Chapter 169: Chapter 168: Scoring Can’t Mask the Slump, The Princess Diaries Premiere (Fifth Update, Seeking Full Subscription)
"Who Needs Ronaldo When You Have Deng Kai? The Returning King, Will Sporting Lisbon U17 Aim for the Championship This Season?"
"Chinese Super Group Shows Telepathy On The Pitch, Personal Abilities No Less Than Their Peers!"
"Yu Shihao’s Speed, Positioning, and Footwork Are Impressive. Rather Than a Lone Striker, He’s More of a Shadow Forward. With the Right Partner Up Front, His Threat Would Only Increase!"
"Hao Junmin Has Excellent Technique and a Clear Mind with Organizing Abilities, Making Him the Best Assistant for Deng Kai in Midfield Management!"
"Shao Jiawei Defends Decisively, with Exceptional Heading Skills! He’s Much Like Feng Te from Sporting Lisbon U19!"
After all, it was a Portuguese team with significant online following, and even though it was only a youth competition, there were still a few small media outlets willing to broadcast related news.
Most media approved of Sporting Lisbon U17’s performance this time.
But Bola newspaper was certainly not one of them.
Bola newspaper: "Although Boavista had a four-win streak before facing Sporting Lisbon U17, their opponents were mostly weak teams, so their record doesn’t really show they are strong."
"In fact, Boavista lost their midfield linchpin Meireles this summer, as well as their main striker and central defender... So, Sporting Lisbon was just lucky."
"The so-called ability of Deng Kai can only be displayed against teams without a midfield."
"Moreover, in this game, his multiple goals only prove that he is essentially an opportunist. He used to leech off Ronaldo, now he’s started leeching off Chinese players."
Not inflating or slandering, Bola newspaper’s reports always seem surprisingly reasonable at first glance.
No wonder they have a large following.
However, if you read several of their articles, you’d spot the contradictions in their narratives.
Their previous headline criticizes "Chinese players for not having the ability to compete in Portugal’s U17 league," and the next accuses Deng Kai of leeching off Chinese players.
When the situation allows, they bash both Deng Kai and Chinese players together.
When it doesn’t, they just focus fire on Deng Kai alone, right?
After the match, Deng Kai made a call to Ronaldo, ready to share the team’s joy of winning with him.
But the line was busy, "The number you have dialed is currently on a call, please try again later."
Deng Kai tried all day, but Ronaldo was continuously on a call.
It was clear that the team’s big win without Ronaldo was a huge blow to him.
It’s not the victory that’s scary, it’s who’s missing that’s embarrassing.
September 21st.
The sixth round of the league kicked off.
Sporting Lisbon played at home against Tondela.
Unlike Boavista, which had many changes in the lineup, this Tondela team had also played together last season.
Of course, this also meant that there were no genius players in the team.
Because if a genius player played well for a season, they often moved up a level the next season.
This match seemed to prove Bola newspaper’s point.
The two sides battled for eighty-eight minutes, but neither gained an advantage.
Sporting Lisbon had a lot of ball possession, but apart from a few long shots from the outside that were way off, they hardly created any threat.
Facing a coordinated defense in the mid and backfield, the passing between Yu Shihao, Hao Junmin, Wu Xudong, and Deng Kai could hardly tear the opponent apart.
Until the eighty-ninth minute, Deng Kai managed a through ball with his individual skill, and Yu Shihao was brought down by an opponent from behind before he could receive the ball, securing a close-range free kick for the team.
Deng Kai’s Ground Cutter amazed the inexperienced Tondela U17 players, securing a one-to-zero lead.
A last-minute goal caused Tondela to collapse.
After the kickoff, they were desperate to push forward and equalize.
But they conceded another goal in the ninety-first minute of stoppage time.
After receiving the ball upfront, Hao Junmin was surprisingly relaxed and managed a successful dribble past his opponents.
Hao Junmin performed a nutmeg followed by consecutive feints, dazzlingly dribbling past two players.
Deng Kai moved up, and Hao Junmin passed the ball to Deng Kai.
With a flick of his toe, Deng Kai sent the football flying into the penalty area.
Faced with the oncoming goalkeeper, Yu Shihao didn’t stop the ball and chipped it again, his imagination brimming.
Two to zero!
Sporting Lisbon scored a second consecutive victory.
With one assist and one goal, Deng Kai continued to be named the best player of the match.
In fact, most technically skilled players share a common trait: they perform exceptionally well with the wind at their backs.
When the wind is favorable, they have a better mindset, more relaxed, and are bolder in trying fancy maneuvers, which often results in spectacular outcomes.
However, the downside of these players is their reluctance to take action when facing headwinds, appearing timid on the field, hesitating to make moves or break through, and even underperforming compared to ordinary players with average skills.
This was vividly demonstrated by the Brazilian players after the loss of Neymar.
In the second round of the 2022 World Cup group stage, Brazil played terribly in the first half.
Apart from Vinicius, it was almost impossible to find another player willing to fight tooth and nail, and even Vinicius, under heavy pressure, saw at least a thirty percent "degradation" in his technical skill on the pitch.
Once the team took the lead, Brazil transformed back into the flamboyant Samba squad, with everyone daring to show off their skills.
With such performance, facing a real tough battle, it would be difficult for this team to achieve the desired results.
Neymar: "When I’m on the field, each one of you acts all flashy, everyone wants to be Neymar. When I’m not there, suddenly no one dares to be Neymar, is that it?"
After the match against Tondela, the Bola newspaper seemed to believe their prediction was correct: "Our forecast was right for eighty-eight minutes, and had it not been for those last-minute surprises, Sporting Lisbon would not have secured a win."
"Although Deng Kai scored a goal in this match, it can’t mask his decline in midfield control!"
"In the next match, Sporting Lisbon will face the well-known strong team Saint-Romuald, who will end Sporting Lisbon’s winning streak and reveal the fragile facade of Deng Kai."
"Deng Kai’s personal stats will once again be nil, whether in goals or assists."
...
October arrives.
Each month there are events that break the mold and capture the world’s attention.
And this October’s global event is... "The Princess Diaries" breaks box office records on its premiere!
"A major success! ’The Princess Diaries’ premieres with $36 million, shattering the record for similar movies!"
"Covering costs! The production budget for ’The Princess Diaries’ was only $36 million, breaking even on the premiere, and pure profit from then on!"
"Marshall scores another hit; with one move, ’The Princess Diaries’ has audiences nostalgic for the charming Pretty Woman!"
"American girl or Princess of Genovia! Anne Hathaway’s breakout role makes her the campus goddess across North America!"
"The Future Star - Anne Hathaway!"
"Hathaway not single? Agent speaks out to quash rumors, confirming Hathaway won’t be dating any time soon!"
"Free-spirited girl Hathaway: Of course, I want to fall in love!"
Hathaway’s popularity soared!
Her fame skyrocketed in North America, propelling her from an obscure newcomer to a recognized movie star.
Several production companies have already approached her, looking to cast her in movies.
Everything was moving in a positive direction.
But... one step away from heaven, one step into hell.
Almost all of these production companies specialized in teen movies, that is, youth-centric themes.
The contractual agreements also required cooperation with "emotional management" offline.
And yet, Hathaway wanted to reject these terms.
