Born to be a coach [soccer]

Chapter 289

Soon the 2016 European Cup in France came to the final day.

In this cup, Anton has many disciples coming to the European Cup, such as Reus and Hummels representing the German national team, Zlatan Ibrahimovic representing the Swedish national team, Shaqiri representing the Swiss national team, Halldosson representing Iceland The national team... and a whole host of players representing the England national team.Many of them have contributed great performances.

For example, Shaqiri scored a superb barb for Switzerland, which was enough to be the best goal of the tournament - but Switzerland fell to Poland in the knockout round. at the foot of the team.

Another example is Reus and Hummels, who performed well in the German national team.

The two German guys stayed in Sunderland for a year after Anton left, and then transferred back to the Bundesliga together.At the instigation of Hummels, both joined Dortmund, where Hummels used to play, and once again met Anton's team in the European arena.

Since the 2012-13 season, both Reus and Hummels have become important cores of the German national team, and both participated in the 14 World Cup in Brazil with the team.Hummels, teammates Boateng and Khedira formed the iron triangle of the German team's defense, and Royce played an important role in the midfield.

After entering the knockout round, the German team was in the lower half of the "hell" difficulty, overcame all obstacles and reached the semi-finals, but fell at the feet of the host in the semi-finals.

After the game, Anton called the two lost former lovers to comfort them: After all, there are many talents in German football, and there must be a comeback.As long as his two little disciples are healthy and healthy, hope is always in front of them.

The opponents in the final are Portugal and the host team France.

Because of Cristiano Ronaldo, Anton watched all the matches of the Portuguese team. Seeing that the team stumbled to the third place in the group, they were lucky to fall into the relatively peaceful upper half. They beat Croatia first, then Poland, and the semifinals Won Wales and advanced to the final.

Before the match, some French fans in bars in Paris were complaining about the problem with the knockout divisions of this year’s cup. a district.

Anton was quite speechless about this kind of remarks: Croatia led by Modric, Poland led by Lewandowski, Wales led by "Great Saint" Bell...are they all "fish belly"?

In contrast to the French team, there are so many strong teams in the lower half, England was killed by Iceland, Spain was killed by Italy, Italy was killed by Germany, and Khedira was injured after the German game against Italy... The performance of the French team is indeed Very good, but there is really no need to belittle the opponent in this way.

The Portuguese national team led by Ronaldo has indeed experienced a difficult time in this cup.As soon as Portugal came up, they were all tied in the group stage, accumulating 3 points to pass the line.Even if Ronaldo scored two dollars alone in the last game and carried the entire team, he was almost hacked by the entire net.

But now Ronaldo is leading the same Portuguese team, standing in the Stade de France, standing on the field of the European Cup final, facing the host.

Is this the first time Ronaldo has led the Portuguese team to the knockout stage of the European Cup? ——Anton recalled slowly.

Thinking back to 2004, when "Xiao Luo" had just debuted, he could hold the trophy at the door of his house. Who would have thought that "Greek mythology" would be born. The 19-year-old Ronaldo made no secret of it, crying directly on the field.In the years to come, as long as Portugal is out, some media will take out the photos at that time to review.

But then Portugal never reached the final like this again. In 2008, Portugal lost to Germany in the quarter-finals, and in 2012, it fell in front of Spain in the semi-finals.Now in front of the rebuilt and star-studded French team, Ronaldo no longer has the support of the former Portuguese "golden generation".His teammates are average in strength, but on the stage of European football, this lineup still seems a bit "grassroots".

No one believed that Portugal would win the game.

Anton can't assert that in this time and space, he doesn't have the ability to predict the future.

Anton sweated for Ronaldo.

Ever since Ronaldo stood at the front of the field and sang the Portuguese national anthem with his hands behind his back before the start of the game, Anton began to feel nervous involuntarily—it would be impossible for him to lead the team himself, but he would be like this for a friend.

This time watching the game, Anton did not sit with Eriksson and Pickford. As a well-known coach in European football, he was invited to sit in the VIP box of the Stade de France.

French President François Hollande sat in the front row of Anton, and the former "golden generation" of Portugal, such as Figo, sat right behind Anton.And beside Anton is the retired coach Sir Alex Ferguson, who has made great achievements in English football.

It is said that since Anton entered Anfield, Sir Ferguson has never spoken to him face-to-face; and after Sir Ferguson's own chosen successor Moyes failed to coach Manchester United, Ferguson would not take the initiative to say hello even if he saw Anton.

This time, Anton, who was sitting next to Lord Ferguson, saw him take out a handkerchief from his pocket and wipe the sweat from his palms——he was also nervous.

Speaking of Anton and Ferguson, they should be nervous about the same player.

At the beginning of the game, both sides played cautiously.

Who knew that in the 25th minute of the game, a scene that no one wanted to see happened——

Ronaldo raised his hand to indicate a knee injury and asked the team doctor to enter the field.

Sir Alex Ferguson immediately stood up with his fists clenched.

Anton also felt a burst of exclamation choked in his throat, and he couldn't even cry out.

During the interval between substitutions, the big screen in the Stade de France kept playing the video of Ronaldo's injury earlier.Cameras accurately capture a moth attracted by the bright lights inside the Stade de France.The huge moth kept fluttering its wings and flying around Ronaldo's cheeks. It was not known whether it was sweat or Ronaldo's tears that attracted it.

This is... Moths to the flame?

In the face of a strong host, is the Portuguese team flying moths to the flame?

Anton felt that time stood still at that moment.

Looking at the moth carefully, Anton suddenly remembered a person—Bernard.

Bernard once told him, and only told him one person, that the virtual reality technology that was applied to "Life in the Greenery" earlier has made great progress, and has been able to load human consciousness on creatures, for example Bees, butterflies, moths...

If at this juncture, he could approach Ronaldo as a moth, what would he say to Ronaldo?

My friend, your health is the most important thing, career future is the most important, please leave this game to your teammates!

——Can he say such a thing?

Or: Please persevere no matter what, there are at most one hundred minutes left in this game!

——God, there are still more than 100 minutes in this game.

Anton took a deep breath.How much he wanted to be able to comfort and encourage him personally.Too bad he wasn't that moth.

When Ronaldo sat down on the ground to receive treatment, Anton felt that a century had passed.Sir Ferguson beside him probably felt the same way. Anton saw Sir Ferguson constantly wipe the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.

After Ronaldo received the treatment, he barely stood up and tried to run a few steps on the field.

The Portuguese fans in the Stade de France applauded Ronaldo together.French fans are also waiting patiently.

But Sir Alex Ferguson immediately looked worried when he saw Ronaldo's running posture. He turned his face and looked at Anton. Seeing Anton also had a bitter face, he felt even worse.

Sure enough, not long after the game resumed, Ronaldo raised his hand to Santos, the head coach of the Portuguese team on the sidelines: ... Request a substitution.

At the same time, he couldn't take it anymore, sat down on the field, and let tears well up in front of fans all over the world.The referee immediately stopped the game.

Anton could feel his back molars grinding, and he seemed to see the moth again.If the world really had the miraculous technology Bernard described, he would rather fly to this friend in the form of a moth, at least to accompany him through this most difficult time...

After many years, he led the team to the European Cup final again, but was deprived of the opportunity to fight on the court not long after the game started-what kind of luck is this.

"If he is injured or is in a bad state and can't keep playing...he has at least one choice, which is not to drag his teammates down." An old and deep voice rang in Anton's ear.

Lord Ferguson next to Anton chewed gum at some point.He seems to be teaching Anton, and he seems to be talking to himself: "He understands, after all, they are a team."

If he wins the championship, it will be Ronaldo and the entire Portuguese team; if he loses, only Ronaldo will miss the chance to win the championship.There will be hope for the Portuguese team in the future.

Anton let out a long breath at this moment and straightened his back.Now that Ronaldo has made his choice, as a friend, he naturally supports him unconditionally.

Now the French team on the field faces Portugal without Ronaldo-it seems that they can lie down and win.

But not long after, Anton suddenly breathed a sigh of relief and said, "The outcome is unpredictable."

He spoke a little loudly, causing several French "VIPs" in the front row to turn their heads.

Lin Andong didn't change his face.

After a while, Sir Ferguson waited until the French had turned their heads away before asking in a low voice, "How can you see that?"

Anton also whispered: "This French team is also nervous - and they don't have the experience of playing finals."

This French team is a French team rebuilt from the ruins after the French were disgraced in South Africa in 2010.Except for Evra, the old people who participated in the World Cup in South Africa that year have basically left.The leading stars Griezmann, Pogba, Payet...all grew up after that.

Benzema, who is used to being blamed, was not even selected for the French national team this time.

It was the first time that this team was placed under the spotlight of the final of a major competition. It was on such a stage, under the spotlight of the Stade de France, that carried all the hopes of the French.

Their pressure is no less than that of the Portuguese.

"In Russia two years later, their hopes will be even greater." Anton added.

After listening to Anton's words, Sir Ferguson didn't say a word. After a while, a smile appeared on his face.

As Anton once said in the past, "the final has no name since ancient times", this game is indeed not exciting enough compared to other games.The French team wasted opportunities in various ways, while Portugal strictly defended in various ways.The two teams drew 0-0 in the main game.

30 minutes of extra time followed.

Cristiano Ronaldo appeared on the sidelines, his knee injury has been treated briefly, and he was standing on the sidelines on crutches to cheer up his teammates.It seems that Ronaldo's spirit and will have been fully restored, and he, like Anton, is aware of a little bit: the hope of a miracle.

He has carried the Portuguese team through the thorns many times, and now it is finally his turn for the national team teammates to carry his will to win and move on.

In the 109th minute, the Portuguese team performed a miracle.

The player who scored goals for the Portuguese team is named Edel, who has been playing as a substitute in the Portuguese national team.The head coach Santos saw that the team was really unable to start the situation, and he didn't want to sit still. He blindly waited until the penalty shootout, and used this "little pawn" who had been playing in the Portuguese Super League for a long time and had no reputation in European football. For Ronaldo's striker Sanchez.

But it was this pawn who broke the deadlock.After getting a through ball from his teammate, Edel cut in with the ball and shot a low shot 25 meters from the goal.The entire French team, together with the French fans at the scene, watched the ball go into the lower left corner of the goal——

If God ever wrote the script for this game, he's perfectly off everyone's radar.No one could have imagined that Ronaldo would end so early, and no one could have imagined that in the last few minutes, the French team would be helpless for a mere one goal gap.

The game ended like this.

The referee blew the final whistle, announcing that Portugal won the European championship. The Frenchman drank the bitter fruit at his own gate, and made a perfect background board for Portugal with infinite frustration.

At the end of the game, Sir Alex Ferguson jumped up and hugged Anton beside him.The little bit of resentment that the old gentleman had towards Anton earlier disappeared with the final whistle of this game, and now he seems to be a little more affectionate towards Anton than before.

Anton: People say old kids, old kids, so it turns out Sir Alex Ferguson is the same way!

After the Portuguese team won the cup, Ronaldo was surrounded by people who rushed up to congratulate him warmly.But he pushed aside the crowd, leaned on crutches and squeezed towards Sir Ferguson's side, came up to Sir Ferguson, and hugged Sir Ferguson like a child.

Sir Alex Ferguson was all smiles, just like Ronaldo used to be when he played for Manchester United.

Time seems to have never passed, and Ronaldo's loyalty to Portugal and his desire for the championship are just like the boy who cried loudly in the 04 arena.

After thanking Ferguson softly for his congratulations, Ronaldo stretched out his hand to Anton: "Anton——"

Anton also clenched his hand, patted his shoulder vigorously, congratulated his friend, and said, "You did it."

He has always had an intuition and believes that Ronaldo can do it.

In the next few days, Anton has heard on various occasions that Ronaldo "lyed and won" in the European Cup-he left the game in 25 minutes, but finally came back with a Delaunay Cup. What is "win"?

Anton: "Lie down and win" is also a win.

But Anton still wrote this in his column:

"I don't agree with this statement. Without Ronaldo's hard work, the Portuguese team would not have reached the final. It may have returned home as early as the group stage or the quarter-finals."

"But it is naturally impossible to attribute all the credit to Ronaldo, the Portuguese national team, from coaches to players, from big-name stars to unknown players, everyone is a member of this group. The Portuguese team won the championship in the end. This is a manifestation of the collective will. I think that the spirit of Mr. Eusebio, who has passed away, must be secretly blessing, and wishing this team regardless of each other, an unprecedented glory..."

He didn't really want to be sensational, but he finally couldn't hold back and made a suggestion to Mr. Eusebio.

Because Anton once asked Ronaldo after the game, how did Ronaldo feel when the moth stopped at the corner of Ronaldo's eye when he was injured.

Ronaldo: "First reaction: There are so many moths in the Stade de France!"

Anton: ...Indeed, from his own personal experience, the Stade de France is the final venue, the lights are bright, and there are indeed more moths.

Ronaldo: "Later, I seemed to hear the voice of Mr. Eusebio... Do you remember, we once saw him in that 'nameless tavern'."

Of course Anton remembered.

Ronaldo: "I wasn't sure it was him at first, until he mentioned something he said to me in the nameless tavern: 'Everything is for Portugal'."

"At that time, I felt very sure that I did hear Eusebio's voice, but after thinking about it later, it should be because of the mental agitation at that time that I had auditory hallucinations."

"I didn't think too much about it, I just wanted to make the decision that was best for Portugal...You all know what happened afterwards."

Anton nodded and thanked Ronaldo for his honesty.

As soon as he turned around, Anton rushed to find Bernard.

"Bernard, tell me the truth, did you use the new technology on the court again without saying hello?"

If there is artificial intervention in the game, no matter what the purpose is, it will be unfair to both sides of the game.

Bernard quickly shook his hands to clarify: "Brother, big brother, no, really not! The new technologies I told you before are all in the theoretical stage and have not been used in practice... Besides, even if there is such a It's a moth, and I can't control it, let it cross the English Channel, and fly accurately to the Stade de France..."

So, is this really Eusebio?

Anton froze.

The author has something to say: the full text is over.

Take up a little more time for everyone to chat about two cents.

In the 2016 European Cup, I was lucky. I got a ticket for the semi-final by drawing lots, which was the game between France and Germany. I was sitting in the sixth row behind the goal.

I watched the final on TV in a small city in Provence, and none of the French we met at that time believed that the French team would lose.

I still remember very clearly that when Ronaldo left the field in the 25th minute, I really didn't know what it was like.

But when the result of the game came out... the whole French town was quiet. It is estimated that no one was willing to believe that the French team really lost at home.This anger should have been suppressed until 2 years later, in 2018.

Say something about Sunderland.

This team is still sinking in the League One. The latest ranking in the new season is fourth. I don't know if it is expected to win the championship next year.

The city of Sunderland is a very traditional British industrial city, and to a certain extent, it is also the epitome of modern British society.In addition to football, Sunderland has had a bright moment in recent years.In the Brexit referendum, Sunderland was the first large-scale constituency to be counted. Before that, the results of the votes in several small constituencies were "remain", but most of the people in Sunderland voted for "leave", until that moment, many British politicians did not realize that something was wrong, that Brexit might come true, and there were really many ordinary British people who wanted to change the status quo.

But precisely because of the uncertainty brought about by Brexit, Sunderland once lost an opportunity for foreign investment to build a factory and bring thousands of jobs to the local area.

What is written in this article is that the development of the whole city is driven by football, which is just the author's own good wishes for the time being.But I also really hope that the "Stadium of Light" can bring "brightness" to this city and guide these ordinary residents in the right direction.

Well, at the end, I also want to thank Fox City and Tinker Ranieri. Without the "Miracle of Leicester City" back then, I don't think I would have the courage to write "Miracle of Light".

In the end, I found some photos of watching football in Sunderland and France, and put them on the scarf. It is easy to find, and I believe you will find them.

See you in the next book.