The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 84 Advancement! The Cunning Wang Shuo! Phenomenal Commercial Value! Dortmund Can't Do Without Wang Shuo Now!
As a former key center-back for Barcelona, ​​30-year-old Oleguer has always been very ambitious.

Even after arriving at Ajax, he still felt like he was playing for Barcelona.

At most, physical functions decline a bit with age.

But it's still more than enough to deal with young people like Wang Shuo.

In particular, it has long been rumored that Wang Shuo is physically weak.

Regarding the goal conceded in the 25th minute, Oleguer believes that the biggest responsibility lies with Alderweireld.

In his hasty response, he made a mistake that no center-back can avoid.

Six minutes later, when Wang Shuo retreated to receive the ball with his back to the goal, a fierce glint flashed in Oleg's eyes.

The chance for revenge has come!
The pass from midfielder Sahin was about to reach Wang Shuo's feet.

Oleg rushed forward and crashed into Wang Shuo's back, even pressing down on Wang Shuo's shoulders with both hands, preventing him from jumping.

Just as Wang Shuo was about to stop the ball, Oleguer kicked out from Wang Shuo's right side.

As an experienced defender, he certainly knew that the probability of hitting the ball with that kick was extremely low.

But he doesn't care.

Even if you can't kick the ball, kicking a person is the same.

This is considered a contest for possession; at most, the referee would just call a foul.

And indeed, he didn't kick the ball; instead, he kicked Wang Shuo's calf directly.

Wang Shuo managed to stop the ball first, but after taking a hard kick to the calf, he lost control and miscontrolled the ball.

At the same time, Oleg's weight pressing down on his shoulders caused a nameless fire to ignite within him.

It's said that Spanish defenders play dirty, just as well as South American defenders.

That's O'Leary for you!
They may not be particularly good at physical confrontations, but they have more underhanded tricks and disgusting methods.

But the series of deep breaths felt like pouring cold water on this nameless fire.

He instantly regained consciousness.

Getting angry won't help at this point!
On a whim, he immediately channeled all his strength into his legs, leaned back, and rammed into Oleguer's chest, causing the Spanish defender to lose his footing and take a step back.

Oleg was clearly caught off guard; the rumored weak and uncompetitive Wang Shuo suddenly unleashed his power to fight him.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wang Shuo lowered his shoulders, bent over, turned around, and forcefully broke free from Oleguer's hands, quickly regaining control of the large football with his right foot.

This series of actions all occurred within a very short period of time.

By the time Oleg reacted, Wang Shuo had already turned around and was facing the direction of the attack.

Oleg was shocked and immediately stepped forward, wanting to defend him closely.

But Wang Shuo not only reacted faster than him, but his movements were also significantly faster. He kicked the ball forward with force and started moving at top speed, like a cheetah leaping out of the grass, chasing after the ball at lightning speed.

Before Oleg could even turn around, Wang Shuo had already rushed past him, leaving Oleg dumbfounded.

too fast!
Can't catch up!

Alderweireld rushed over from the side to help defend, trying to use his shoulder to block Wang Shuo and force him to slow down.

But Wang Shuo was not as fragile as they had expected, nor did he lose his balance when he was bumped.

Conversely, Wang Shuo was slightly faster, causing Alderweireld to miss his target.

The Belgian defender reacted quickly, immediately grabbing Wang Shuo's right shoulder.

But he didn't dare to make any big movements; he would just pull it slightly and then let go.

Wang Shuo simply turned slightly to the side, slowing down a bit, but he was still rushing forward.

This surprised Alderweireld, who reached out to try and pull it down again.

But this time, Wang Shuo was well-prepared.

As soon as the other person's hand touched his right shoulder, Wang Shuo immediately swung his right hand and forcefully broke free from Alderweireld's grasp, rushing forward like a bolt of lightning.

When Wang Shuo gained a favorable position, at the moment he stepped into the penalty area line, he deliberately took a diagonal step with his right foot, cutting himself into Alderweireld's sprint path.

The Belgian center-back missed his best opportunity and was forced to slow down.

Upon that collision, Wang Shuo would have fallen to the ground without hesitation, resulting in a yellow card and a penalty kick!
asshole!

So cunning!

Alderweireld was completely on the defensive, helplessly watching Wang Shuo dribble into the left side of the penalty area.

He could only passively follow behind and keep a close eye on Wang Shuo's right foot.

Whenever he shoots with his right foot, Alderweireld immediately dives to block Wang Shuo's shooting angle as much as possible.

What about the left foot?
It was handed to goalkeeper Stekelenburg.

What about Stekelenburg?

After blocking Alderweireld with his body, Wang Shuo focused all his attention on the Ajax goalkeeper.

He rushed out of the goal line, heading towards the left corner of the six-yard box, lunging towards himself.

In that instant, a flood of information flashed through Wang Shuo's mind.

Stekelenburg and Alderweireld have a good understanding.

Although Wang Shuo seized the initiative, his right foot was unusable, resulting in a very narrow shooting angle.

Stekelenburg was keeping a close eye on his left foot.

How to do?
Wang Shuo suddenly slowed down, adjusting his pace with a series of small, quick steps.

This surprised Alderweireld and Stekelenburg, who were completely baffled as to what Wang Shuo was up to.

In that instant, Wang Shuo increased his movement frequency to its maximum, focusing all his strength on his left foot. After using small, quick steps to confuse his opponent, he suddenly unleashed a powerful shot with his left foot.

The football flew towards the near corner at extremely high speed.

Stekelenburg reacted immediately and made a diving save.

The Dutch goalkeeper could feel the ball, shot with Wang Shuo's left foot, almost graze his glove before disappearing into the goal behind him.

“GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!”

Goal!

"2 to 1!"

"In the 31st minute, Dortmund scored again!"

"Wang Shuo scored twice, helping Borussia Dortmund come from behind to defeat Ajax 2-1!"

"This is absolutely a demonstration of Wang Shuo's personal abilities!"

"He not only held his own against Oleguer in physical confrontations, but also successfully turned and dribbled past him."

"After breaking through Oleguer, facing the combined defense of Alderweireld and Stekelenburg, Wang Shuo calmly seized the opportunity and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot into the near corner of the net!"

Wang Shuo excitedly rushed off the field once again, jumped over the advertising boards, and ran to the stands where Shen Qinghe was to celebrate his goal. Even the stands of the Amsterdam Arena echoed with applause.

This goal may seem ordinary, but it was actually quite difficult.

Putting aside the confrontation with Oleg, Wang Shuo simply couldn't have achieved that final, crucial step before obtaining the national-level "foundation."

Because while he was making continuous small adjustments using his intercontinental-level "Swiftness," his shots lacked power.

The shot can be taken, but the ball speed is not fast enough and the power is not sufficient.

In contrast, just now, thanks to the power of the national-level "foundation", Wang Shuo was able to instantly channel all his strength into his shot, which was both fast and powerful, making it impossible for Stekelenburg to save it.

……

When Croatian referee Ivan Bebek blew the final whistle, Ajax's number 51 player, who came on as a substitute in the second half, ran over to exchange jerseys with Wang Shuo.

Christian Eriksen, Danish midfielder.

Wang Shuo remembered him mainly because his jersey number was very high.

Moreover, he had a reason that Wang Shuo couldn't refuse.

"This is the birthday wish I made to myself a few days ago!" Erikson said with a smile.

"Birthday?"

"Yes, February 14th is my 18th birthday."

"Oh, happy birthday!"

Wang Shuo smiled and exchanged jerseys with the other player.

However, he noticed that after receiving Wang Shuo's jersey, Eriksen immediately put it on and walked proudly toward the Ajax players, attracting envious glances from many people.

This filled Wang Shuo with joy.

It has to be said that he's getting more and more used to exchanging jerseys with his opponents after a match.

I used to encounter them more often in Germany, but now when I compete abroad, I run into them all the time.

As Wang Shuo walked toward the away team's bench, he saw Suarez walking toward him.

"Hello, Wang."

"Hello, Louis."

"You did a really good job tonight!"

"Thank you."

Both of them spoke very poor English and were not familiar with each other at all, so their conversation felt a bit awkward.

Wang Shuo quickly noticed that Suarez was shirtless and holding a jersey in his hand. He immediately understood and pointed in Eriksson's direction with amusement.

"Sorry, I was just replaced by Eriksson."

"Didn't you bring a spare jersey?" Suarez was clearly prepared.

Wang Shuo paused for a moment, then immediately realized what it meant.

They definitely bring several sets of spare jerseys for each game.

You never know, if your opponent tears you apart during the match, you might still have a chance to replace them.

But generally speaking, exchanging jerseys means exchanging jerseys worn during the game. Why would you want a replacement jersey that you've never worn before?

Are my jerseys really that sought-after now?

Wang Shuo didn't ask any more questions. He quickly went to the away team's bench, found his spare jersey, and walked towards Suarez.

Unexpectedly, Suarez made a request that even Wang Shuo found unbelievable.

"Please, put it on and sign your name."

Wang Shuo was completely stunned.

Oh, so that's what you were planning!
Just try it on yourself, and that's it?
But thinking about it carefully, it seems to make sense.

Even after the jerseys worn on the field are taken off, they still need to be washed, right?
Does collecting really require authenticity?
Wang Shuo immediately laughed; he had suddenly taken a liking to Suarez.

This kid's thought process is unusual, it's kind of amazing!
After exchanging jerseys with satisfaction, Suarez thanked Wang Shuo, then ran back towards the home team, showing his newly acquired jersey to his teammates.

He also pointed out the signature on the jersey.

Although Wang Shuo couldn't understand Dutch, he could vaguely guess that the man was saying, "I still have autographs!"

This made Wang Shuo feel both amused and accomplished.

……

It was almost midnight when I got back to Dortmund from Amsterdam.

After the team disbanded, everyone went home.

Incidentally, Wang Shuo also drove himself today.

He has already obtained his driver's license and his skills are quite good.

I got home at exactly 12 o'clock.

The parking space in front of her house was empty, and the lights were off inside; Lina Gerke was too busy to be home again.

Riding on the momentum from when the brand was launched, her online store business became extremely popular.

Having traveled to China twice, I found the OEM factory recommended by Jiang Pengju to be trustworthy, and the quality was also good.

Most importantly, the design is excellent, with a minimalist style. The price is quite high, but it is very popular among high-end female users.

Therefore, she is now focused on her career.

Wang Shuo is actually similar.

Although he was supposed to go to Amsterdam in the morning, he actually stayed at the hotel arranged by the team last night.

If it's a series of away games, he might not be able to stay at home for more than two days a week.

Therefore, in Britain or Italy, many thieves like to steal from players' homes.

Liverpool star Steven Gerrard's wife even had a close encounter with a burglar who broke into their home, and was terrified.

Wang Shuo slept until 5 a.m. and got up on time.

Although he only slept for less than 5 hours, it was enough for Wang Shuo.

Five hours of high-quality sleep is enough for him to recover his energy and condition.

Before leaving, Wang Shuo even took out his phone to check in.

"It was still quite cold at 5 a.m. on February 19th in Dortmund."

He had just tweeted and hadn't even logged out when a message popped up.

[Green Grass by the Rice Fields] gave him a thumbs up.

The first one again!
Wang Shuo smiled and was about to put his phone away when the system pushed another QQ message.

It turned out to be Shen Qinghe.

"I'm in Dortmund. Do you have time to have breakfast together? I checked, and the breakfast at my hotel is pretty good." The hotel's name is listed below.

This hotel is located halfway along the route Wang Shuo runs every morning.

Wang Shuo was very surprised.

Wasn't she watching the game in Amsterdam last night?

Why did you go to Dortmund so early in the morning?

Could something have happened?
Wang Shuo immediately made a phone call.

The other side picked up almost instantly.

"I was thinking of calling you, but I'm afraid of bothering you." Shen Qinghe's cheerful laughter came from the other end of the phone; she seemed to be in a good mood.

This put Wang Shuo at ease.

"It's nothing, I'm just doing my regular training. What brings you to Dortmund?"

"Looking for you."

"looking for me?"

"I can't come over on the phone. When are you free? I'll come find you."

Wang Shuo hesitated for a moment, then said, "I'll come over and have breakfast with you."

Ten minutes later, Wang Shuo saw Shen Qinghe at the hotel entrance.

Today she is wearing a light beige long wool coat with a classic double-breasted design, which looks both elegant and casual.

The inner layer is a light-colored Morandi knit sweater with a V-neck design, which immediately draws attention to the exposed bone structure, conveying an intellectual and elegant temperament while retaining the fresh vitality of a young girl.

Her smooth, shoulder-length short hair, paired with her delicate and refined face, exudes an unadorned, natural beauty.

Her smile, in particular, seemed especially warm and sunny in the cold winter, like a cherry blossom just beginning to bloom, with both a hint of shyness in its budding state and a composed ease in its unfolding.

Wang Shuo was immediately amazed after just one glance.

"Why are you here?" Wang Shuo walked up to her and asked with concern.

"I really need to talk to you!"

"Let's find a place to sit down first."

The problem is, it's a bit early now.

The restaurants and cafes are clearly not open yet, and going to the rooms is too sensitive.

In the end, the two sat down in a secluded spot in the hotel lobby.

As soon as Wang Shuo entered the hotel, the receptionist recognized him and came over to ask for his autograph and a photo.

Then they kindly brought hot coffee and water.

After the two sat down, Wang Shuo first inquired about Shen Qinghe's condition.

But Shen Qinghe was clearly more concerned about Wang Shuo's affairs.

“You know, I never liked studying economics, international business and management before, but my dad always said that the future will definitely be an era of economic globalization, and China will definitely be integrated into the wave of globalization, so he enrolled me in the London School of Economics.”

Wang Shuo nodded; he could guess that Shen Qinghe's family must be very well-off.

These days, those who can study abroad are no ordinary people.

Most importantly, she also has the money to travel around watching football matches.

Furthermore, the London School of Economics and Political Science is also an excellent school.

I didn't like my major before, but as I studied it, I might have come to like it because of certain things or certain people.

“A senior from my time studying in London, who now works for the Swatch Group in Switzerland, mentioned you to me.”

"Swatch?" Wang Shuo had never heard of this brand.

“The world-renowned watch brand is headquartered in Switzerland, but the Swatch Group has many world-class watch brands under its umbrella, including Breguet, Omega, Longines, Tissot, Mido, and others, in addition to Swatch.”

Wang Shuo had no idea that so many world-renowned watch brands were actually from the same company.

Of course, the brand he is most familiar with is Tissot.

Because Michael Irving was Tissot's spokesperson back then, he saw many of their advertisements in China.

"What did she say?"

"She felt that your business plan was disorganized, or even almost non-existent."

Wang Shuo was stunned for a moment. After thinking about it carefully, he had to admit that it seemed to be true.

Because up to now, he has basically not made any plans at the business level.

Agent team?
Actually, it was just Thomas Essien.

Moreover, to some extent, Thomas Essien is not a very professional agent.

Therefore, from a business perspective, Wang Shuo's side was practically penniless and had nothing.

“The Swatch Group has so many world-class brands under its umbrella. They have investigated you, but found that they don’t know how to cooperate with you, and there is no one specifically assigned to contact them.”

Wang Shuo fell into deep thought.

Currently, he only has four commercial endorsements: Adidas, Coca-Cola, KFC, and Porsche.

These four commercial endorsements bring him an annual income of 450 million euros.

Is it a lot?
Actually, it's not a small amount.

He is even comparable to many big-name stars.

Therefore, Wang Shuo never realized there was a problem.

But now that Shen Qinghe has said that, he has realized what she meant.

These four sponsors all share one common characteristic.

They all came to us on their own initiative.

This comes in light of what Thomas Essien previously mentioned: many domestic brands and companies wanted to contact him and approached Gao Huai-ren.

After considering all these thoughts, Wang Shuo had to admit that he was indeed completely clueless about business planning.

Thinking of this, he immediately turned to look at Shen Qinghe.

Not only because she was a student at the London School of Economics, but more importantly, Shen Qinghe had always given Wang Shuo the impression that she was very capable.

Especially back then, when so many domestic fans went to Europe to watch the games, she organized everything so easily and without any problems.

This is extremely difficult.

"Could you help me analyze this?" Wang Shuo said with a smile.

Shen Qinghe was clearly waiting for Wang Shuo to ask a question, and she smiled leisurely, "If it were me, I would change my agent!"

"Change agents?"

"That's right, it's obvious that Thomas Essien can help you with some things in football, but it's limited. At most, he can do some logistics, but he can't offer you much help in terms of business and resources."

"Do you know? Your current business model is extremely outdated, just like European clubs ten years ago, where they just sit at home and wait for businesses to come to them."

"But now, this approach is no longer working, and we need to take the initiative to reach out to others."

Wang Shuo thought of something.

Bayern Munich has established branches in New York and Asia, reportedly to further expand its overseas resources and channels.

This is what Shen Qinghe meant by taking the initiative to go out.

"European football is an industry, and any industry has a division of labor. The most important thing for anyone in this industry is to accurately find their own position."

"Once you find your niche, all sorts of resources will naturally converge on you."

This explanation is not difficult to understand.

Wang Shuo was thinking about his role on the football field.

Sven Bender was a midfield defender and a protector of the back line.

Sahin is the team's tempo controller, responsible for passing, organizing, and controlling the pace of the game. The reason Feulner's performance as the number 10 is not ideal ultimately stems from his role within the team.

His lack of individual ability forced him to put in more effort on defense.

But in doing so, the number 10 position, which is clearly an offensive role, was forced to be played as a defensive one by him.

Shen Qinghe is right; finding the right niche is the key to establishing oneself.

“I discussed this with a senior from the Swatch Group, and what they are most interested in about you is China, which is a huge market coveted by countless companies.”

“Many European brands, and even global brands, want to enter this market. Advertising endorsements are like a stepping stone, helping them to make their mark in the Chinese market.”

"Similarly, more and more Chinese brands want to go global and go beyond China. They also need someone influential in the global market to support them."

Wang Shuo understood what Shen Qinghe meant.

My greatest commercial value lies in playing this role.

We help global brands enter China and also help Chinese brands go global.

He could even do better than Yao Ming and Liu Xiang.

Because football is the most influential sport in the world!
As long as Wang Shuo continues to play, he can spread his influence to every corner of the earth.

More importantly, sports also represent a positive image of striving for self-improvement.

What better choice could there be than Wang Shuo?

"She told me that after their marketing department's evaluation, they believed that my business value was greatly underestimated."

"Take this KFC contract for example, the contract you signed is worth 100 million euros, which is about the same as Messi's, right?"

Wang Shuo nodded.

I have a general understanding of this.

"But have you ever considered this: corporate sponsorships aren't based on your performance in European or even world football. If that's the case, how do you explain Beckham's still high commercial value?"

Wang Shuo fell silent.

Even now, many years after Beckham left the major European leagues, he remains one of the world's most commercially valuable superstars, still associated with numerous brands.

"Have you noticed? Kaka signed with Armani, and Ronaldo and Messi have also signed with some luxury brands, but if you look, top luxury brands like LV, Chanel, Hermès, and Rolex rarely sign star players?"

Wang Shuo did not answer.

He knew nothing about the fashion industry.

"Because they don't need to. They are the top stars themselves. It's never them who look for spokespeople; rather, all the spokespeople are vying to endorse them. Whoever endorses these brands will see their net worth skyrocket."

But you will be the exception!

"Me? Why?" Wang Shuo was very surprised.

"Because you have China behind you, a huge market with the greatest development potential that no top luxury brand in the world can ignore!"

Wang Shuo suddenly realized.

He had heard a saying.

The reason why star players can't sign with these top luxury brands is twofold: firstly, the brands may not be interested, and secondly, the offers they make are too low.

On the contrary, those second-tier or even third- or fourth-tier luxury brands are more willing to spend money.

Because they need to leverage star players to elevate their own status.

But top luxury brands don't need that!
How will signing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi help the sales of top luxury brands?

Maybe, but not much.

Therefore, they are unwilling to spend such a large sum of money.

But Wang Shuo is different.

The Chinese market behind him is precisely what these top luxury brands most want to enter.

"I understand," Wang Shuo nodded.

If we follow this logic, then Wang Shuo's commercial value is not simply underestimated.

It's incredibly cheap!

No wonder Adidas took the initiative to renew the contract.

"Did you know that Yao Ming signed a 7-year, $4 million contract with Reebok in 2003?"

"Based on the exchange rate, it's about 500 million euros per year."

"However, after hearing that he was going to sign with Reebok, Nike wanted to snatch the contract and offered $120 million over seven years, which is about 14 million euros per year."

“1400 million euros?” Wang Shuo was taken aback.

Shen Qinghe nodded with great certainty.

Although the contract was not signed, Yao Ming rejected Nike and chose Reebok instead.

But this also shows the enormous commercial value of Yao Ming.

Wang Shuo's current contract with Adidas is worth 150 million euros per year.

Nearly 10 times!
And this was 7 years ago.

It's important to understand that in recent years, the wave of globalization has become increasingly strong, and the sports industry has attracted more and more capital.

If Yao Ming could earn $120 million seven years ago, he would definitely earn more now.

Moreover, he plays in the NBA.

Wang Shuo is currently playing in a top European league!
In terms of influence and commercial value, basketball can never compare to football.

"Besides the commercial aspect, on the competitive level, you may have noticed that Thomas Essien's entanglements with major German clubs are still too deep, which puts him in a very passive position during negotiations."

"To date, Borussia Dortmund has scored 59 goals in the Bundesliga, of which you have scored 30 and provided 12 assists, contributing to 42 goals."

"This doesn't even include the penalty you won, the goals you indirectly orchestrated, or even the influence and motivation you had on the Dortmund players on the pitch."

"If we're talking about contributions, at least half of Dortmund's salary expenditure is now going towards you."

"But actually?"

Wang Shuo wholeheartedly agreed with Shen Qinghe's idea.

He went abroad to play football just to make money, didn't he?
Previously, Thomas Essien had mentioned to Wang Shuo several times that Dortmund was bound by the 50+1 rule and had to live within its means, so they couldn't offer him a higher salary. But think about it, what does that have to do with Wang Shuo?
Is Borussia Dortmund really so poor that they can't afford this money?

Obviously not.

Bayern Munich keeps complaining about being poor. Is it because they don't have money?

This is a negotiation tactic!
Is it difficult for the club?
indeed.

But this has nothing to do with Wang Shuo!
On the contrary, Wang Shuo himself has already helped these clubs solve their difficulties, hasn't he?
How much money did Mainz make from Wang Shuo?
Isn't Dortmund the same?
According to the current valuation given by Transfermarkt, Wang Shuo's market value is 4500 million euros.

It's more than double what it was six months ago!

In just over six months, 2000 million euros became 4500 million euros, and that's still not enough?
Not to mention how much money Wang Shuo has earned for Borussia Dortmund on the field!
Wang Shuo had already sensed that something was wrong.

However, he has always been focused on training and improving himself, and he doesn't participate much in things outside of football.

Secondly, he really didn't understand it very well.

In addition, there is an unspoken understanding in professional football that players generally do not participate directly in negotiations, but can only remotely control from behind the scenes.

Therefore, Wang Shuo entrusted these matters to Thomas Essien to handle.

Now that he heard Shen Qinghe say this, he really felt that Thomas Essien was indeed unqualified.

Of course, Thomas Essien wasn't exactly a great agent to begin with.

However, Wang Shuo has no intention of replacing Thomas Essien.

When he first arrived in Germany, it was Thomas Essien who took him to try out for different companies.

Now, when the Huai Ren Football School teammates go abroad, Thomas Essien is the one who handles everything.

Wang Shuo is still very grateful to Thomas Essien.

However, with his career now at this stage, Thomas Essien is indeed no longer suitable.

Thinking of this, Wang Shuo looked at Shen Qinghe again and found that her bright eyes were full of expectation.

This was the important thing she had specially traveled to Dortmund to tell him!

"Qinghe, would you be willing to join my management team and work for me?"

"Of course I'm willing!" Shen Qinghe agreed without hesitation, without even discussing salary.

Wang Shuo recounted his complex feelings towards Thomas Essien.

There is never just one agent, but an entire team.

Given Wang Shuo's current status in German football, it's no surprise he has an excellent management team.

But Thomas Essien certainly wouldn't stay.

Wang Shuo's idea was that Thomas Essien should stay, but power should be divided, and Wang Shuo should rebuild a brand new, highly effective brokerage team.

He's a professional player; besides training and playing every day, he simply doesn't have the time or energy to handle these things.

But these things must be entrusted to someone you can trust.

It was only at this moment that he suddenly understood why many players choose to have their relatives as agents.

Because it's really easy to run into trouble.

They might even be betrayed without even realizing it, if they're not careful and meet the wrong person.

Believe it or not, some agents really do sow discord between players and clubs to profit from the situation.

Some agents also exploit information asymmetry to make a profit.

Wang Shuo looked around and realized he really couldn't find a good candidate.

Of all the people he knew, there was none who was particularly capable in this area.

After this conversation, Shen Qinghe became a suitable candidate.

Of course, Wang Shuo wouldn't entrust everything to her.

As a key figure, Wang Shuo would certainly need to personally control the overall situation and make decisions remotely from behind the scenes.

After all, it involves his future career planning, which is also a crucial matter.

Not long ago, the termination clause proposed by Thomas Essien was a decision made after discussions between Wang Shuo and his lawyer.

However, Dortmund seems unwilling to accept this clause and has been dragging its feet.

After hearing Wang Shuo's opinion of Thomas Essien, Shen Qinghe's opinion of Wang Shuo rose even higher.

At least Wang Shuo still remembers Thomas Essien's help back then.

What a loyal and righteous person!

"Don't worry, I will do my best to help you build a team!"

"As my friend said, a Chinese player who has achieved your current professional success is no longer just a football player, but will become a global sports and cultural icon, and its commercial value will definitely be phenomenal!"

"From now on, you just focus on playing football, and leave everything else to me!"

Shen Qinghe's ambitious statement pleased Wang Shuo, but it also surprised him somewhat.

I never expected her to have this side to her.

Little did he know that at this moment, in Shen Qinghe's mind, the last sentence had another layer of meaning.

She came to Dortmund not simply to find a job.

……

Westfalen Stadium, afternoon of February 21.

In the 23rd round of the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund will host Hannover 96.

After a 4-1 away victory against Bayern Munich in the previous round, Dortmund's lead remained at 9 points, thanks to Bayer Leverkusen's win, and their chances of winning the title looked very good.

There is a Europa League knockout match in the week before and after the 23rd round of the league.

Therefore, Klopp opted for rotation, and Wang Shuo was on the rotation list.

Before the match, Wang Shuo specifically sought out Klopp to assure him that he was physically fine.

But Klopp, on the other hand, advised Wang Shuo that after two tough matches against Bayern Munich and Ajax, he should get some rest.

Arranging for Wang Shuo to rest was a joint decision made by the coaching staff and team doctor.

"A 2-1 away win is certainly an advantage, but Ajax will not give up easily. They will go all out at the Westfalenstadion, and we will be on high alert!"

More importantly, Wang Shuo's attendance rate this season is too high.

Many people outside have even begun to question whether Klopp's personnel choices are reasonable.
Running more than 12 kilometers per game on average, maintaining such an attendance rate is practically torture for Wang Shuo.

It's only mid-February, but Wang Shuo has already made 30 appearances on various fronts.

This does not include the warm-up matches.

Furthermore, Hannover 96 is currently ranked 16th in the Bundesliga, deep in the relegation zone, and its overall strength is not strong.

"In short, you should rest well for this match, recharge your energy, and prepare for the Europa League knockout stage next Wednesday."

You have to trust your teammates!

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuo naturally understood Klopp's concerns.

Ultimately, he was worried that Wang Shuo would get injured from playing too many games.

As the second half of the season began, Dortmund suffered frequent injuries, which greatly worried Klopp.

In their home game against Hannover 96, Borussia Dortmund once again deployed their most favored 4-2-3-1 formation.

Goalkeeper: Weidenfeller;
Defense: Schmelzer, Hummels, Subotic and Owomoyela;

Midfield: Sahin and Sven Bender partnered as the double pivot, with Grosskreutz, Götze and Kuba up front;

Forward: Valdes.

As a result, the team's attack in the first half was disorganized and chaotic.

Valdes was completely overwhelmed by Hannover 96's defenders in the attacking third.

Even in the 37th minute, he committed a slightly malicious foul during a counter-attack after losing possession, and was shown a yellow card.

Fortunately, in the 43rd minute, Subotic headed in a corner kick to give his team the lead.

The score remained 1-0.

Klopp was satisfied with the score.

Therefore, during the substitutions in the second half, players such as Götze and Le Tallek came on.

Wang Shuo, on the other hand, rested comfortably on the bench.

But in the 88th minute, Hannover 96 suddenly launched a quick counter-attack.

Midfielder Schulz delivered a through ball, and Kone beat the offside trap to score a one-on-one goal against Dortmund.

1 is better than 1!

In the end, Borussia Dortmund drew 1-1 with Hannover 96 at home!

The entire German football world was shaken after this match.

Since the winter break, Wang Shuo has served as the team captain, and Dortmund has been on a winning streak.

So far, they have achieved a six-game winning streak across both fronts.

If we include the 17th round of the first half of the season, that's a 7-game winning streak across all competitions.

Unexpectedly, after Wang Shuo was rested, Dortmund's fighting spirit declined sharply in this match.

Not only did they struggle to break through Hannover 96's defense in open play at home, but they were also caught off guard and conceded a goal on a counter-attack in the final moments.

In the end, they only managed a 1-1 draw at home!

"Klopp proved Wang Shuo's value to everyone with a draw at home!"

Ruhr Nachrichten wrote in its post-match commentary, "In the final minutes of the game, the south stand was getting restless, chanting Wang Shuo's name in unison."

"But by then, Dortmund had already used all their substitutions!"

After 23 rounds, Klopp's team had 58 points.

But Heynckes' Leverkusen closed the gap to 51 points, trailing Dortmund by only 7 points.

Bayern Munich, on the other hand, have closed the gap to 48 points.

……

Since Borussia Dortmund defeated Ajax 2-1 away, Ajax must score two goals in the second leg at home to advance.

However, after the start of the game, it was still the home team, Borussia Dortmund, that took the initiative first.

Klopp's team launched a relentless offensive from the very beginning.

Just three minutes into the game, Götze nearly scored against Ajax.

After Stekelenburg made the save, Grosskreutz's long-range shot hit the post directly.

Wang Shuo then unleashed a long-range shot, which Stekelenburg saved.

But the Hornets' continuous attacks still put enormous pressure on Ajax.

In the 17th minute, Kuba delivered a cross from the right wing, and Wang Shuo, at the near post, after missing the best shooting position, swept the ball into the Ajax goal with the inside of his right foot in a motion resembling a dragon's tail.

1 is better than 0!

This goal completely opened the scoring for Dortmund.

But Dortmund did not stop there and continued their offensive against Ajax.

In the 33rd minute, a free kick on the right side of the attacking third was headed on by Subotic at the near post to Hummels at the far post, who slotted home to give Dortmund another goal.

2 is better than 0!

After scoring two goals, the overall score has become 4-1!

In other words, Ajax needs to score at least 3 goals to have a chance of advancing.

For Borussia Dortmund fans at Westfalenstadion, what struck them most was that without Wang Shuo last weekend, the team's attack was a complete mess, utterly chaotic.

With Wang Shuo on the team, the team became unstoppable and launched a relentless offensive.

Could it be that Hannover 96 is stronger than Ajax?
Obviously not.

In just four days, the stark contrast between the two matches made all the fans realize Wang Shuo's importance.

Especially in the second half.

When everyone thought all hope was lost, Ajax launched a counterattack.

Suarez, in particular, displayed exceptional ferocity.

First, in the 53rd minute, he almost broke through Dortmund's goal with a volley.

Then in the 69th minute, Suarez headed in a cross from Vertonghen at the byline.

1 is better than 2!

This scoreline reignited Ajax's hopes.

The Dutch team launched a furious counterattack.

Just four minutes after Suarez's goal, Wang Shuo received a through pass from Kuba on the right wing, started his run, and broke into the penalty area from the right side of the penalty area.

Under the combined defense of Alderweireld and Oleg, he was tackled from behind by Oleg.

The referee immediately awarded a penalty and a yellow card!
Since Oleguer had already received a yellow card, it was immediately changed to a red card, and he was sent off the field.

Sahin calmly converted the penalty, sealing the victory.

3 is better than 1!

Ultimately, this score remained until the final whistle.

多特蒙德主场3比1，总比分5比2击败了阿贾克斯，顺利晋级16强！
……

On the afternoon of February 28, the Bundesliga ushered in its 24th round.

Borussia Dortmund visited Veltins-Argent for their second Ruhr derby of the season.

Throughout the first half, Dortmund, led by Wang Shuo, launched a fierce attack on Schalke 04.

Especially in the 17th minute, Wang Shuo received a pass from Reus in the penalty area and scored the opening goal for the team.

After that, Dortmund nearly broke through Schalke 04's goal several times, and the game was almost one-sided.

In the 65th minute of the second half, Klopp began making substitutions.

Wang Shuo, who played the full match midweek, was substituted by Valdes.

But no one expected that Dortmund, who were as stable as a rock when Wang Shuo was on the field, would suddenly become precarious after he left the field.

The turning point came in the 76th minute when Schalke 04 equalized with a header from a free kick in the attacking third.

Schalke 04 then launched a furious counterattack, while Dortmund, due to fatigue, were forced to take the beating.

Wang Shuo, who has repeatedly led the team out of trouble at crucial moments, has been substituted off the field.

At that moment, no player on the field could stand up for Dortmund.

In the 88th minute, Rakitic's long-range shot broke through Weidenfeller's goal again, securing the victory for Schalke 04 in this Ruhr derby!
This left Watzke and Zorc, who were leading the team in the stands, in disbelief.

With Wang Shuo, Borussia Dortmund is practically a completely different team than without him!
They had already seen the signs when they drew with Hannover 96 at home.

This match definitively confirmed it.

"Wang Shuo's contract renewal can't be delayed any longer!" Watzke said with a solemn expression.

"The current Dortmund cannot do without Wang Shuo!"

Zorc nodded solemnly.

(End of this chapter)