Chapter 738: Tang Ye's Japanese Celebrity Fan

Saitama City, Japan.

Outside the Saitama 2002 Stadium, a group of Chinese tourists had gathered, visiting the venue in an orderly fashion under the guidance of their tour guide.

"On our right now is the Saitama 2002 Stadium, a professional ground built by Japan for the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup; additionally..."

The tour guide, holding a small microphone, continued: "This is also the competition venue for the football events at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics."

"Of course, you certainly know more about this than I do, after all, I am not a professional football fan."

The tour guide was indeed modest.

She was not a professional guide from the Dragon Team, but rather one employed by a travel agency.

The Dragon Team had outsourced the Asian Preliminary Tournament viewing tour to a travel agency precisely to provide fans with more professional travel services.

This was because, for most fans willing to follow the team into battle, they actually did not require overly professional football commentary.

"Although I don't understand football, rest assured, I am a professional Japan tour guide, haha."

The tour guide added.

A group of over thirty people walked along the road, where posters for the Asian Preliminary Tournament hung everywhere, from the surrounding buildings even to the streetlights.

Wataru Endo, Maya Yoshida, Takehiro Tomiyasu... these were all star players of the Japanese national team.

"I don't really recognize these people either, but I do recognize that one."

Having said this, the reporter raised her right hand and pointed toward an indoor tennis court in the distance.

Outside the tennis net hung a poster of the Chinese team, featuring four Chinese players and the coach, Escrivá.

The most conspicuous figure was Tang Ye in the center; the image of the Chinese team's number 10 stripping off his shirt and roaring was chilling.

"Actually, as we've walked along, we've seen that posters of the Chinese team are quite scarce, after all, this match is taking place in Japan."

"Hey, from the perspective of you professional fans, what are our national team's chances of winning the day after tomorrow?"

The female tour guide became interested.

"One hundred percent!"

A fan shouted carelessly: "We must crush Japan to death!"

"Haha!"

"It's definitely a sure win, haha!"

The fans were mostly speaking in a joking tone.

However, it was evident that even when facing the formidable Japanese team, the Chinese fans still maintained their confidence.

"I feel that the public perception of our national football team has reversed significantly over the past few years..."

The tour guide sighed: "I started working as a guide about eight years ago, back in Xi'an; back then, every online discussion about the national team was full of curses."

"That's impossible now, absolutely impossible!"

A fan waved his hand: "Now there are definitely more supporters; we even beat Germany, so what else is there to say?"

"Haha, the Russia World Cup match against Germany, right? I know about that game!"

Although she truly did not understand football, during the World Cup and Asian Cup periods, most people in China were discussing football matches, so the female tour guide had learned quite a bit back then.

Pointing at the Tang Ye poster hanging outside the tennis court, the female tour guide suddenly asked a question: "Is Tang Ye very powerful?"

"Holy crap, of course he is, what kind of question is that?"

"Haha, if you ask that question online, you'll get scolded!"

"Of course he's powerful, he even won the Ballon d'Or."

"Wait, wait!"

After chatting for a while, several fans realized that explaining what the "Ballon d'Or" was to a tour guide who barely watched matches would be quite difficult.

"Let's put it this way."

One fan wearing glasses thought of something: "Take last season's Dortmund; if you do the math, for every match he played, Dortmund had to pay him nine million RMB."

"Oh..."

Sohu: Are you also a football fan? Japanese star Tao Tao Naimu releases photos of her trip to Saitama, cheering for the Japanese team.

"In the photos, Tao Tao Naimu is wearing a Japanese team fan jersey, stating that she will be present at the venue to cheer for the Japanese team."

Front-page headline of "All Japan": Japanese fans frequently issue game invitations in the comment section under Tang Ye's posts.

With the match still two days away, Japanese fans were already stirring up trouble.

Many newspapers were proclaiming how incredibly strong this year's Japanese team was, but in reality, when facing an opponent like China, Japanese fans were still quite nervous, so nervous that they needed to play some little tricks.

To catch the bandits, first catch their king!

Take down Tang Ye first; without their big brother, the Chinese team would actually be nothing to fear!

Baidu Hot Search.

No. 1: Asian Preliminaries China vs. Japan.

No. 2: National Football Team vs. Japan.

No. 3: National Football Team Asian Preliminaries Focus Match.

No. 4: Hajime Moriyasu and Escrivá.

No. 5: Japanese fans invite Tang Ye to play games.

Dongqiudui reposts from The Sun: Ten Hag unfollows Escrivá on social media.

【6666, the Chinese team is fighting on two fronts now, battling both Ten Hag and Japan; how is this playable?】

【Saint Chen is too arrogant; however, I think Ten Hag is nothing to fear—the real focus is the little Japanese.】

【Has anyone climbed the ladder to check what Tang Ye is doing? Don't tell me he actually got lured into playing games?】

【You're thinking too much; my Tang Tang Qiuwang cannot be tempted by such things; nothing is more important than the match against Japan!】

The day before the China-Japan match began.

As per custom, both teams conducted their pitch inspection; the Chinese national team's bus arrived at Saitama Stadium 2002.

Unlike previous pitch inspections, this time the Japan Football Association scheduled the Chinese and Japanese sessions together, meaning each team was allocated only half the field.

Such an arrangement was not uncommon, yet it was not the Japan Football Association's usual habit.

This decision sparked some speculation among the fans.

Was the Japanese team trying to study Tang Ye once more during the pitch inspection warm-up?

Surely not?

The live camera cut to Moriyasu Hajime on the home team's substitute bench; the Japanese head coach stared at Tang Ye jogging on the field, holding a small white notebook in one hand while a ballpoint pen scribbled something unknown onto its pages.

This, this...

He really is studying him!

Although no one knew exactly what Moriyasu Hajime was analyzing, Chinese fans were already extremely nervous.

"Tom!"

Yoshida Maya ran over, first bowing slightly, then shaking Tang Ye's hand: "We played in the same league before, and we also faced each other during the Asian Cup; I don't know if you still remember that Asian Cup match, but I learned a lot from you."

"Oh, haha, let's not talk about the Asian Cup incident."

"Haha, Tang Sang, I wish you success tomorrow. Additionally..."

Yoshida Maya suddenly changed the subject: "My youngest daughter is a die-hard fan of yours; if possible, could you give me your jersey after tomorrow's match? However, I don't have any good gift to offer in exchange... um..."

"Oh, no problem, no problem; we can just exchange jerseys later."

Tang Ye and Yoshida Maya shook hands again; the latter bowed slightly to Tang Ye once more, startling Tang Ye into taking a step back.

"They keep bowing, but he is much older than me."

Tang Ye helplessly spread his hands and complained to his teammates.

Yoshida Maya's bowing behavior made him feel as though he had grown old.

No longer twenty-two, but forty-two!

"Haha, this is just how things are on the Japanese side."

Wu Lei kicked the ball beside him away: "I feel like I've been conservative; if you were around his age, he would probably call you 'Senior'."

"Senior!"

Having said that, Wu Lei shouted the word.

"Haha, damn it, Brother Lei, stop messing with me!"

Tang Ye pushed Wu Lei away slightly.