Chapter 204 197: Must Win the Finals

"YEAH!!!"

After the match, thunderous cheers erupted from the Chinese Team's players in the locker room.

"We want the championship!"

"Champions! Champions!! Champions!!!"

After defeating the formidable Iran two to one, the confidence of everyone on the National Team soared. Each player was filled with an intense desire and brimming with fighting spirit.

They had reached the final, and on their home turf, no less. Who wouldn't want to keep the Asian Cup in Beijing, in China?

Their opponent in the final was Japan.

Japan's performance in this Asian Cup hadn't been entirely convincing. It could be said that on their way to the final, the only truly strong team they faced was Iran in the last match of the group stage.

But in reality, neither side went all out in that match. Japan had already secured their spot in the next round, and Iran only needed a draw to advance.

The most controversial moment came in the quarter-final knockout stage when Japan faced Jordan. The two teams were tied one-to-one after 120 minutes of play, forcing the match into a final penalty shootout.

Japan's first to take a penalty was their star player, Nakamura Shunsuke, who blasted the ball over the bar. The second penalty taker, San Du Master, did the same. In contrast, Jordan had scored both of their penalties, making their chances of winning the shootout very high.

At this critical moment, Japan's coaching staff on the sidelines simultaneously pressured the referees, demanding a change of ends for the shootout. Unbelievably, the head referee actually agreed. Even more ridiculously, San Du Master even wanted to retake his penalty, only giving up after the Jordanian players protested.

After changing ends, Japan converted their subsequent penalties, while Jordan was clearly affected, scoring only one of their next three. After the first five rounds, the score was tied at three-all. Then, Japan scored their sixth penalty, and Jordan hit the crossbar for a second time, getting eliminated.

Although Japan's head coach, Zico, denied after the match that his coaching staff had applied pressure, their actions still caused a huge stir. After the game, Jordan publicly accused the head referee of being unfair and condemned Japan's behavior, stating that changing ends during a shootout was unprecedented.

But unfortunately, Japan ultimately advanced to the semi-finals, where they then narrowly eliminated Bahrain in a nail-biter.

Facing a Japan Team like this, how could the Chinese Team—fresh off eliminating Iran in the semi-finals—not have any ideas of their own?

Sitting in the locker room, Yang Yang could feel the determination of every single person on the team.

Morale was high!

For so many years, the Chinese Team had desperately needed a championship title.

A great nation, yet its football had been consistently weak for years. They had finally managed to qualify for the World Cup, only to be placed in the same group as the eventual champions, Brazil, and the third-place finishers, Turkey. They returned in disgrace, but it also made them clearly see the massive gap between themselves and the world's top teams.

At a time like this, the Chinese Team had two choices: either stubbornly withstand the pressure and keep moving forward, or shrink back and fall into a slump from which they might never recover.

Yang Yang knew clearly in his heart that no matter how you looked at it, the Chinese Team had to fight for this championship.

'We absolutely cannot lose to Japan in the final and just hand over this title!'

...

...

Arie Haan and the National Team's leader returned to the locker room. They praised the players for the fighting spirit and desire they had shown, encouraging everyone to keep up the effort and continue their excellent performance from tonight.

"I believe that as long as we can maintain the form we had tonight, we can defeat Japan and claim the Asian Cup title."

Captain Zhu also spoke on behalf of the Football Association, encouraging the players. He hoped that every player would remain humble and patient, and work hard to play well in the final match.

"The state of domestic football is weak, as you all know. I also know that many of you have complaints about some of the Football Association's work, but right now, we face a powerful enemy. We should all put aside our past grievances and aim our guns outward together."

"This is a final unlike any other, because it's right here in our Capital, right on our doorstep."

"Win this final, win this championship, and you will become heroes of Chinese Football. You will become heroes to all the fans in China."

The players were deeply moved, and every one of them applauded forcefully.

Yes, this would be the first significant championship trophy in the history of Chinese Football. It would usher in a brand new Era.

And every one of them would be immortalized in the history books for it.

The prerequisite was that they had to win the final!

...

...

After showering and changing, the players left Beijing Workers' Stadium. As they headed back to the hotel, they found countless fans still gathered outside the stadium. When they saw the national players boarding the team bus, everyone shouted at the top of their lungs.

They were calling for the national players to keep up the fight and win the Asian Cup.

Their shouts were filled with longing and anticipation.

Many fans even chased after the bus, shouting and running until they couldn't run anymore.

The hotel wasn't far from the stadium, and the entire way there, fans wearing the Chinese Team's colors were everywhere. When they saw the team bus, they would shout loudly. Even at traffic lights, many drivers would lean out of their windows and yell, "Go Chinese Team! China will win!"

Inside the bus, the national players were all deeply moved.

These were the same people who probably cursed the National Team on a regular basis, but that was out of tough love. When it really mattered, they supported the Chinese Team more than anyone.

Because this was the team that represented over a billion Chinese people.

A large crowd of fans had also gathered at the hotel entrance, all shouting loudly to cheer on the National Team players.

It was a short distance from the stadium to the hotel, but it was enough for the national players to profoundly feel the passion of the fans back home.

Even after returning to their rooms, everyone was still immersed in that atmosphere, finding it hard to pull themselves away.

...

...

"This is the first time I've ever felt like a hero."

In their room, his roommate Zheng Zhi was still reminiscing about the scene from earlier, unable to get it out of his mind.

In '02, he had missed his chance with the National Team and failed to become a hero. This made him especially cherish this year's Asian Cup and the World Cup qualifiers.

"The fans are our strongest support. I've always believed that they can see how hard we're working."

Yang Yang was also deeply moved by the scene.

When he returned to Amsterdam after winning the Champions League with Ajax, he had experienced the most stunning moment of his life, but tonight was clearly different.

Playing for Ajax was his profession, a job. But playing for the Chinese Team was his pride.

He had always believed that every Chinese person yearned to wear this jersey and fight for their country.

"What's it like playing in Europe?" Zheng Zhi suddenly asked.

Yang Yang thought for a moment. "How should I put it? They're more professional than we are. Everything is professional, from scouting and training to logistics, from diet and daily schedules to medical support. Everything is just so professional. When you're there, all you have to do is play football. Someone else will take care of everything for you."

Zheng Zhi nodded heavily. Of course, he knew what the situation was like back home.

One person, or even a group of people, couldn't possibly change that environment. Since that was the case, the only option was to escape.

Anyone with aspirations of making a name for themselves in football wanted to play abroad.

"What's this? Has a team taken an interest in you?" Yang Yang asked with a smile.

The two had been roommates for over a month, spending every day together and getting along quite well. Plus, with Yang Yang playing in the Netherlands, Zheng Zhi often asked him about things, so he didn't try to hide anything.

Hearing Yang Yang's question, he immediately nodded. "Yes, a few teams are interested in me."

"Where from?"

"There are teams from all of the Four Major Leagues, but I'd prefer to go to the Bundesliga."

"Why?" Yang Yang was quite curious.

"Well, no need to even mention Serie A; it's definitely the toughest league in the world right now. La Liga has very high technical demands. The Bundesliga and the Premier League are relatively better fits for me, and I personally lean more towards the Bundesliga."

Chinese players had already paved the way for others to play in Germany, so Zheng Zhi's thinking was indeed quite sound.

"The most important thing is to get playing time," Yang Yang reminded him. "It's really tough when you're not playing in matches."

During this past month without any matches, Yang Yang had come to understand why bench players couldn't stand it. That craving for competition was truly agonizing, especially for young players who needed those precious opportunities to improve.

Yang Yang's journey so far had been one of constant competition, constant refinement, and constant progress.

"That's what I think too. So, I definitely can't hope for a big club. The most important thing is getting to play," Zheng Zhi said, his eyes full of longing.

"Is your club willing to let you go?" Yang Yang asked with concern.

Zheng Zhi shook his head. "I don't know. The previous owner once personally promised to fully support me, but now there's a new owner, so I'm not really sure. But you know, I'm not that young anymore. If I don't go abroad now, I'm afraid it'll be too late."

Zheng Zhi was about to turn twenty-four, the prime of a professional player's career. It was the perfect age to venture abroad and continue honing his skills. If he waited another two or three years, it would be a bit too late.

"I believe that as long as I'm determined enough, we can negotiate a deal," Zheng Zhi said.

Although they hadn't known each other long, Yang Yang knew that Zheng Zhi was a man with his own strong ideas. For him to say that, he must be confident. And Yang Yang truly agreed that playing abroad was the best way for Chinese players to improve and temper themselves at present.

"I have some connections of my own in the Netherlands, and I know a bit about German football. If you need anything at all, just contact me anytime. I'll do everything I can to help you," Yang Yang said.

This wasn't an empty boast from Yang Yang; it was the truth.

Besides Raiola, who was already somewhat famous in European Football, many agents in the Netherlands focused their business on Germany. The two countries shared a border, and player transfers between them were frequent. Through Dutch stars like Sneijder and Van der Vaart, Yang Yang had indeed met many people in the Dutch professional football circle. While it might not be a huge help, he could certainly gather some information.

Zheng Zhi chuckled. "That's exactly what I was waiting to hear. I hope the next time I treat you to a meal, it'll be in Germany."

"You want to play abroad, and a few of our teammates from the National Youth Team also want to go. I really hope all of you can make it happen. If the domestic league isn't working out, let's go test ourselves in the European Leagues. No matter how we end up doing, at the very least we can pave a path for those who come after us."

Yang Yang said this with genuine sincerity.

Zheng Zhi deeply agreed, and his determination to play abroad grew even stronger.