"The Five-Star Red Flag fluttered in the wind~"
"How loudly the songs of victory rang out!"
The sea of red surged endlessly.
Blazing emotion set the whole of Tianhe Stadium alight.
Joy so intense seemed to render the cheers silent.
Photographers hammered their shutters, desperate to capture the Chinese teenager slowly coming out of his shooting stance and the Japanese goalkeeper down on both knees.
The commentator's voice trembled, thick with emotion:
"We've equalized."
"The seventy-third minute."
"Li Luo has scored twice to level the score."
"An unstoppable thunderbolt, smashing the Japan National Team's defense to pieces."
"We've been under siege for seventy-three whole minutes. Against the might of Japanese football, Li Luo never gave up. He's turned the tide."
"Is Chinese football entering a new era?"
In the livestream chat.
-[Fucking brilliant!]
-[Holy shit, that rocket clocked 124 kilometers per hour! Absolutely terrifying. Japan must've pissed themselves.]
-[Am I dreaming?]
-[It's real. China were two goals down, and Li Luo scored twice to equalize.]
-[The god of desperate comebacks! He came on in the fiftieth minute and dragged us back from the brink of collapse.]
-[Li Luo became Chinese football's hero tonight. Sob, sob. I'm never trashing him again.]
-[He brought Japan's goalkeeper to his knees.]
-[What do I do? I bet on Japan to win!]
The viewers watching on television were stunned all over again.
Slow-motion replays showed the goal from every angle.
They made the terrifying power of Li Luo's thunderbolt even clearer.
The beauty of brute force.
An elegant shooting stance, like drawing a bow and loosing an arrow.
Li Luo stumbled forward two steps.
He felt a slight tearing sensation along his inner thigh.
It was nothing serious.
He had exerted too much force when confronting Japan's defensive line.
Apparently, Matthäus in his prime could unleash thunderbolts reaching 200 kilometers per hour...
The J.League's high and middle defensive lines were far inferior to those of his Bundesliga and Europa League opponents.
Defending with a high line was difficult.
Some defenders and goalkeepers performed brilliantly for weaker sides but could never make it into elite clubs, largely because of the difference in defensive line height.
Japan had treated themselves as an "elite side" tonight, never expecting "minnows" China to have Li Luo, modeled on Matthäus.
"Li."
His national teammates stared at the Chinese teenager as though he were a monster, after watching him glide past opponents again and again before unleashing that ferocious rocket.
Li Luo raised his hand and pointed. "Someone go get the ball. We still have a chance."
If his thigh hadn't felt uncomfortable just now, he would already have run over himself.
His teammates exchanged glances, unable to process his words for a moment.
Gao Lin didn't hesitate. He eagerly dashed toward Japan's goal.
Japan's goalkeeper, Shusaku Nishikawa, knelt on both knees, covering his face with his hands.
He had never faced an opponent as terrifying as Li Luo in either the J.League or the AFC Champions League.
A Matthäus-style thunderbolt.
For the strongest goalkeeper in Japan's J.League... this was beyond anything he had trained for.
"The ball came flying at me like a cannon shell. I... I was useless! I've let everyone down!"
"Damn it, how can you give up so easily? Have you forgotten how you became an international, step by step? How many outstanding rivals did you beat from childhood onward... before you earned the right to wear Japan's shirt?"
The Japanese players lowered their heads and slipped into flashback mode.
Their village, their bonds, their comrades...
They might have looked motionless, but in an anime, this could have lasted three or four episodes.
On the touchline.
The French and Chinese assistant coaches hugged tightly, celebrating wildly.
Perrin frowned and asked with concern, "Is Li... injured?"
Translator Zhao leaned out toward the pitch and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Ask Li Luo if anything feels wrong!"
Once the answer came back.
Perrin breathed a long sigh of relief.
During his time coaching Marseille, several of his powerfully built players had injured themselves unleashing fierce shots.
On the other side.
Aguirre slumped in his seat in the dugout.
Japan had hired him to address their defensive vulnerabilities.
And now.
Their entire top-class J.League defensive line had been torn apart tonight by substitute Li Luo.
"We want a win."
"Not a draw."
"Stay calm. Don't give Li any more chances... We'll shore up our defense first, then attack in transition. Everything will become simple."
The away stand fell silent.
It was like a funeral.
The white flags lying on the ground seemed to weigh a ton, too heavy for anyone to pick up.
Every Japanese fan looked up, staring blankly at the goal replay on the overhead LED screen.
A terrifying thunderbolt that chilled them to the bone.
Utter devastation.
It had shattered more than just Japan's goal...
Suddenly.
A young voice rang out. "Ryūjin!"
"Dragon god!"
"Li Luo!"
The ball was placed back on the halfway line.
"Japan are making a substitution."
"Yu Kobayashi is coming off."
"Nineteen-year-old Takuma Asano comes on."
"It's a like-for-like substitution."
"Takuma Asano of Sanfrecce Hiroshima is the J.League's most closely watched young talent. The Japanese media have high hopes for him, hoping he'll become a superstar prospect like Li Luo or Son Heung-min."
Japan's assistant coaches crowded around Takuma Asano, chattering away.
"Don't be nervous."
"China's defense doesn't know enough about you. You'll definitely pose a threat."
Tweet!
With the referee's whistle.
The match restarted from the center circle.
Japan had possession.
Shinji Kagawa surged forward, received Keisuke Honda's pass, and drove straight toward China's wide defensive channel.
"Japan are playing very fluidly, keeping it on the ground with one-touch passes."
"Takuma Asano."
"Oh, danger! His feet move so quickly. Who knew Japan had someone like this too... He's lost it!"
Everyone in the stadium was dumbfounded.
The J.League's top rookie bounced around in front of Li Luo, dropping his right shoulder, then his left, then twisting his hips...
Then the Chinese prodigy simply stuck out a foot and took the ball.
What?
Knocked to the ground, Takuma Asano got back up only to see Li Luo's retreating back.
Studies had shown.
During matches, hormonal changes heightened many players' emotions.
The Japanese players scrambled back in sheer panic.
A high line couldn't withstand Li Luo charging through alone.
A middle line couldn't snuff out his elegant, nimble movement.
They could only defend deep!
Set up a defensive block!
China's passing and receiving were inconsistent. Japan's coaching staff believed this would make opportunities to counterattack easier to find!
A strong team parking the bus was different from a weak team doing it.
A dozen seconds later.
Chinese viewers witnessed a sight they hadn't seen in years.
A sight they hadn't seen in decades.
"What?"
"We're pinning Japan back?"
"This sort of scene only exists in grainy old footage!"
"You're seeing it right."
"The entire Japanese team have retreated into defense. They're parking the bus."
"Now it's our turn to launch a sustained assault!"
In the livestream chat.
-[Huh? We can pin Japan back too?]
-[I think Li Luo has wrecked Japan's game plan...]
-[Aguirre specializes in defense anyway. For a while in La Liga, they called him a 'defensive master.']
Perrin struggled to take it in.
He had imagined plenty of scenarios before the match, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought... China could force Japan to park the bus.
His assistant looked equally bewildered.
"Boss, how do we play this?"
"Watch Li's hand signals!"
These Japanese players were highly disciplined tactically and remained focused, leaving very few defensive openings.
China struggled to pose a threat against their settled defense.
Defending was difficult.
Taking the initiative in attack wasn't easy either. It required teamwork.
Most iconic displays of "ultimate individual heroics" happened during attacking transitions.
The eightieth minute.
Waves of frightened cries erupted from the away stand.
"Gao Lin rises to challenge for the ball. He has an overwhelming aerial advantage against Japan's defense!"
"A headed knockdown!"
"Li Luo's movement... Wow! A volley!"
"There are too many Japanese players in the penalty area. The ball smashes straight into Gaku Shibasaki's backside..."
"The referee is signaling for the medical staff."
Gao Lin raised his hand apologetically.
He thought he hadn't handled the ball well enough.
Li Luo smiled.
He didn't know what to say, so he simply signaled that it was fine and told his teammate not to put pressure on himself.
Everyone made mistakes.
The king of football, the saint of football, and the football emperor all made mistakes.
Cruyff had once said, "When you step onto the pitch, you should understand one thing: everyone makes mistakes."
Far away in Brussels, Belgium.
Malanda returned home after finishing an under-23 match.
The first thing he did was snatch the remote from his younger brother and put on Li Luo's match.
"What are you crying for? This TV was bought with my win bonus. And where did that win bonus come from? It was Li's... blessing!"
"Does Li have to work that hard playing for the National Team?"
"If the China National Team had three Lis, that would solve a lot of problems."
Tianhe Stadium.
The eighty-fifth minute.
The Japan National Team finally got a chance to counterattack.
"Taishi Taguchi!"
"Kosuke Ota is surging forward on the other side..."
"Li Luo is tracking back incredibly fast. He happened to be just outside the penalty area."
"He's caught him!"
"Inside his own half, Li Luo has caught Kosuke Ota... What a powerhouse."
"A counterattack against a counterattack!"
The change in possession unleashed another thunderous roar at Tianhe Stadium.
Li Luo drove straight through the middle.
Wu Lei, who had been hovering along Japan's defensive line, decisively adjusted his stance, ready to break at any moment.
The Spatial Awareness module tracked every movement on the pitch.
Li Luo suddenly slowed down, making Japan's entire formation seem to slam on the brakes.
He nudged the ball forward with his right foot.
Took a step.
Raised his arm.
Swung his leg.
Whoosh!
Another explosive crack rang out.
The ball lifted off the ground, carrying vicious inward spin as it traced a wavering arc through the air.
57 passing.
Inward-Curling Arc!
"What vision!"
"That's the work of a master!"
"The ball bounced after landing, changing direction sharply and curving past Japan's defense!"
The livestream chat.
-[Holy shit, surely Wu Lei can get on the end of a pass that exquisite from Li Luo?]
-[Wu Lei one-on-one, bets still open.G1F]
-[He got it, but his first touch was a little heavy.]
Wu Lei used every ounce of strength he had to control the ball.
He vaguely sensed something was wrong.
The force of that inward spin and the distance ahead of him... Li Luo seemed to have overdone them a little.
No.
It must be my own poor control. Li Luo's Bundesliga teammates... this is exactly the kind of pace and lead they want!
His touch was too heavy.
A Japanese defender recovered his position and hurriedly cleared the ball over the goal line.
Li Luo seemed to have left him traumatized. He kept imagining someone would suddenly appear behind him.
The whole stadium sighed.
Wu Lei turned sheepishly, giving Li Luo a thumbs-up and gesturing that the mistake was his.
"A corner!"
"Li Luo's contribution to this match goes beyond his two goals."
"He's had a huge influence on Japan's tactical setup."
"That Inward-Curling Arc long ball just now threw the spacing of Japan's back line into chaos."
Hao Junmin stood near the corner flag.
Gao Lin planted himself inside Japan's penalty area, towering above the crowd.
Shusaku Nishikawa loudly organized his defense. Then he spotted Li Luo standing outside the penalty area and let out a long breath of relief.
He was a long way away.
Japan's defensive line would not have to face Li Luo's threat directly.
On the touchline.
At some point, Perrin had sat down on the bench.
"Li may be looking to draw defenders away and create space for his teammates."
"We mustn't interfere too much."
"Give him plenty of freedom."
On the other side.
Aguirre was brimming with confidence.
"China's attacking set pieces are crudely designed."
"Their success rate with high balls is mediocre."
"Their short-corner routines along the ground lack variety too."
"We're ready. Once our opponents make a mistake, we can launch a devastating counterattack!"
Tweet!
The referee blew his whistle.
Hao Junmin raised his right hand.
A two-step run-up.
Thwack.
The ball rose off the ground and drifted toward Japan's penalty area.
"He's mishit that."
"Too high and too slow..."
"Whoa!"
Suddenly.
A red figure flashed into view at the edge of the camera frame.
Like lightning, he tore through Japan's penalty area.
His split-second anticipation and movement matched the ball's flight perfectly.
Li Luo.
He pushed off.
Leaped high.
Hammered a header!
The Japanese center-back who tried to block him was knocked violently aside!
Thwack!
The ball was imbued with terrifying force in midair, unstoppable.
It became a cannon shell.
And blasted through Japan's goal.
3-2!!!
Shinji Kagawa arrived too late, despair etched across his face as his knees buckled.
The stadium erupted.
They had taken the lead?
Countless faces were filled with disbelief.
Two goals down.
A three-goal comeback?
The China National Team led the Japan National Team 3-2?
Cheers poured down from every direction like an unstoppable tidal wave!
Li Luo could finally celebrate.
He landed and turned.
He sprinted toward the corner flag area, vaulted the advertising board, and crossed the broad running track.
A photographer lay on the ground, adjusting his lens with nervous, trembling hands.
An extremely low angle.
The camera slowly brought Li Luo's back, his arms spread wide, to the very top of the frame.
Red flags billowing in the night breeze, scarves held aloft, faces glowing with excitement and happiness, fervent applause and cheers... the young Chinese player embraced it all.
"It's in!"
"A hat trick!"
"China's young star Li Luo has completed a hat trick on home soil, against the Japan National Team!"
"Three goals to complete the comeback and put China in front!"
"An epic chapter of heroism!"
"That header showcased his extraordinary off-the-ball movement, anticipation of the ball's flight, and explosive pace!"
"Unbelievable!"
"Japan's two Europe-based midfield stars and its J.League elite look utterly dim beneath his brilliance!"
The commentator was so excited that his words tumbled over one another.
Coach Zhang excitedly squeezed his thigh.
The livestream chat.
Comments flew across the screen.
-[My eyes are peeing again... We really have a Chinese genius who can turn everything around!]
-[Yeah, you're not dreaming.]
-[Li Luo took on the entire Japan National Team alone! And scored a hat trick!]
-[My God, he scored from that too?]
-[Why does today feel so unreal?]
-[He suddenly flashed into the frame... A Nuclear Explosion header! Oh man, Li Luo has made Japan's keeper cry.]
-[I'd cry too. Japan were two goals up... Then they conceded three and lost the lead, blasted apart by Li Luo alone!]
-[Li Luo, take us to Russia.]
On the touchline.
Perrin and his French assistant coaches broke into a tango.
Assistant Coach Li's eyes reddened as he hugged Translator Zhao tightly.
"I can hardly believe this is real."
"Two goals down against Japan, and Li Luo scored three to put us ahead."
"Take some scissors and cut off your bangs. Then you'll know it's all real."
On the other side.
Aguirre shook his head blankly.
He did not understand.
He even began to harbor a trace of doubt about his own coaching ability.
"Boss, don't overthink it. For the Asian Cup in two months, all of Japan's Europe-based first-team players will be back. If we face China, we'll definitely beat Li Luo!"
"We've collected all the data on Li Luo and his current habits on the ball."
"Next time we meet, we'll definitely contain him!"
Japan's coaches chattered away, filling page after page of rough notes, still gathering material for their post-match reflections.
In the away stands.
Not a single white flag remained upright.
It was as though Li Luo had taken a blade to them all.
Sobs rose one after another.
A middle-aged man's voice rang out. "Japanese football has lost all its dignity."
"We've got the likes of Kosuke Ota playing full-back. Is he even up to it?"
Another voice countered, "No, it's because China has Li Luo."
"We should use Li Luo as the model for our youth development... and unearth outstanding talent!"
Play resumed.
Having taken the lead, the China National Team did not recklessly keep attacking.
Instead, they chose to shore up their defense.
They parked the bus.
Every player was called back to help defend deep.
The Japan National Team launched wave after wave of attacks.
Some J.League players grew so anxious that they even let their first touches run out of play.
"This isn't all that rare in the AFC Champions League."
"Yes, I'm sure everyone watching on television is thrilled."
"There isn't much time left for Japan."
>
Before you continue