Godfather of national football

Chapter 150 Next year's warm-up match
In November, when the Chinese Super League ended, Shanghai Shenhua ranked third in the league, which is an average result.

The Chinese Super League is not that simple. It’s not just about burning money to get good results. Li Guo thought of his previous life, Guangzhou Evergrande burned money, and other clubs also burned money, but I have to say that other clubs did not perform well after burning money.

It seems that burning money is also a science. The outside world only sees the club's extravagant spending, but the operation behind the club is invisible to everyone.

In addition, the few foreign players that Li Guo bought did not quickly integrate into the Chinese Super League. Originally, Li Guo thought that high-level foreign players from Europe must be very adaptable to the Chinese Super League, but this is not the case in reality.

In short, Li Guo’s first season as the head coach in the Chinese Super League was not successful, but Li Guo must let it go temporarily, because soon, on December 12th, the World Cup group stage draw ceremony will be held soon. In the World Cup next year, the Chinese team will be in the same group as the team, and the suspense will soon be revealed.

*****
On this day, the Football Association approached Li Guo. On the one hand, it was about next month’s draw, and on the other hand, it was about next year’s warm-up match. Many teams have already applied to warm up with the national football team, so the Football Association asked Li Guo to discuss it.

"It stands to reason that the opponents of the warm-up match should be arranged according to the results of the lottery," Cai Hua said.

Li Guo said: "No, I want to arrange a warm-up match next year."

"One!"

"Yes,"

"Have you thought about your opponent yet?"

"Spain,"

"The European Cup champion is also the favorite to win the championship next year, but such a team is difficult to arrange," Cai Hua thought.

"If it can't be arranged, you know, teams like Spain are very sought-after."

Li Guo said, "It's either Spain or forget it,"

Having said that, Cai Hua became curious, "Why does it have to be Spain?"

Li Guo knew that Spain was the champion of the 2010 World Cup in his previous life, so he knew the current level of the national football team after warming up with Spain, but Li Guo couldn't say this reason.

"Because Spain's players don't play tricks. Chairman, you know that players are most afraid of getting hurt in World Cup years."

Three lines appeared on Cai Hua's forehead, and he thought: "This reason is really ridiculous."

"Okay, the Football Association will try to contact you,"

"And next month's World Cup draw in Cape Town, South Africa, who do you decide to take?"

"Li Weifeng,"

When it came to drawing lots, Cai Hua was evasive, and finally said: "Li Guo, do you think FIFA will blackmail us? I heard that FIFA draws lots by default."

"I don't think it should be. Although it is generally said that a lottery will result in a death group, I don't think anyone thinks highly of the Chinese team."

"Well, well, let's talk about it later,"

*****
With the arrival of December 12th, the enthusiasm for the World Cup in China is getting stronger and stronger. This is the second time that the national football team has entered the World Cup.

The media is also wise in advance, analyzing and deducing the situation of the national football draw. Under normal circumstances, as Asian teams, except for Asian teams, teams from other continents are potential competitors.

Among them, there will definitely be a European team. If the rest of the national football team draws teams from the Caribbean and Africa, then it will be a good sign.

If the draws are from South America and Europe, it will be regarded as a poor draw, so if they can draw Honduras and Cameroon, the national football team will be considered profitable.

There was already a lot of noise on Weibo about the lottery situation. Some Argentine netizens clamored that they must draw with the Chinese team to avenge their loss to the Chinese team in the 2008 Olympic Games.
There are even more extreme predictions given by fans. China, Brazil, Argentina, and Italy form a group. The latter three are the opponents of the Chinese team in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Italian fans shouted: "Let's see how good Chinese football is,"

Chinese fans are arguing with Italian fans again. The World Cup held every four years is also a festival for fans. As long as there is no fight, the more noisy the better.

Of course, the noise from the fans is not counted. What everyone cares most about is Li Guo's attitude, so Li Guo made a live broadcast on Weibo to talk about the upcoming World Cup draw ceremony.

"Director Li, is there any team you fear most in the top 31?"

"Of course, Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Spain, these teams I hope not to meet in the group stage."

"Is there a team you most want to meet?"

"South Korea,"

The host laughed, because this is impossible, Li Guo was just joking.

Closer to home, Li Guo said: "Although the World Cup has undergone several expansions and is now the top 32, I think there are really no weak teams in the World Cup."

"Director Li, you are usually very arrogant, why are you so humble this time?"

"Because it's the World Cup!"

This sentence is very powerful, the host felt it, so he stopped asking, but changed the topic.

"Director Li, regarding the World Cup, do you have any goals?"

Everyone hoped that Li Guo would still say that if he didn’t make the top 2008 in 3, he would quit get out of class, but this time everyone was disappointed. Li Guo said cautiously: “The goal is to be better than 2002.”

"I hope the fans will not put too much pressure on the national football team. Maybe the success of the Olympics has caused a lot of illusions, but what I want to say is that the World Cup is really different, so I will not put pressure on my players."

"Okay, let's finally interact with the fans on Weibo, Director Li."

Li Guo took a deep breath, "Okay, just don't gossip too much."

The host picked out a question and read it word by word, "Director Li, are you really Li Zibing's boyfriend!"

The host said: "I'm sorry, Director Li, the questions are drawn at random."

Li Guo chuckled and thought, "Why don't I believe you."

"No, actually I have a girlfriend,"

"Who!!!!"

A series of messages on Weibo.

"My beloved national football team,"

"Pooh…………"

Netizens immediately felt like they were being tricked by Li Guo, while Li Guo felt like he had succeeded in a trick, "Okay, today's program is here. Please pay attention to the World Cup draw ceremony, which will be in the early hours of December 12th, BJ time."

"Don't pay attention, don't pay attention,"

Everyone said angrily.

*****
On November 11th, Li Guo, Cai Hua, Li Weifeng, and a group of staff from the Football Association set off from BJ, first to Brussels, and then transferred to Cape Town. The World Cup is really about to begin!

(End of this chapter)