Champion’s Heart

The game is over! With an assist and a goal from Zhou Yi, the Chinese team defeated Australia 2:1 in overtime and entered the final! Liu Hong shouted. But the core of the team, Zhou Yi, was sent off at the last moment for blocking Australia's attack... He will definitely miss the final between the Chinese team and the Japanese team...

It stands to reason that after the game, the players of the Chinese team who reached the final will definitely celebrate on the court.

But they didn't.

After the whistle sounded, the players of the Chinese team returned to the locker room as quickly as possible without staying on the court. Gao Lin, who scored the goal, also waved down several reporters' requests for interviews.

After Gao Hongbo shook hands politely with the Australian head coach, he quickly walked to the players' tunnel.

Every Chinese team player and coach left the field in such a short time, as if they were the shameful side that lost the game.

There was no celebration, and there was no expression of joy on the players' faces for advancing to the finals.

They went straight back to the locker room.

They came back so quickly that Zhou Yi had just taken off his shirt and was about to take off his pants.

Why are you back so early? Zhou Yi, who was rubbing his upper body, was surprised and at the same time lifted up the waistband of his trousers with his hands.

No one answered his question, or they didn't know how to answer it. The teammates who poured into the locker room just looked at him after they came in.

Looking at everyone, Zhou Yi couldn't help but laugh: What are you doing? You look like you are here to attend my memorial service. Hey, I'm not dead yet!

He told a joke, but no one laughed.

Okay, or are you all worried that you can't beat the Japanese team without me?

How is that possible?! Gao Lin blurted out.

Zhou Yi looked at him and smiled.

But you helped us reach the finals, but you yourself... Gao Lin said.

No, I'm not helping you. Zhou Yi shook his head, interrupted him, and corrected him. We are a whole, we are all players of the Chinese team. Reaching the final is the result of everyone's joint efforts, not mine alone. Don't take me so seriously. I will be proud!

You do matter.

Zhouyi. Gao Hongbo said and walked out from behind the crowd.

High fingers?

I tell the truth and I believe other players understand.

The national team players behind Gao Hongbo nodded.

So you don't have to be too modest, Zhou Yi.

After finishing speaking, Gao Hongbo turned around and said to the players behind him: But now we will not have Zhou Yi for the first time in the finals. What should we do? Should we surrender in advance? Our opponent is a very powerful Japan. No. , Of course we cannot surrender. No matter what the final result of the game is. I think we must go all out. Losing to our opponents can only be because our skills are inferior to others, not because our hearts are inferior to others. Compared with the desire for victory. You should not lose. Anyone can do it. Just like the Book of Changes.

After saying that, he turned and looked at Zhou Yi.

You praise me like that again, Gaozhi. I will be so proud! Zhou Yi scratched his head in embarrassment.

I'm not afraid of your pride. Gao Hongbo said with a smile.

The conversation between the two people also amused others. The air in the locker room, which had seemed frozen before, began to flow again, and the atmosphere became much more lively.

Okay. Let's go take a shower and have a good rest. There is still a game waiting for us. After Gao Hongbo finished speaking, he turned around and went out to attend the post-game press conference.

※※※

At the post-match press conference, Gao Hongbo answered reporters' questions. The reporters are most concerned about how the Chinese team without Zhou Yi will face the Japanese team in the finals and whether they can still compete with the Japanese team.

Before the game actually starts, I don't know what the final will be like. But with or without Zhou Yi, we will go all out. Gao Hongbo said.

This sounds a bit tragic to everyone. In fact, everyone knows the huge strength gap between the Chinese team and the Japanese team. With Zhouyi, this gap can be made up to some extent.

Now without Zhou Yi, the huge gap in strength between the two sides made the final lose its suspense.

So what Gao Hongbo says now, in everyone's opinion, is nothing more than expressing a gesture and conveying a message.

After Zhou Yi came out of the locker room and was about to go to the bus, he was also surrounded by reporters.

What were you thinking at the time?

I didn't think much about it, just don't let him break through.

Do you regret that foul?

No, I don't regret it. Why should I regret it? I just did what I should do.

But then you won't be able to participate in the finals...

The Asian Cup is held every four years, right? I can participate again in four years. Anyway, I'm only 19 years old.

Everyone was surprised to see Zhou Yi answered so easily. While the reporters were stunned, Zhou Yi had already drifted away and boarded the bus.

After getting on the bus and sitting down, he did not forget to wave to the reporters below.

Seeing Zhou Yi like this, it is really hard to believe that he just used a suicidal foul in the game to stop Australia, and at the same time, he bid farewell to the Asian Cup early.

The reporters had been waiting outside, waiting for Zhou Yi. They thought they would wait for a Zhou Yi who was painful and depressed, but might pretend to be strong in front of the camera.

But unexpectedly, what they saw was Zhou Yi who... didn't seem to care.

Not being able to participate in the finals is a lifelong regret for many players, but why does Zhou Yi not have such emotions?

Everyone suddenly recalled the last words Zhou Yi said.

Rejoin in four years.

They didn't notice this at the time, but now they think about it... participating in the Asian Cup four years later is probably not the intention of participating in the Asian Cup, right?

But... to participate in the Asian Cup final again?

He has already booked his place in the finals four years later?

Thinking about it this way, it seems that his relaxed and indifferent attitude can be explained...

The Chinese reporters continued to think about Zhou Yi's words and suddenly became a little excited.

Zhou Yi was only nineteen years old. He was only one month old, and four years later he would not be more than twenty-four years old.

At that time, we may have new international players like Sun Pan and He Ying.

By then, in the Asian Cup, maybe... Australia can really reach the finals again?

Thinking about it this way, many Chinese reporters are not so disappointed.

Because Zhouyi represents the future, and the future has unlimited possibilities.

※※※

Sun Pan said in the group: I must join the national team as soon as possible!

Well, I don't want to be an audience anymore. Yang Muge said. But first I want to play for the Schalke first team.

Me too, I want to be in the Inter Milan first team... Guo Nu said. “And then there’s the national team!”

Me too. He Ying said.

Well guys, let's work hard together! We will meet in the national team then! Sun Pan said enthusiastically.

Okay, let's make an agreement. Let's agree to meet at the national team. Yang Muge agreed.

good!

Yeah, okay.

※※※

When the bus started and headed towards the hotel, Zhou Yi, who was sitting on the chair, put his headphones into his ears and turned on the music player on his phone.

He closed his eyes amid the music.

As soon as he closed his eyes, the scene where he fouled Cahill was replaying in his mind.

From all angles, what he should see and what he should not see is like a multi-angle slow motion of a movie.

Do you want to ask him if he regrets it?

In fact, it's a bit... It would have been nice if I could have stopped him without fouling him, or received a yellow card...

Then he can participate in the final, meet Shinji Kagawa in the final, lead the Chinese team to defeat the Japanese team, and avenge the 2004 Asian Cup final.

This is the script in Zhou Yi's mind.

If the foul didn't exist, we could go on like this.

But if that foul did not exist, maybe the Chinese team would not be qualified to advance to the finals?

There are no ifs in football, and there are no ifs in life.

So the most important thing at this time is not to regret what has happened, but to look forward.

Football is like life, it cannot be perfect, there are always regrettable imperfections. Zhou Yi also had times when his status fluctuated, and there were times when he was unable to play in the first team for several months. Just as waiting is part of football and failure is part of football, regret is part of football. And these are all part of life.

There is no point in regretting what happened in the past, it is more important to look to the future.

Because everything in the past has already happened and is conclusive, while the future has infinite possibilities. Nothing has happened, and anything can happen.

With this thought, the regret in Zhou Yi's heart was diluted a lot. He felt tired and tired, his eyelids became extremely heavy, and his heart gradually fell into peace.

Zhou Yi just closed his eyes and leaned on the back of the chair, already falling asleep.

He was indeed too tired from today's game, so no one, whether it was teammates or coaches, came up to disturb him, and no one even sat next to him, allowing him to enjoy the quietness all to himself.

There was a faint sound of singing leaking from his headphones.

... I still remember the declaration of youth at that time; the brilliant fireworks are my world... No matter how hard the rain is, the dream will never be defeated; no matter how strong the wind is, it can't stop the young man from getting ready to go... Come on, I will run forward bravely! On the runway of life, never forget to smile even when you fall! Youth is a high fever, burning like crazy. Live up to your youth——

※※※

PS, the last song is Young and Young, the theme song of Heir of Greenland. In fact, it hadn't been released in 2011... but I feel it is quite appropriate to use it here.

Youth is a high fever, burn like crazy and live up to your youth! (To be continued.) Activate new URL