[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca":3,"chapter-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-118":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Emperor of Football: Julien De Rocca",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1555955,2020,"Chapter 118: Chapter-118 The List","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-118",118,"\u003Cp>The 2012 European Championship in Poland and Ukraine was the 14th edition of the tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sixteen teams would compete across eight cities in Poland and Ukraine over the course of a month to determine the ultimate European champion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This tournament garnered tremendous attention not only among European fans, but supporters from other continents were equally anticipating it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, this was the grandest football feast second only to the World Cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To represent one's country, to become famous with a single goal at the European Championship—this was the dream of countless players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The World Cup still felt distant, but the Euros were right around the corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Bastia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the season concluded, the players were now on holiday, and many had the European Championship on their vacation itinerary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, for these players, they could only serve as spectators in the stands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, Bastia had one player who might have a chance to participate—Julien De Rocca.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>L'Équipe had included De Rocca in their speculation about Blanc's final squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many believed that this Ligue 2 MVP and Golden Boot winner had a strong chance of making the final roster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien's talent was obvious to the naked eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In tournaments like the European Championship, most teams preferred defensive play, and De Rocca's ability to create opportunities in tight spaces would become exactly what the French team needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, there were also many dissenting voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They felt that De Rocca was merely a player from lower-level leagues who hadn't yet played in high-level competitions, making him insufficient for inclusion in the official national team squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nasri and Menez were considered the best options for the right flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opinions were divided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the final squad announcement at the end of the month, a journalist interviewed Zidane, asking him to speculate on who might be included in the French team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane mentioned several names, such as \"Ribéry, Benzema, Nasri, Giroud, and others.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't mention De Rocca.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The journalist brought up the topic directly: \"Many media outlets suggest that Bastia's player Julien De Rocca might make the final squad. What do you think?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He certainly deserves it. Regarding De Rocca, I've already expressed my position—he will become an important member of France's future. I believe many people already know what he has accomplished at Bastia. Such a player deserves our greater expectations.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane answered honestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He naturally knew that Blanc had already decided to select De Rocca for the squad, and he knew this would undoubtedly spark further discussion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, this public statement was also intended to help French fans understand Julien and the extraordinary achievements he had created this season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, Zidane had told Morientes that he had a feeling De Rocca would lead Bastia to a double crown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It became reality.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Zidane still believed that De Rocca would be an important member of the French team. France's third European Championship, their second World Cup—perhaps it would come during Julien's career.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As time gradually approached May 29th.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not just in France.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In all the other European countries that had qualified for the Euros, fans were speculating about their respective national squads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like the World Cup, the European Cup, and the modern Olympics, the European Football Championship also originated from a Frenchman's idea: Henri Delaunay, secretary-general of the French Football Association.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The current European Championship trophy is called the Delaunay Cup, commemorating his contributions to this tournament.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Delaunay had proposed the idea of the \"European Championship\" as early as 1927, but it wasn't until UEFA was established in 1954 that this plan had a foundation for realization.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, the first European Championship began in 1958.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first host nation was France.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the two countries that ultimately reached the final were Eastern European nations: the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>France was eliminated by Yugoslavia 5-4, a scoreline that remains the highest-scoring single match in European Championship history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The final was played in Paris.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yugoslavia controlled the entire match, but Soviet legendary goalkeeper Lev Yashin showed all of Europe what it meant to be a goalkeeping goat, proving that goalkeepers could also be the protagonists on the football pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match went to extra time at 1-1, and Yugoslavia was ultimately defeated by the Soviet Union's comeback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Soviet Union won the first and only European Championship in their history.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These past events had long since faded away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The names of those legendary stars had also become increasingly blurred through generations of changing fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People preferred to chase the contemporary superstars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just like this tournament, with those highly anticipated names—Messi, Xavi, Iniesta, Cristiano Ronaldo, Buffon, Gerrard, Ibrahimović, Alonso...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But for the people of Bastia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All these names combined couldn't compare to \"De Rocca.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>May 29th, 10 AM.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>French national team head coach Laurent Blanc held a press conference at Clairefontaine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was broadcast live.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The vast majority of Bastia fans turned on their televisions, nervously watching the press conference unfold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Bastia training facility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien was brought by Hadzibegic to sit in the center of the team's reception room, surrounded by teammates who hadn't left yet and his family members.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the press conference began. Everyone was extremely nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the crowd, Kanté stared at Blanc on television as he spoke about France's past European Championship record and his outlook.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His thoughts were somewhat scattered. This was the first time he had been so close to the European Championship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, he was riding on De Rocca's coattails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His transfer contract from Boulogne to Bastia had been finalized, just waiting for the summer window to open for the official announcement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he had already come to Bastia to familiarize himself with the environment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This would be where he would strive next season.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kanté looked toward the front row where De Rocca was surrounded by everyone, and it would be false to say he wasn't envious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was anticipating his inclusion in the European Championship squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud...Jérémy Menez...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On television, Blanc was reading out the squad list.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone in Bastia's reception room seemed to hold their breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one dared make a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were afraid of missing what Blanc was saying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The four young talents, highly popular among French fans, were all included.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Generally speaking, when head coaches read squad lists, except for coaches with unique personalities, most read them in order of starters to substitutes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The list was more than half complete.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still no mention of De Rocca's name.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pierre's hand on Julien's shoulder unconsciously tightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadzibegic, Chataigner, and others were equally nervous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every name Blanc read made their hearts skip a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Julien De Rocca, Hugo Lloris...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Blanc's words landed lightly in the reception room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hm?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, everyone was stunned. 'Was that De Rocca?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca! European Championship!!\" Chataigner excitedly jumped up, rushed to Julien, grabbed his shoulders and shook them frantically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While shaking, he kept shouting, \"He's in! He's in! European Championship!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reception room erupted!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh! Julienn Dee Roccca! We're going to watch you at the Euros in person!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>________________________________________________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Check out my patreon where you can read more chapters:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FLorianFiction\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks for your support!\u003C\u002Fp>",1187,"2026-06-06T07:35:06.180Z",1,"novelbin.me","9df23689e8e7eb13e270d3214420c78607990de966e37636687b1d5ee51132ca","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-119","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-117",628,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Femperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-cover.jpg"]