[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back":3,"chapter-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-878":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Football: At 16, Let Me Retire and Come Back?",{"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},2300848,4499,"Chapter 878: Semifinal, Opponent: The Defending Champion","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-878",878,"\u003Cp>“Deng-deng-deng-deng-deng, deng-deng-deng-deng-deng-deng!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Deng-deng-deng, deng!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【66666】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Chinese National Team, awesome! Come on, come on!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Ref, give us your WeChat payment code, Alipay’s fine too】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Watch me, Escriba—how do you handle Dembélé and Mbappé? Seems tricky…】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Always support the Chinese national team, always tearful with emotion!】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Biiiiiiii!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, the match begins!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now I’ll introduce the starting lineups. First, the home team, the Chinese men’s national team, wearing red jerseys…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were major adjustments to China’s starting XI: Deng Hanwen replaced Zhang Linpeng, who was suspended for a red card, and Jiang Guangtai was benched.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Hanwen starting is understandable, but Jiang Guangtai on the bench…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is Escriba planning to give up the semifinal and focus straight on the third-place playoff?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“And now, the away team, France!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>France (4-2-3-1)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Goalkeeper: Lloris\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defenders: Koundé, Varane, Konaté, Theo Hernández\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Midfielders: Chouaméni, Griezmann, Youssouf Fofana\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forwards: Dembélé, Giroud, Mbappé\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Head coach: Deschamps\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>France is one of the few teams in this World Cup whose starting lineup’s total market value exceeds China’s. This defending champion’s starting XI is valued at a staggering 640 million euros, with Dembélé and Mbappé being the most absurd—each worth nearly 200 million euros.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Allez!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Allez les Bleus!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lusail Stadium, fitting for a final, creates an atmosphere unmatched by the Gulf Stadium—80,000 spectators in the stands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Theo Hernández receives the pass from Fofana.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s drifting wide!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Hernández looks like he’s trying to combine with Mbappé!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Hernández drives forward, France’s entire attacking line surges ahead in unison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though the match has barely begun, Chinese players already feel as if they’re facing an imminent threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deng Hanwen and Wu Xi are retreating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t go over! Don’t go over!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye signals his teammates to abandon the tackle on Hernández.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon receiving the signal, Wu Xi becomes far more cautious, leaving Hernández with a massive open space.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hernández doesn’t hesitate—he strides forward and claims his position.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Watch the center!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment Tang Ye speaks, Hernández delivers the cross.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chi Zhongguo and Griezmann are tightly marked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Griezmann jostles the nearby defender, then quickly passes to Dembélé.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pressure shifts to the left flank!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Shenchao vs. Dembélé—one-on-one!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah-pah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alternating left and right foot, Dembélé closes in on Wang Shenchao with astonishing speed; his constantly shifting rhythm leaves Wang unable to time his tackle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He plays a cut-back cross—Chouaméni receives it at the arc.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He takes one step to adjust, readying himself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Boom!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye slides in, using his body to block Chouaméni’s long-range shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beautiful! Tang Ye!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Zhu Chenjie, come up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh!!!!!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crowd erupts—Zhu Chenjie beats Fofana to the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Go on! Go on yourself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye turns and sprints forward, preparing for a counterattack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhu Chenjie had barely run a few steps when Hernández stuck out a foot and intercepted the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye immediately stops and sprints back to defend, but by the time he reaches his position, France has already shot—Giroud blasts it high into the stands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Look where you’re going when you’re dribbling!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tang Ye yells at Zhu Chenjie: “He’s right in front of you! Didn’t you see him coming? Shield the ball or just pass right!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wu Lei runs over and slaps Tang Ye’s hand: “Calm down, calm down—just hold steady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When facing strong teams, Tang Ye often panics, which isn’t good for the whole team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Escriba stands outside the pitch, hands in pockets, eyes half-lidded, utterly motionless—as if frozen. Meanwhile, Ma Di, seated, keeps shaking his leg; his laptop on his thigh bounces with each movement—no one knows if his eyes can even focus on the screen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pah!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Dalei launches a long pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Shihao, waiting on the left flank, receives it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Chinese winger stretches his foot to control the ball, but misjudges the landing point—it hits the grass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wei Shihao tries to collect it, but Varane denies him—blocks his path and kicks the ball out of bounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Wow!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...China seems to be struggling to create good attacking chances.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So far, every French player is in excellent form. Most crucially, France clearly prioritizes defense on all three channels.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>China beat Spain and the Netherlands partly because the opponents underestimated them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But China’s string of upsets has made France treat them with extreme seriousness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To the current French team, China is a powerful, evenly matched opponent—only by giving everything can they hope to win!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This viewpoint was quickly confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tang Ye, take the wing yourself!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fofana’s position is great—Hernández is closing in.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing both Fofana and Hernández at once, Tang Ye finds no opening to pass the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he prepares to exploit Hernández’s opening, a hand suddenly lands on his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mbappé cuts off his space from the side, combining with his two teammates to easily suffocate Tang Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting on the ground, Tang Ye is utterly speechless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is the first time France and China have met in a World Cup—France knows nothing about the Chinese team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they know Tang Ye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Attack the team by targeting the star—lose the star, the team dies.” That phrase always holds true for China.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Live update: 26th minute, Tang Ye’s corner to Zhang Yuning, Konaté clears easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Live update: Giroud’s header hits the post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just three minutes after Giroud’s header struck the post, France creates another strong attacking chance—again from Dembélé on the right flank.\u003C\u002Fp>",884,"2026-06-20T06:50:12.695Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","9d26938cae60d0daf67dc8b4341fcb460de0438290154bb7adb066c8030d3373","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-879","football-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-chapter-877",918,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffootball-at-16-let-me-retire-and-come-back-cover.jpg"]