definitely produce a few outstanding ones."

Old Chen nodded, rubbing his temples as he said, "For the next period of time, I won't have time to pay attention to you. In six months, you will give me a detailed report."

Zhao Xiaotang nodded and picked up a cup of tea from the side and handed it over.

"I heard that the club and the football academy are planning a large number of players to play abroad?"

Old Chen glanced at Zhao Xiaotang, took the tea, and took a small sip.

Pooh!
Spitting out the tea leaves stuck to his lips, Old Man Chen then said:

"We have reached cooperation agreements with some lower-level European leagues to send players to these teams in the 16-20 age range for training. The first batch is currently set at 20 players."

Zhao Xiaotang pursed her lips; "Would they really be so kind as to train you?"

“Of course not!” Old Chen continued, “The club pays them a training fee every year, and their living expenses are shared by their families. We also provide appropriate rewards.”

"Do the player's parents agree? This is money they're paying for themselves!"

Old Chen nodded; "The key assessment targets and the promotion system will change. These players who have played abroad will have more opportunities. In other words, if they return from playing abroad, they will have a higher probability of success at the club. Of course, this is not mandatory. They can go if they want to, and if they don't want to, someone else will be chosen."

At this point, Old Man Chen sighed:

“He Chaoyue, Wei Lai and others are exceptions. We cannot expect every batch to be of such high quality. Therefore, we need to put in a lot of effort. This is also the reason why the club decided to change the promotion system and encourage players to play abroad.”

"Our neighbor Japan has many players playing in Europe, but they eliminate even more of them!"

"The only way to boost this kind of thing is through sheer numbers. As long as we get two or three out of the competition, we can break even. The more we get out, the more we can earn, and at the same time, we can send more to Europe, creating a virtuous cycle."

"But the initial investment phase will definitely require burning through cash! Everything is difficult at the beginning!"

Zhao Xiaotang looked at Old Man Chen; "But Europe doesn't trust Chinese players! We don't have a single success story, so they won't give these young players a chance to try."

"Yes! That's true." Old Chen nodded; "So, this isn't just a matter for us; those players who have already gone abroad are also crucial."

"Li Lei, the star striker of Liaoning Hongyun who is currently playing in Ligue 1, is a pioneer of Chinese football. This kid is amazing. In his prime, he could have earned more money in China, but he still went abroad. He was at the forefront of all Chinese players, exploring and trying out the path for Chinese players to play overseas."

“We don’t have any successful cases to learn from. Even if we do, they are things from the past and no longer applicable to today’s football. Therefore, every player who plays abroad is a pioneer, including He Chaoyue and Wei Lai.”

"They are all trying to pave a way for Chinese football!"

Old Chen slowly got up, walked to the window, and looked at the group of energetic teenagers.

"This U17 World Cup has been a great success, which shows that China's youth training system is on the right track. But that's not enough. We need continuous output. Relying on just this one tournament, Chinese football will only be like fireworks and bubbles, flashing by and disappearing!"

"What we want is not dazzling fireworks, nor bubbles that burst at the slightest touch, but a blazing flame, a torch of inheritance!"

The spark that Chinese youth training has finally ignited must not be extinguished.

Keep adding fuel and oil, and do everything you can to make it burn even brighter.

Even now, Old Man Chen doesn't know if this is feasible.

But all they can do is try!

They really have no way out; things can't get any worse than they are now.

This road will inevitably be arduous, but there will always be people who embark on it.

Some will also explore the future, providing direction for the next generation of Chinese players.

Chinese football is like a dark, all-consuming sea surface, so dark you can't see your own hand in front of your face.

He hoped that someone would light that lighthouse, even if it was just a faint light, to dispel a sliver of darkness and guide the way for everyone.

"Pass the ball!"

At the Brazilian national youth team training ground in Tokyo, Japan.

A pass that spanned half the field was made at high speed, and just as the ball was about to hit the ground, a figure suddenly rushed to the landing point.

"Hey!"

The boy with the frizzy hair skillfully and steadily unloaded the ball, as if he were glued to it rather than stopping it.

"Ronnie! Good stop!"

Xhaka and a Brazilian youth team player immediately rushed forward.

Ronaldo's feet stomped and pulled the ball repeatedly, his touch frequency was incredibly fast, and his footwork was extremely dazzling, making it impossible to judge the timing of the tackle.

Snapped!
Suddenly, Ronaldo flicked the ball, which slipped through the gap between the two players, while Ronaldo circled around the long side and immediately caught up with the ball.

"Okay!"

Ronaldo delivered a left-footed cross, the ball curving beautifully into the penalty area.

The ball landed almost on the head of the teammate who was receiving the pass.

He didn't even need to move; he only needed to gently shake his head.

Swish!
The ball goes into the net!

"Oh!! Ronnie! Genius Ronnie!"

"Great pass, Ronnie!"

The boys gathered together, cheering and shouting. That's the style of Brazilian football—light and cheerful, just like their unique samba music.

"Ronnie tricked me again!"

Zaka propped himself up on his knees and couldn't help but shake his head.

In their community, everyone calls him a genius, but that's because these people haven't seen a real genius.

Just like Ronaldo, he has perfect ball control; the ball is at his feet as if it were an extension of his body, as easy as his own arm.

The conference room at the hotel where the Chinese national youth team was staying.

hiss!
Yang Fan gasped.

"That pass was clearly flawed, but this guy managed to stop it in time and immediately follow up with a feint to get past his opponent? What kind of ball control is that?"

The others also looked solemn.

They watched as the ball moved at Ronaldo's feet as if by magic; if they weren't careful, he could easily sweep people away.

The most astonishing part was the group stage.

This guy advanced from midfield and scored a solo goal, dribbling past six opponents all by himself.

"Holy crap? Another one of those dribbling moves? We can't stop him at all!"

"Is this guy like that Hunter Danny, someone one person simply can't stop?"

"Does this mean we have to keep an eye on them again?"

Chen Shaojie turned to look at Yang Fan.

Yang Fan glared: "Get lost! You want to sacrifice me again? Don't even think about it!"

The screen showed Ronaldo's various brilliant dribbling skills; this wasn't a highlight reel, but rather a video of the match.

This also proves that this guy frequently uses his skills to get past opponents and break through vertically during the game.

Wei Lai rested his chin on his hand, with his teammates shouting and yelling beside him.

They were all amazed by Ronaldo's skills.

But Wei Lai didn't feel very good about it!
It's not that Ronaldo wasn't capable.

But he'd seen something better!

A mock course in Barcelona, ​​featuring a girl with a ponytail and prominent teeth (number 10).

That guy who used to think he was a telephone pole!

That was a devastating blow to Wei Lai's confidence, and he almost couldn't recover.

Compared to that person, Ronaldo with the afro seemed flashy but impractical.

The moves are flashy, yes, but not practical.

An afro is for the sake of being flashy.

The large buck teeth, on the other hand, combine elegance and practicality.

However, Ronaldo with that afro would be quite formidable for his age group.

This guy's individual ability combined with the overall strength of the Brazilian U17 team makes this an absolutely tough match.

The three-day break will allow the players in the finals to get enough rest, make up for some of their physical fatigue, and prepare their tactics for the finals.

For the Chinese national youth team players, these three days have also been a period of hard work in their final training sessions to improve team cohesion. With the finals approaching, the overall atmosphere has gradually become more serious.

November 20th, Tokyo National Stadium.

This stadium holds special significance in Japan and is also known as 'Koshien Stadium for football'.

The finals of each year's All Japan High School Football Championship are held here, attracting many fans who love youth football to watch the games.

This time, the U17 World Cup final naturally generated far more buzz than the Japanese national tournament, and the quality of the competition was on a completely different level.

Around noon, a large number of fans had already gathered here.

The vast majority of them are Chinese fans.

"I finally managed to snag tickets this time! If I missed the semi-finals, I'll watch the finals!"

"They prepared 3 tickets for us, but why does it still feel like not enough!"

"There are just too many people, after all, this is the first time Chinese football has made it to the finals!"

"The future is bright! I'm really looking forward to seeing them grow into the senior team."

Chinese fans chatted as they waited to enter the stadium.

Their expressions clearly showed their anticipation for the future, all of which was earned through countless matches by these young Chinese players.

Whoosh!!!

The crowd suddenly became noisy.

People turned to look, and they saw a bus bearing the Chinese flag slowly driving into the stadium.

The cheers immediately rose to a fever pitch.

This must be the bus carrying the Chinese national youth team players. "It's quite a scene!"

Yang Fan stared outside, and couldn't help but sigh at the vast crowd.

There were already enough people at the semi-finals, but by the time the finals came, it had turned into a sea of ​​red.

Apart from Yang Fan, no one else spoke.

The overall atmosphere wasn't as cheerful as it was at the beginning.

After all, having reached the finals, with the championship just around the corner, it's inevitable that some tension will arise at this moment.

Of course, this doesn't affect them.

This group of people are not flowers grown in a greenhouse; they have played in all kinds of competitions since they were young.

Some have been eliminated, while others have received honors.

Feeling nervous is inevitable, but they know how to regulate their state.

He Chaoyue closed his eyes; this was his pre-competition meditation, a way to concentrate his attention as much as possible.

Xiang Ming was picking at his nails; this wasn't a sign of nervousness, but rather a reflection on how to perform well in the competition.

Wei Lai looked up at the roof of the car.

Everyone else remained silent and went about their own business.

Liu Guowei, sitting in the first row, turned to look behind him, grinned, and whispered to Xue Guohao, "Aren't you a little too nervous?"

"nervous?"

Xue Guohao smiled and said, "Nervousness is inevitable. After all, it's the final. It would be strange if we weren't nervous. But the key is how to overcome this feeling."

He turned his head to look at those young, innocent faces.

They did show some nervousness about the final.

But this did not shake their beliefs!

Their eyes were very focused!

They are focusing their attention on preparing for the final battle!
"Don't worry!" Xue Guohao breathed a sigh of relief and said, "They'll be fine!"

The tense pre-competition preparation phase.

No one spoke; they were all silently going about their business.

Some people are trimming their socks, some are eating bananas, some are resting with their eyes closed, and some are deep in thought.

But no one spoke.

Xue Guohao looked around and slowly took a step forward.

"Everyone, look over here!"

Everyone looked up and gazed at Xue Guohao.

"The tactics have been laid out, and I don't intend to emphasize them again. Let's talk about something else!"

Amidst the puzzled looks of the crowd, Xue Guohao smiled and said:
"2002 was a special year, and also the greatest moment for Chinese football. It was our first and last time participating in the World Cup!"

"Now 24 years have passed, but this goal still seems so far away."

Xue Guohao paused, his gaze sweeping over each team member, and continued:
"You weren't born in 2002. For you, this is a record in video or text, but you more or less felt something from the video, which is the most glorious moment of Chinese football."

"But since then, you must have heard many people belittling Chinese football."

Xue Guohao looked at Lu Chaokuan, who pursed his lips and lowered his head slightly.

"Chinese football is a joke!"

Xue Guohao looked at Wei Lai:
"Why watch the English Premier League? Because the Chinese Super League is too low-level!"

He then looked at He Chaoyue.

"Why waste your time training in football? Because China has never produced a single star player!"

"But I believe that someone or something inspired you to ignore these words!"

"It could be your coach, or it could be your family."

"Or perhaps a game you saw at a nearby stadium motivated you."

"Or representing your country in the competition is your dream!"

"Remember this feeling!" Xue Guohao took a deep breath, looking into those sincere eyes, his tone became serious and resolute:
"When you step onto this pitch, the Brazilians won't see eleven Chinese players standing on the other side; they'll see all the moments that inspired you to achieve this!"

"When you stare at your opponents, you don't see eleven Brazilian players, but rather those who tell you that Chinese football is bad, that Chinese football is a waste of time, and that China will never be able to participate in the World Cup!"

Xue Guohao abruptly stopped speaking, patted his chest twice, and said briefly and forcefully:

Go prove yourself!

"Everyone get ready. When the lads come out, shout with all your might. We have to make sure they hear us, understand?"

"clear!!--"

Chen Jianghe, President of the China Dragons Fan Association.

This time, he personally led the team to Tokyo to cheer on the Chinese teenagers.

As Chinese fans, they haven't been this excited in far too long.

"Phew! Calm down! I must stay calm!"

Chen Jianghe didn't know if he was talking to himself or conveying some kind of belief to the teenagers from afar.

"President!"

Wei Chenggong ran over, saying, "I need to use the restroom!"

"Going again?" Chen Jianghe looked at Wei Chenggong; "The third time!"

"Nervous!" Wei Chenggong grinned.

Chen Jianghe shook his head: "Go early and come back early!"

Wei Chenggong immediately turned around, climbed the stairs, and ran towards the toilet.

"Is Wei Lai really his son?" Chen Jianghe couldn't help but exclaim.

Sometimes, he was also somewhat dazed.

They say the father is a hero, but the son is a jerk!
When they arrived at the Wei family home, Wei Lai's mental fortitude was ridiculously strong, while Wei Chenggong was always easily influenced by his surroundings.

"Go for it, Xiao Lai! Mommy's here to cheer you on!"

Chen Qian had a "China will win" ribbon tied around her forehead and the Chinese flag painted on half of her face as she shouted continuously towards the stadium.

His presence and his voice were no less impressive than any other member of the Chinese Dragons.

Chen Jianghe couldn't help but laugh and said, "I guess he takes after his mother!"

Suddenly, Chen Jianghe noticed some commotion in the players' tunnel.

Soon, the referee led both teams onto the field.

"I'm coming!"

Chen Jianghe shouted at the top of his lungs, "China!"

come on!!!!!!!!!!--

A deafening roar of cheers suddenly erupted.

Half of the stands were dyed red – this was the final moment for Chinese fans!

"The players from both sides have entered the field, and the final is about to begin!"

Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both sides!

中国U17国家队（4-2-3-1）：
Goalkeeper: Chen Zhe.

Defenders: Lu Chaokuan, Mao Biao, Jin Yaowen, Yang Fan.

Midfielders: He Chaoyue, Wei Lai, Pei Le, Chen Shaojie, Xiang Ming.

Forward: Millennium.

巴西U17国家队（4-2-3-1）：
Goalkeeper: Pedro Gabriel.

Defenders: Felipe Lima, Vitor Reis, Da Mata, Esquel Tinha.

Midfielders: Dudumark, Vinicius, Ronaldo, Xhaka, Leyan.

Forward: Kaa Allen.

"Both teams are in position. The Chinese U17 team is wearing red jerseys, and the Brazilian U17 team is wearing yellow jerseys. After half a month of competition, we have finally reached the final. The victory in this match will lift the U17 World Cup trophy!"

"Go China's youth!

The players from both sides walked out of the player tunnel in silence, and then through the archway into the two separate lanes.

At the branching point, a trophy lay quietly on a small platform.

It is entirely silver-black, and shimmers with a faint light under the lamp.

The base is small, the support frame is S-shaped, and the top is a small soccer ball sculpture.

This is the U17 World Cup championship trophy, also known as the 'Unpolished Trophy,' a metaphor for young, undeveloped players.

Almost every player who passes by the trophy can't help but cast their gaze in that direction.

After this match, some of them will lift the trophy, while others will never be able to touch it!
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
At this moment, everyone's expression became solemn.

"Old Wei!"

Stepping onto the court, Chen Shaojie found Wei Lai; "Let's find a chance to steal one!"

Wei Lai nodded; "That's what I think too!"

Brazil's U17 team has adopted a European style. Although it retains some of Brazil's unique characteristics, its overall tactics are very similar to those of European competitions.

A significant portion of these attacks involved high-pressing tactics, creating opportunities to steal a wave of opportunities.

Wei Lai came to his position and stood still.

He took a deep breath and shouted:
"Brothers! Let's go! It's the last game, time to give it our all!"

Yang Fan waved his fist and shouted, "Let's do it!"

Xiang Ming: "Come on! Come on! Cheer up!"

He Chaoyue: "Keep an eye on me, I'll be there to pull you aside anytime!"

Pei Le: "Old Wei, I'll team up with you."

Lu Chaokuan shouted loudly, "Go for it!—"

On the other side, the Brazilian national youth team is also in intense preparation.

"Ronnie, don't be too impulsive. We need to control the situation first!"

"Their attack is very sharp; don't let them launch a counterattack so easily!"

Xhaka repeatedly reminded him that, as a key player in midfield, he had to create an environment favorable to them.

However, his words did not seem to have much effect.

After all, Brazil is known for its free and unrestrained style of play, and Brazilian players are not known for their discipline.

Zaka frowned.

He had a bad feeling about it!

"It's about to begin! It's about to begin!"

Outside the Tokyo National Stadium, many Chinese fans who couldn't get tickets gathered. They didn't leave; instead, they stayed to support the young players in their battle.

They watched the broadcast on their mobile phones, which inevitably resulted in a certain delay.

Beep!
A sharp whistle pierced the sky, signaling the official start of the competition.

Meanwhile, on their phones, the commentator was still introducing the game.

"What the hell is this delay?"

"The match has already started! Stop talking nonsense and switch to the match screen!"

"Don't do that!"

Whoosh!!!

A deafening roar of cheers suddenly erupted.

The Tokyo National Stadium seemed about to be overturned; the ground was trembling.

The Chinese fan looked up at the stadium, his voice filled with grief and indignation:
"What on earth happened?!"

(End of this chapter)