章節 235: The Birth of Football's Third Power
Since it was a friendly match, both teams played fairly relaxed.
The players mostly used "eye-defense," giving each other opportunities to showcase their skills and entertain the fans in the stadium.
In the 3rd minute, Team Maradona's Batistuta took a long shot. Despite being retired for many years, his shooting technique still seemed sharp. The ball had great accuracy and was heading straight for the underside of the crossbar.
Buffon was well-prepared, using one hand to tip the ball over the crossbar, averting the threat.
Though the shot didn't score, the crowd still applauded. It was impressive that Batistuta, after so many years of retirement, could maintain such form.
Then it was Team Ronaldo's turn to counterattack. Lin dribbled down the wing, bypassed Zanetti, and sent a cross to Ronaldo's feet.
However, Ronaldo's physique had changed significantly, and his form had declined. When he tried to control the ball, he almost slipped after stepping on it. Fortunately, Nesta and Cannavaro were nearby to steady him, preventing an injury from a fall, which could have been serious given his current weight.
Ronaldo thanked them and gestured an apology to Lin. He had tried to stop and turn in one motion but underestimated how much his form had deteriorated, nearly leading to a slip.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had just found an opening, felt a bit frustrated seeing Lin pass to Ronaldo.
The game felt like a turn-based strategy—each team took turns attacking.
In the 13th minute of the first half, Team Maradona scored the first goal. Messi broke through on the left side, passed to Ronaldinho, who then sent a through ball that split Team Ronaldo's defense, allowing Messi to finish and score.
After scoring, Messi celebrated by climbing onto Ronaldinho's back, just like when he first joined Barcelona's first team. Seeing this, many Barcelona fans in the crowd were moved to tears.
Messi's goal lit a fire under Cristiano Ronaldo's competitive spirit. He couldn't stand falling behind, especially to his longtime rival, Messi.
Sensing Ronaldo's desire to score, Lin began feeding him more passes during their attacks. Ronaldo's finishing ability was indeed exceptional, and on the third through ball from Lin, he managed to score.
After the goal, Ronaldo was ecstatic, running to the corner to perform his signature "SIU" celebration.
Unfortunately, this was Camp Nou, and most of the fans were Barcelona supporters. Instead of applause, they booed Ronaldo, dampening his spirits.
Lin, noticing this, quickly ran over to give him a high-five, easing the awkwardness.
After each team scored, the game's tempo increased, and goals started coming more frequently.
In the 22nd minute, Zidane scored from a free kick, giving Team Ronaldo the lead.
Team Maradona quickly responded. Xavi, after evading Gattuso's challenge in midfield, sent a precise through ball to Messi, who dribbled past Stam and Roberto Carlos before backheeling the ball to Ronaldinho, who easily slotted it home, leveling the score at 2-2.
Lin then broke through on the wing, dribbling past Matthäus and Zanetti before passing to Ronaldo. But Nesta made a clean tackle to deny the chance.
Although Nesta successfully thwarted the attack, it was clear that Team Maradona's defense couldn't handle Lin.
In the 35th minute, Pirlo spotted an opportunity and delivered a long pass to Lin on the wing. Lin cut inside upon receiving the ball. Facing the defensive duo of Nesta and Cannavaro, he used his quick footwork and changes in pace to sidestep the aging Cannavaro, then pushed the ball sideways just before Nesta's sliding tackle to avoid him.
After beating both defenders, Lin entered the box, setting up a one-on-one with Neuer.
Neuer, who had been waiting for this moment, aggressively rushed out to challenge Lin.
However, Lin unexpectedly passed the ball back to Ronaldo, who easily tapped it into an empty net, scoring his first goal of the match.
After scoring, Ronaldo celebrated with his signature finger-wagging gesture.
For the nearly 40-year-old Ronaldo, scoring still wasn't too difficult.
Cannavaro helped Nesta off the ground, and the two exchanged a look of mutual helplessness.
Lin's dribbling had been unstoppable. Even though they hadn't made any defensive errors, they still couldn't stop him.
"If I were ten years younger, maybe I could have stopped him. But now, it's just not possible," remarked Cannavaro, looking regretfully at his slightly bulging belly.
Nesta nodded. For defenders, facing top strikers was the best way to hone their skills.
But while Lin was like a rising sun, full of energy, they were more like the setting sun, their best days behind them.
They both felt a deep sense of regret at not being able to face such a formidable opponent in their prime.
"If only we were ten years younger," they both thought.
…
At halftime, Team Maradona trailed Team Ronaldo 2-3.
When the second half began, both teams made many substitutions.
Although the first half hadn't been too intense, many of the players were retired, including veterans like the over-50 Matthäus. Having them play a full match would have been too physically demanding, and the risk of injury would have been too high.
With the veterans off the field, the teams were now mostly composed of active professional players, which sped up the game and made it much more exciting.
In the 48th minute, Messi, Neymar, and Iniesta combined in a series of one-twos, breaking into the box before Neymar finished with a goal.
Team Maradona stubbornly tied the score again.
In the 53rd minute, Neymar broke through on the wing and assisted Messi for another goal, putting Team Maradona ahead 4-3.
Seeing Messi score again, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't sit still.
He began demanding the ball more frequently, but the defense was tight, and Lin couldn't find a good passing angle.
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Lin saw a figure wearing the number 22 jersey sprinting forward.
In a flash of inspiration, Lin sent a lobbed pass, perfectly timed to meet Kaká's run.
The pass was perfect, allowing Kaká to continue at full speed without breaking stride.
In that moment, Kaká seemed to have returned to his peak at San Siro, to six years ago when he was at the height of his powers!
Kaká accelerated, leaving the defenders far behind.
Facing Neuer, Kaká didn't carry the ball further but instead took a shot right away.
The ball flew over Neuer's outstretched leg, skimming the grass before landing in the back of the net.
After scoring, Kaká pointed to the sky, and in the thunderous applause from the crowd, it felt as though he had returned to that night in Istanbul. If only he had run a little faster that night, maybe everything would have been different.
Kaká didn't forget the assist from Lin. He ran over to Lin and embraced him warmly.
"Thank you, Lin. That was a perfect pass!"
"It was a great run, Kaká!"
"Hehe, if you don't mind, you can call me Ricardo."
Kaká was quickly substituted after his goal, with Ferguson bringing on De Bruyne.
"Well done, kid!"
Ferguson hugged Kaká as he came off the pitch.
Although Ferguson never coached Kaká, he had always admired this hardworking, disciplined, and graceful player.
"Thank you, Sir!"
Kaká smiled shyly. Back in 2009, there were rumors linking Kaká to Manchester United.
With Cristiano Ronaldo determined to leave, United had tried to bring Kaká to Old Trafford.
But the deal never materialized, and Kaká joined Ronaldo at Real Madrid instead.
Today, Ferguson finally fulfilled a long-held wish by coaching Kaká, even if it was in a friendly match and Kaká was no longer at his peak.
But beyond coaching Kaká, Ferguson's biggest gain today was coaching Lin.
Watching Lin play from the stands or as an opponent was entirely different from watching him as a coach on the sidelines.
When Ferguson had viewed Lin as an opponent while managing Manchester United, Lin was a player he had intensely disliked, often finding himself frustrated by his skills.
But now, with Lin on his team, Ferguson could only say one thing: "It's wonderful!"
Having a player like Lin on your team was an absolute joy.
Lin could play almost any position in the front line, and he could dribble, shoot, and pass. He was practically a complete player.
With him on the field, attacking became incredibly simple—just get the ball to him!
While Ferguson was enjoying this experience, Maradona was not.
Damn it! Is it this difficult to deal with a player similar to Messi when he's on the opposing team?
Why does it feel like our Messi isn't as strong as theirs? It must be my tactics!
After the disastrous World Cup campaign, Maradona had come to realize that while he was an exceptional player, his coaching ability was lacking. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been crushed by Germany.
So, Maradona began carefully observing Ferguson, hoping to learn something about how to use a player like Lin.
But after watching for a while, Maradona found himself even more confused.
It didn't seem like Ferguson had implemented any special tactics for Lin.
Ferguson noticed that Lin played smartly on the field, choosing the most comfortable and beneficial style for the team, which impressed Ferguson. So, he didn't feel the need to interfere.
With Ferguson taking a hands-off approach, there was nothing Maradona could learn.
It wasn't
just the two coaches who noticed Lin's increasing influence on the field. Messi had also taken note.
This was Messi's first time facing Lin directly in a match. Although he had watched Lin's games and learned from his strengths and weaknesses to improve his own game, experiencing Lin's skills firsthand was a different story.
On the field, Messi realized just how difficult Lin was to handle.
Wherever Lin attacked, that side of the field was effectively shut down.
Messi wasn't one to back down easily. Lin's outstanding performance only fueled his determination.
Messi's teammates soon noticed that he seemed to be giving his all.
"Isn't this just a friendly? Why is Messi taking it so seriously?" Busquets complained to Xavi, worried that Messi might injure himself in a match that didn't even count.
"For Messi, maybe this is the spark he needs to return to his 2012 peak," Xavi replied.
Having watched Messi grow from a young talent into one of the world's best players, Xavi had noticed that after achieving almost every possible accolade, Messi's drive seemed to have waned.
Though injuries had played a part, Messi's performance last season had fallen off a cliff compared to 2012.
There was no denying that his mental state might have been a factor. Even his so-called rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, hadn't posed much of a threat.
But Lin's emergence had given Messi a sense of urgency.
Lin was the first active player to reach Messi's level of skill.
With a football IQ on par with Messi, a stronger mentality, and superior physical attributes, Lin had been remarkably consistent, avoiding the constant injuries that plagued Messi.
As a result, Lin's performances were stable, and he seemed to be improving rapidly.
In contrast, Messi's progress had stalled after 2012, with his stats declining due to injuries.
If this trend continued, Messi feared Lin would soon surpass him.
And with Lin's consistency, once Messi was overtaken, it might be impossible to regain the lead.
So, Messi knew he had to start now, working to rediscover his peak form to defend his position.
As Messi upped his game, an interesting pattern emerged on the field:
Lin was demolishing Team Maradona's left side, which was effectively Barcelona's left side.
Meanwhile, Messi was wreaking havoc on the opposite wing, tearing apart Team Ronaldo's defense.
Barcelona fans who had come to watch were both thrilled by Messi and amazed by Lin's performance.
They had always known Lin was a great player, but they hadn't expected him to be this good.
Lin's performance seemed on par with Messi's, if not slightly better, due to his superior physicality and strength in duels.
This left Barcelona fans with mixed feelings:
This was supposed to be our player!
Damn Enrique, damn Rosell! If those two hadn't driven Lin and Guardiola away, Barcelona would still be the best team in the world!
If we had Lin last season, we wouldn't have been humiliated 7-0 by Bayern!
Seeing Messi and Lin battling it out, Cristiano Ronaldo grew restless.
In the 76th minute, he physically outmuscled his defender and demanded the ball from De Bruyne.
De Bruyne, unfamiliar with Ronaldo, ignored his request and instead passed to Lin.
When Lin received the ball, he noticed that the defenders marking Ronaldo were distracted by him. Feinting a drive down the wing, Lin instead laid the ball back to Ronaldo.
The pass was so sudden that even Ronaldo was caught off guard. How did the ball end up at his feet while Lin was still dribbling forward?
Ronaldo was stunned. Did Lin really make that pass without stopping or turning? How could anyone pull that off?
Despite his shock, Ronaldo's reactions were quick. He dodged Piqué's challenge, created some space, and unleashed a powerful shot.
He didn't even check the goalkeeper's position before shooting, but he knew the moment he struck the ball—it was going in.
Sure enough, Neuer had focused entirely on Lin and was caught off guard by Ronaldo's strike.
Ronaldo's clean and decisive shot left Neuer with no time to prepare, and his rushed save attempt failed to prevent the goal.
Team Ronaldo scored again, giving Ronaldo his second goal of the match.
Despite being booed earlier, Ronaldo insisted on performing his SIU celebration.
Watching Ronaldo's exaggerated celebration, De Bruyne couldn't help but roll his eyes.
That goal was all thanks to Lin's pass. Even I could have scored from there!
Ignoring the boos, Ronaldo ran over to Lin, hugged him, and asked, "Lin, how did you make that pass?"
"I don't know. I just felt I was in the right spot and passed it."
It had been a flash of inspiration for Lin, and he wasn't sure he could replicate it.
"Okay," Ronaldo replied, though he had already decided to review the match footage and have Modric study it carefully.
If Modric could learn this technique, it would make scoring at Real Madrid even easier for Ronaldo.
After scoring twice, Ronaldo was subbed off by Ferguson. Ronaldo would have liked to keep playing and working with Lin, but there were still players on the bench waiting for their chance.
So, he reluctantly went to rest.
Morata was subbed on in Ronaldo's place, meaning all of Team Ronaldo's players had now taken the field.
In the 88th minute, Lin's dribbling drew a foul, earning Team Ronaldo a free kick in a dangerous position.
Lin didn't take the kick himself but handed the opportunity to a teammate.
Everyone on Team Ronaldo looked at Juninho Pernambucano.
He was universally recognized as the best free-kick taker in football history, with no equals.
Given the chance, it was obvious who would take the shot.
Juninho didn't hesitate, positioning himself over the ball and calculating the distance to the goal.
He decided to go for his signature S-curve free kick!
Juninho's kick was top-notch, with the ball starting at incredible speed and then swerving unpredictably in the air, first veering left before suddenly curving right just before reaching the goal.
The erratic trajectory completely threw off the goalkeeper.
Neuer had no answer to this shot. He had done his best, but the ball was too tricky, and it ended up in the back of the net.
The crowd erupted in thunderous applause, with everyone rising to their feet to cheer and clap for Juninho.
Only he could bend a free kick so precisely that it felt like a penalty kick!
In the end, Team Ronaldo won the match 6-4 against Team Maradona.
Neuer was a bit frustrated—conceding six goals in one match nearly broke his career record.
But there was a silver lining: his biggest rival, Lin, hadn't scored a goal.
Still, Neuer wasn't sure if that counted as a success or a failure.
Though Lin didn't score, he provided four assists, playing a direct role in almost every goal.
After the match, Messi approached Lin to swap jerseys.
Lin readily agreed, and they exchanged shirts.
The photographers quickly captured this historic moment—the first time these two had faced off on the field.
But it wouldn't be the last. After this match, Lin would frequently find himself competing against Messi.
At that moment, Lin had officially entered the Messi-Ronaldo rivalry, becoming one of the trio battling for football supremacy.
After the jersey swap, all the players and coaches gathered for a group photo in the center of the field before heading home to rest.
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