Chapter 280: Promising teenager
When the whole of Europe was debating about Wang Feng's transfer news, the protagonist had quietly left Milan and returned to his homeland. The national team was undergoing training in Beijing, preparing for the World Cup in Germany in June.
If the 2004 Asian Cup was Wang Feng's first participation in the highest tournament in Asia representing China, then the World Cup in Germany would be Wang Feng's first participation in a world-class tournament representing China.
In 2005, as the champions of Asia, China participated in the Confederations Cup organized by FIFA at that time. However, after Wang Feng helped the national team secure a spot in the World Cup, he politely declined the subsequent call-ups and returned to Milan to focus on his professional career.
As a result, the Chinese team lost consecutively to Mexico, Greece, and Brazil, failing to advance beyond the group stage. It's hard not to recall the tragedy of the Korea-Japan World Cup. Therefore, this time, as the team heads to Germany, fans are pinning their hopes on Wang Feng, hoping he can help the motherland achieve a historic breakthrough and change the status quo of early exits.
Head coach Alihan, who helped the Chinese team win the Asian Cup, continued in his position. Besides veteran players like Sun Jihai and Shao Jiayi, newcomers like Gao Lin, Feng Xiaoting, Chen Tao, and Dongfang Zhuo also made it to the national team for the first time.
It's worth mentioning that 21-year-old Dongfang Zhuo, who was loaned from Manchester United to Antwerp in the Belgian Second Division, received considerable attention from the media. In the just-concluded season, he scored 18 league goals, winning the Golden Boot in the Belgian Second Division.
With similarly remarkable performances starting from the Belgian Second Division, Dongfang Zhuo's situation is somewhat similar to Wang Feng's. Not only domestic reports but also European media have many comments on him.
The only regret may be that he is slightly older than Wang Feng was at that time, and also, he spent the entire season in the Belgian Second Division without being able to move to a higher stage for development.
In fact, many Belgian clubs were eager to sign him during the winter transfer window, including Genk, where Wang Feng once belonged, and Belgian giants Anderlecht, among others. Unfortunately, he still belongs to the Manchester United club.
The Red Devils won't easily give up this promising talent. They responded to those inquiring clubs, saying, "Dongfang Zhuo is not for sale! His temporary move to the Belgian Second Division is only due to work permit issues, which we believe will be resolved soon."
The main formation of the Chinese team is 4-4-2, with Li Leilei as the goalkeeper, Li Weifeng, Zhang Yaokun, Ji Mingyi, and Sun Jihai in defense, Shao Jiayi, Zhao Junzhe, Zheng Zhi, and Zhao Xuri in midfield, and Li Yi and Wang Feng up front.
Young players who are entering the national team for the first time are placed on the bench, eager to perform on the world stage.
Due to the Champions League final and subsequent celebrations, Wang Feng returned to the team relatively late. Other players had been training in Beijing for several days. The young players were very excited to see the superstar in person for the first time, considering Wang Feng their idol and goal.
Especially Dongfang Zhuo, he said, "Wang ge, although you've only played a few matches in the Belgian Second Division, almost all players are proud of you, which includes me. They also respect me a lot, and my outstanding performance this season wouldn't have been possible without their support."
Wang Feng patted the young man on the shoulder and smiled, "Don't underestimate yourself. I've watched the game footage, and your performance fully deserves the honor of the Golden Boot in the Belgian Second Division. If it weren't for the loan issue, you could definitely go to the Belgian Pro League or even Eredivisie, a higher stage."
In fact, Dongfang Zhuo should actively seek a transfer to establish himself as a regular starter at mid-table clubs in the top five leagues in Europe or contend for the championship in Europe's second-tier leagues. Therefore, in the conversation that followed, Wang Feng indirectly expressed this view.
Dongfang Zhuo scratched his head. Which young player doesn't dream of playing for top clubs? The temptation of Manchester United is indeed too great for him. However, he is also a very pragmatic player, and the trust and respect he receives from Wang Feng also made him seriously consider this suggestion.
"Wang ge, where do you think I should go? What should I do about my contract with Manchester United?"
"Let's do this. Why don't you come under my agent Balmond's management? I'll talk to him and ask him to focus on planning your career." Finally meeting a fellow countryman with great potential, Wang Feng wanted to help him.
Dongfang Zhuo nodded incessantly. With the help of a renowned agent like Balmond, he believed his professional career would be smoother. So Wang Feng called this old friend.
"No problem, I've got it covered," Balmond said easily. "I'll talk to Dongfang and, to be honest, Manchester United isn't a good choice for him. As for the contract, it's not a problem at all. The transfer market after the World Cup ends will be huge."
At the end of May, the Chinese team flew to Germany, where they played a warm-up match against the French national team before the start of the tournament. The match ended in a 3-3 draw.
Wang Feng scored twice and assisted Li Yi in scoring a goal. From the scoreline, China didn't have a big disadvantage, but in reality, France did not field all their main players, and throughout the game, China was under constant pressure.
After experiencing the disastrous defeat in the Confederations Cup, head coach Alihan fully understood the gap between the players and the world-class level. Therefore, his strategy for this World Cup was simple: focus on defense and leave the attacking tasks to Wang Feng.
On the French side, Zidane's performance was not outstanding; instead, Ribery was very active. Not only did he score a goal against the Chinese team, but he also assisted Henry in scoring.
"Bro, if I meet you on the World Cup stage, I won't go easy on you!" After the match, Ribery greeted Wang Feng, "After all, this is one of the rare opportunities for me to beat you."
Wang Feng patted him on the head with a smile, "I don't need you to go easy on me. You just perform well and try to secure a starting position!" The French team's forward line is also full of talent, with Henry, Trezeguet, Sissoko, and Viltord, among others. Ribery has not yet become a regular player for the team.
In addition to Ribery, players like Zidane and Henry also approached Wang Feng after the game, while other Chinese players could only watch from the sidelines with envy, as this time was reserved exclusively for the superstars.
"Joining Real Madrid is a very difficult challenge," Zidane said. "But it's also a great opportunity. I envy the players who can fight alongside you."
"In that case, why not retire a year later?" Wang Feng joked, but Zidane shook his head. "I can't keep up with the times anymore, but maybe we'll have the chance to team up in the future."
Three days later, the Chinese team played a warm-up match against the England national team, mainly with a substitute lineup, and Wang Feng sat on the bench.
In the end, China suffered a 1-4 defeat, with the only bright spot being Dongfang Zhuo's header goal that broke through the ten fingers of the English goalkeeper Robinson.
After two warm-up matches, the World Cup was about to begin.
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