After De Bruyne was substituted, the quality of organization in Werder Bremen's midfield and forward line slightly declined. Additionally, with the players' energy levels decreasing, the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
Despite Kortbus's efforts to salvage their dignity with a goal, their attacks were futile against the opponent's unethical five-defender formation. It was like hitting a wall; they couldn't break through.
Thus, they had to accept a 0-3 loss to Werder Bremen.
After the match, Shaaf led the players to thank the fans who were present at the stadium. Although the attendance was not high, every fan who came to watch the game deserved gratitude.
The revenue from season ticket purchases accounted for about thirty percent of Werder Bremen's total income, making these fans truly the club's lifeline.
As it was a friendly match, there was no post-match press conference, and there were only a few journalists present, mainly from local media outlets in Bremen.
Due to his outstanding performance, a journalist from the Bremen Citizen's Newspaper found Lin Quan outside the stadium, wanting to interview him.
However, the team's press officer declined the media's request, citing Lin Quan's status as a minor.
"Lin, after you go back, you'll need to undergo some media training. Dealing with journalists is an inevitable part of being a professional player," the team manager, Alovfs, said to Lin Quan outside the locker room corridor, patting him on the shoulder.
Having watched the entire match from the VIP box, Alovfs was very satisfied with Lin Quan's performance and began to pay more attention to him.
"Thank you for the reminder, manager. I will attend the training sessions!" Lin Quan replied with a smile.
In contrast to Lin Quan, De Bruyne, who was already of legal age, couldn't use the excuse of being a minor to avoid interviews.
Reluctantly, he accepted interviews from both the Bremen Citizen's Newspaper and the Bremen Daily.
"Kevin, congratulations on winning this match. How do you feel about your performance, and if you were to rate yourself, what score would you give?" asked the journalist.
Upon hearing the question, De Bruyne thought for a moment and then answered seriously, "I didn't play very well in this match. If I were to rate myself, I think I could only give myself a 75."
"I didn't expect you to have such high standards for yourself. The fans all think you were the best player in this match!" the journalist said, somewhat surprised.
In their opinion, De Bruyne had shown a high level of skill on both the offensive and defensive ends in this match. His presence filled the void in Werder Bremen's attack after losing Ozil, and his active defense also relieved the pressure on captain Fritz, making the team's defense more solid.
Such a performance should at least earn him a score of over 85.
"No, no, no, I'm not the best performer in this match!"
"Then who do you think performed the best?"
"I think my teammate Lin Quan performed better than me. He scored an incredible goal and created multiple threats. His impact in the attack was unmatched!"
Satisfied with his answer, the journalist went on to interview Werder Bremen's captain and other players, all of whom agreed that Lin Quan should be named the MVP of the match.
"Without a doubt, Lin is a player with unlimited potential. You know, he's only 16 years old this year, and he still has a lot of room for growth!
I think if he continues to perform like this, it won't be long before people start comparing him to superstars like Messi and Ronaldo!"
Captain Fritz's evaluation was even higher, and he even believed that Lin Quan could threaten the dominance of Messi and Ronaldo in the football world.
However, such claims still lacked widespread recognition for the time being, as Lin Quan had only played in a friendly match and had yet to prove himself in the top five leagues.
But as supporters of Werder Bremen, both the Bremen Citizen's Newspaper and the Bremen Daily were optimistic about Lin Quan's future. They not only truthfully reported the praise from the team's players but also invited Werder Bremen's legendary captain, Marco Bode, to comment on Lin Quan.
"Yes, I've watched this young man's matches, and he's truly impressive. Fritz said he could rival Messi and Ronaldo in the future. I can't be certain that he'll achieve such heights because there are too many uncertainties in a young player's career.
Chapter 24 Unexpected Fame, Even Messi is Shocked!
After De Bruyne was substituted, the quality of Werder Bremen's midfield decreased slightly. Combined with a noticeable decrease in players' physical fitness, the score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
Despite their efforts to salvage their pride, FC Kottbus' attacks against Werder Bremen's unyielding five-defender formation resembled hitting a brick wall and failed to breach the defense.
Consequently, they had to accept a 0-3 defeat to Werder Bremen.
After the match, the team, led by coach Schaff, thanked the attending fans for their support by circling the field.
Though the attendance wasn't high, every fan who came to watch the game deserved appreciation. Their purchase of season tickets contributed about thirty percent of Werder Bremen's total revenue, making them the club's true lifeline.
Since it was a friendly match, there was no post-match press conference, and only a few journalists, mainly from local media outlets in Bremen, were present.
While the opinions of ordinary Werder Bremen players might not carry much weight, the fact that legendary figures within the club gave such high praise to Lin Quan couldn't be ignored.
Some fans who didn't attend the game eagerly sought information about Lin Quan from fellow fans, while others opted to watch replays of the match on video-sharing websites.
Their reactions ranged from surprise to awe upon witnessing Lin Quan's sharp breakthroughs during the game. How could there be a player with such formidable dribbling skills?
Eager to share their discovery, they clipped several highlights from the match, particularly Lin Quan's breakthroughs, and shared them with friends and family.
Initially, these clips were intended for Werder Bremen fans only, but unexpectedly, the number of people sharing them grew rapidly. Almost everyone who saw them couldn't resist passing them on, causing the clips to go viral within a few days.
...
Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
At the end of a day's training at the Barcelona training ground, players, including Andres Iniesta, Xavi, and Sergio Busquets, chatted as they walked towards the locker room.
Returning to the team two weeks later than other players due to the European Championship, the trio lagged behind.
Seemingly engrossed in something, they discussed animatedly as they walked.
"It looks like Messi!"
Busquets, known as "the Professor," furrowed his brow and analyzed seriously, "Yeah, indeed. The way he starts, the way he controls the ball, and his dribbling style are all very similar!"
Iniesta and Xavi exchanged glances. If even Professor Busquets said so, then it must be true. No wonder this short video was titled like that.
"What are you guys talking about?"
At that moment, Messi, curious, turned back and saw the trio gathered together, discussing something. He asked with interest.
"Lio, come and take a look at this!"
Iniesta, who had the closest relationship with Messi, beckoned him over and handed him the tablet they were watching.
"What am I looking at?"
Messi wasn't sure what they were up to. Was it another funny or amusing video, something some of the players liked to watch before major matches to relieve stress? But the new season hadn't started yet, so there were no games to worry about.
"You'll see once you look at it!"
Messi shrugged. There were so many 'Messis' out there these days, attracting attention in his name. He was almost immune to it by now.
Nevertheless, he opened the video titled "The Player Most Resembling Messi in History."
After the video started playing, he watched a young player in a green jersey break through from the sideline, dribble past six opposing defenders, and score while falling.
This...
Messi was stunned!
Could someone really resemble him so closely?
(End of Chapter)