Li Yufei VS Messi, Who is the King of Football Today?

Chapter 653: Li Yufei vs. Messi—Who Was the Best Player in the World? July 10, São Paulo, Brazil, Corinthians Arena.

This modern stadium, specially expanded to more than 68,000 seats for this World Cup, was hosting the much-anticipated World Cup semifinal.

The entire stadium had been divided into two sharply distinct seas of color.

On one side, England fans held up pure white and red flags, with Three Lions crests fluttering everywhere.

On the other, Argentina fans filled the stands with light-blue-and-white stripes, while tango chants rose and fell through the air.

With a full three hours still remaining until kickoff, the area outside the stadium was already packed solid.

Leading sports media outlets from every country, photojournalists, and football commentators had all gathered along both sides of the passageway.

Everyone had come here to witness a showdown that global public opinion had already hyped to its peak.

England versus Argentina.

There was only one core reason why this semifinal had dominated sports headlines worldwide ever since the quarterfinals ended.

At opposite ends of the pitch stood the two biggest stars ranked first and second in the Football World.

England's captain, Li Yufei, was universally recognized as the best player in the world.

Argentina's captain, Messi, had long held the position of the world's second-best player.

At this point in 2014, Messi had yet to win a single Copa América title. He had repeatedly challenged for major senior National Team trophies, only to fall short time and again.

At the 2011 Copa América on home soil, he had stopped in the semifinals, always separated from a National Team trophy by an uncrossable gulf.

He had come to the Brazil World Cup carrying the greatest obsession of his career. The World Cup was the sole regret he wanted to make up