Prominence in Football Community

"Wow! This wall is full of display screens!"

Children wearing red Chinese team jerseys all made such exclamations when they saw the outer wall of the stadium.

They were standing in the square outside the stadium at this time, lined up in two lines, waiting to be photographed.

But none of them looked at the camera, but at the stadium behind them.

The big screen on the entire wall is playing the promotional videos of the two contestants in the next game.

The red, white and blue tricolor flag of France is very eye-catching, as are the stars Griezmann, Pogba and Mbappe on it.

"Don't look around, stand still, turn around! Look this way!!" Director Zhao yelled loudly. He was holding a small flagpole in his hand. On the flagpole was a small yellow flag. The peaked cap is very eye-catching from a hundred meters away.

It just looks so much like a tour guide...

"Hey, Mr. Guo, Mr. Guo, are you alright?" He anxiously asked Guo Wei in front of him.

Guo Wei put the camera on the tripod and was adjusting the camera. He replied without raising his head, "It's almost there!"

Then I continued to study the camera: "This is shutter priority... I should use aperture priority... yes, aperture, aperture... the minimum aperture... and here, take pictures with a ten-second delay... OK!!"

After he pressed the shutter, he ran into the team with a big belly, and pulled up a banner with Zhao Ju on the left and right: "Yang Wenlong football training organization cheers for the Chinese team!"

"Look at the camera---!!!" Zhao Ju shouted hoarsely.

At his growl, the children turned their heads and looked at the camera.

Surrounded by a group of children, Yang Wenlong stood in the middle of the line with a serious face.

"Three, two, one! Eggplant——!"

click.

With the giant screen of the Kazan Arena as the background, everyone's smiling faces and banners were frozen in the photos.

Behind them, the large display screen of the Kazan Arena just showed the national flag of China,

The fluttering five-star red flag extends from the left to the far right of the big screen, and under the effect of visual effects, it looks like it is waving in the wind.

In the middle of the five-star red flag is a close-up of Gao Zheng, the representative star of the Chinese team.

Gao Zheng above the red flag was waving his fists and shouting, as if celebrating a goal.

At the end of the national flag, there is an English sentence: "The hope of 1.4 billion people!"

These were all frozen on the photo at the same time.

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There was still nearly an hour before the start of the game, but Lin Yuan and his sister Lin Sisi had already entered the Kazan Arena, stood on the stands and looked around, curiously inquiring.

They are not a special case. There are already many Chinese fans around them. They wear Chinese team jerseys or red cheering T-shirts, hold small national flags in their hands, and have flag stickers on their faces. Some people are even more exaggerated. My entire face was painted into a five-star red flag...

It is not the first time for Lin Yuan to watch a game live. Whether it is an Atletico Madrid game or a Chinese team game, it is not the first time for him to watch a live game.

But it was the first time for him to see the Chinese team match in the World Cup. Seeing the large expanses of red around him filling up the stands little by little, he felt a surge of emotion.

"Look, these are Chinese fans! Who said we don't like football? That's because he didn't come to the World Cup!" Lin Yuan pointed to the red on the stands and said to Dong Jin beside him.

Dong Jin beside him was wearing the same jersey of the Chinese team, with a national flag sticker on his face, and was waving the five-star red flag in his hand. Seeing this scene, he said fascinatedly: "I will also play in the World Cup in the jersey of the Chinese team in the future!"

Lin Yuan snorted and said, "Dream you! You are Spanish! You should play the World Cup for Spain honestly!"

"No! I'm Chinese!" Dong Jin retorted.

"You are Spanish!"

"I can change my nationality!"

"Hey, let me tell you, the nationality of our country is the most difficult to obtain in the world..."

When Lin Yuan said this, he saw a sly smile on Dong Jin's face: "I have checked, and it is not as difficult as you said for a person of Chinese descent to become a Chinese citizen. My parents are both Chinese, and I just Born in Spain, as long as I am willing to give up my Spanish nationality, I can apply for Chinese nationality, and then I will be a Chinese through and through, and I can join the Chinese team for the World Cup!"

Lin Yuan was stunned for a moment, but Dong Jin didn't expect Dong Jin to investigate this issue specifically.

He rolled his eyes, and thought of the reason to attack Dong Jin: "Don't think that any cat or dog can join the Chinese team. Let me tell you, the Chinese team in the future will definitely not be as good as it is now, with a high level. ! Because of me!"

He also patted his chest hard.

Dong Jin rolled his eyes at him: "If you can be selected for the Chinese team, then I can too. If I can't, then you can't either!"

"Bah, I can!"

"No, you can't! I can!"

Lin Sisi looked helplessly at the two boys beside her who were arguing again. After coming to Russia these days, she was almost used to such quarrels...

Sometimes she really doubts whether Dong Jin is her brother's good friend...

But the younger brother personally begged him to bring Dong Jin to Russia to watch football, because he told himself that he was a good partner for him in the Atletico Madrid echelon.

Did I bring Dong Jin with me just to quarrel with him?

She decided to ignore the two junior high school boys and turned her attention to the live big screen.

The competition has not yet started, so the promotional videos of the participating parties are being played on the big screen at the scene.

What is playing now is the promotional video of the Chinese team. In the promotional video, Wu Lei, who played for the Spaniard, and Zheng Zhi, the old captain of the team, appeared in the promotional video, but the number of appearances was the most. Zheng.

When the final picture was frozen, all the Chinese players lined up in an arrow formation, spreading out from the middle to both sides. The person standing in the front and the middle was Gao Zheng. On the big screen, overlooking the fans in the stands and the stadium.

Lin Sisi groaned in her heart: "So handsome..."

She seemed to have returned to the afternoon when she first saw Gao Zheng at the door of the dilapidated football training class.

※※※

Gao Zheng's parents were sitting in the VIP box, and Xiao Yingying was by their side.

Not far away, Feng Shiyao was chatting with a few people with a smile on his face.

She wore a women's version of the China team's home jersey today. Her long hair was tied into a ponytail and hung behind her head. With skinny jeans and sneakers, she looked very sporty and casual.

She has flag stickers on her left and right cheeks.

This has almost become a standard configuration for Chinese fans on the scene.

After chatting for a few words, they waved goodbye to Feng Shiyao.

Feng Shiyao said goodbye to them and returned to Gao Zheng's parents. Gao Zheng's mother asked curiously, "Yaoyao, who are they?"

"Fifa is in charge of business activities, mom..." Feng Shiyao gave a brief introduction, "They wish me success in the performance the day after tomorrow."

During the same period of the World Cup, many cultural performances will be held in various parts of Russia at the same time. For example, singers from participating countries are invited to hold concerts in Russia, which is also part of the World Cup activities.

This is a bit like the album that will be released during each World Cup. The album contains cheering songs from fans of various national teams.

But now the album is directly moved offline, and a lot of cultural activities are used to cheer for the World Cup.

Feng Shiyao, as a representative of the Chinese music scene, is also among the invited ones.

Others come to Russia to watch football, but Feng Shiyao still has to work, and the schedule is very tight.

But even so, she will not arrange any work during the days when there are Chinese team games.

Cheer for the Chinese team wholeheartedly, cheer for Gao Zheng, and accompany Gao Zheng's parents.

This is the most important thing for her to come to Russia.

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Gao Zheng and his teammates are standing in the player channel, waiting to play.

It can be felt that the teammates around him are more or less nervous.

Gao Zheng was not nervous, but he was a little excited.

Participating in the World Cup has been his dream since childhood.

From the first day he played football, he had dreamed countless times that he appeared in the World Cup wearing the jersey of the Chinese team.

This time, he and his teammates have gone through untold hardships, from the Asian qualifiers to the Asian qualifiers play-offs, and then to the final play-offs, all the way through, beheading Australia and Honduras. Only then has today's trip to Russia.

But they are different from the one sixteen years ago. This time they did not come to the round of the group stage.

Although their group opponents have a strong French team.

But he wants to play in the World Cup, isn't it because of playing against these strong teams in the world?

It would be the same as if he was going from Sampdoria to Atletico Madrid.

What's the point of playing football if you can't play against a strong opponent?

"Hi Gao."

Just as Gao Zheng was in a daze, a voice sounded beside him.

Griezmann smiled and stood beside him.

"You know what? I've been looking forward to playing against you since the World Cup group stage results came out. I can wait long enough for this day," he said.

"No wonder you always have such fighting spirit when training in the team." Gao Zheng laughed.

"I admit that you are very good, Gao. But this time, my teammates are better than your teammates. I think the final victory will belong to us France." Griezmann pointed to his teammates around him.

Before Gao Zheng could answer, Pogba came up and grinned at Gao Zheng, showing a mouthful of white teeth: "Our goal is the world champion!"

Gao Zheng looked at Mbappe who looked a bit like Donatello in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles behind them, and nodded: "You really have the ability to win the championship."

What he said was the truth, the Chinese team would never think about winning the World Cup.

Their public goal is to win a game, get three points, and score goals.

But Gao Zheng's own goal is to hope that the Chinese team can reach the knockout round.

Seeing Gao Zheng say this, Pogba smiled happily, and winked at Griezmann next to him.

"But the Chinese team will be your only regret on the way to the championship." Gao Zheng added the second half of the sentence with a smile.

Pogba's smile froze on his face, and Griezmann laughed this time: "I told you, Paul! This is tall!"

Then Griezmann and Gao Zheng hugged: "See you on the court, brother! Enjoy the World Cup!"

"See you on the court." Gao Zheng bumped him with his shoulder. "I will."

※※※

Zheng Zhi stood in his own position on the court, waiting for the game to start.

As the captain, he has completed all the pre-match ceremonies.

But the sound of the national anthem was still echoing in his mind.

The sound seemed to have an electric current, making his body tremble slightly.

When he was facing the camera, it was really difficult for him to hold back and not cry.

Standing on the pitch in the World Cup finals, this is his dream.

He really didn't expect that at the end of his career, he would catch up with...

Several times during this process, he thought that he would never be able to realize this dream throughout his life.

But meeting Gao Zheng changed his mind.

So when he injured his ankle and was out for five months, there was only one thought on his mind - I must make it to the World Cup!

Now his 100th national team game has already been played in the warm-up match before the World Cup.

But Zheng Zhi still regards today's game against the French team as his 100th national team match in his career.

His hundredth game, his first World Cup game.

Zheng Zhi suddenly noticed that Gao Zheng who was standing in front seemed to be looking back at him, so his eyes refocused on Gao Zheng.

He found Gao Zheng giving him a thumbs up.

So he also laughed and gave Gao Zheng a thumbs up.

※※※

"CCTV, CCTV! Good afternoon, viewers!"

He Ping and his commentary partner Xu Yang sat in the commentary booth of the Kazan Arena, trying to keep their voices steady, because he was a little excited, and he was afraid that he would not be able to control his voice if he was too excited.

"Welcome everyone to watch the live broadcast of the World Cup. This is the first match of Group C. At six o'clock in the afternoon Beijing time, the match between France and the Chinese team! Now the game is about to start! This is the Chinese team in this World Cup It is also the second time the Chinese team has appeared in the World Cup after a lapse of 16 years!"

Xu Yang said with emotion from the side: "Yes, and this time the Chinese team has gone through untold hardships to participate in the World Cup. On the stage of the World Cup..."

"Zheng Zhi was injured in the top 12 match against Qatar. Everyone thought his career was over...but unexpectedly he not only returned from injury, but also recovered his form. Zheng Zhi also said in an interview This is because Gao Zheng gave him confidence and courage back then, and he also said that he was able to survive by listening to Feng Shiyal's album when he was recovering from the operation...haha!" Xu Yang said with a smile stand up.

"Ha! Feng Shiyao will also be at the scene of this competition, and we can pay attention to her in the stands!" He Ping also laughed.

Many viewers in front of the TV couldn't help but raise their mouths when they heard the two commentators tell anecdotes about the Chinese team.

On this day, every Chinese fan's heart is filled with joy, and any little thing can make them happy.

They feel that they are the happiest people in the world.

Whether it is the Chinese fans in front of the TV or the Chinese fans who went to the scene.

They looked at the field with smiles on their faces and anticipation in their eyes.

The Kazan Arena, which was very noisy before, became quiet.

Standing outside the center circle, Uruguayan referee Andres Cunha raised his wrist to his watch.

The eyes of the Chinese fans fell on Gao Zheng who was standing in the middle circle.

Before this World Cup, FIFA revised the rules. Now there is no need for two people to kick off, and the football can be passed back directly, so only one person needs to stand in the middle circle.

Gao Zheng was there, stepping on the football, waiting for the whistle.

He Ping and Xu Yang at the commentary booth also fell silent, and waited intently for the whistle to sound.

Cunha adjusted the time, pressed the timing button with his hand, then raised his hands flat, and blew the whistle in his mouth!

"Game start!!!"

(End of the book)

PS, there should be a postscript at 7pm... I'm trying to write it...