[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-the-football-star":3,"chapter-i-am-the-football-star-i-am-the-football-star-chapter-31":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I AM the Football Star",{"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},1686262,2153,"Chapter 31 - 13: Killer Kid Online, I’ve Gotten Longer! (Part 2)","i-am-the-football-star-chapter-31",31,"\u003Cp>\"Of course, we also can’t overlook Morici’s significant contribution to this goal. His collaboration with Lu Yang completely penetrated Catania’s defense!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the second half, both teams improved their defensive work.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end of regular time, the score was still one-to-one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without a victory, San Remo fans wouldn’t be dissatisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Catania is the fifth team on the leaderboard, and they scored first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Equalizing the score was not easy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were two minutes of extra time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And San Remo got a corner kick opportunity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But everyone noticed that Lu Yang, who normally wouldn’t participate in corner kicks, ran up from the backfield and entered the opponent’s penalty area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yang is not tall, at 1.78 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So during corner kick attacks, it’s usually his partner, a 1.90-meter-tall center-back, who goes for the header.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yang is fast and defends well, intercepting potential counterattacks in the backfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is a good arrangement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this time, Lu Yang went up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This didn’t align with the tasks assigned to him by the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, considering that after this corner kick, the match might very well be over, no one thought Lu Yang’s actions were wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In major match’s last corner kick opportunities, sometimes even goalkeepers participate in heading attempts and attacks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Believe it or not, goalkeepers have scored in similar situations, like Sevilla’s goalkeeper Palop and Inter’s Santo Toldo, who have created such miracles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the most recent instance was Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson’s header, which retained the theoretical possibility of the team playing in next season’s Champions League.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Entering the penalty area, Lu Yang charged straight to the near post, started contesting with the opposing center-back, and gave Morici a look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morici was taken aback.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yang meant to direct the ball to the near post?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But could he...get to the ball?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the opposing center-back beside Lu Yang was 1.85 meters tall, had a height advantage, and appeared a lot more robust than Lu Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Let alone whether Lu Yang could jump up under the opponent’s pressure, even if he did jump, he wouldn’t be as tall as the opponent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, Morici suddenly recalled Lu Yang’s jump in defense during a corner kick in the last round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His jumping ability and physical confrontation seemed to have improved?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morici thought about it and made up his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The corner kick was taken, a high ball to the near post!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, this time Morici chose the near post, surprising Catania, as they have more than two players defending the tall center-backs in the middle from San Remo, leaving only one defender at the near post.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lu Yang is competing against the opposing center-back; he shouldn’t be able to jump, he’s being suppressed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Lu Yang jumped!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the air, Lu Yang continues to compete with the opponent!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What’s happening, how is Lu Yang higher than the opponent? Did he actually win the confrontation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A pity, they both jumped too early, the ball hasn’t arrived yet, and they will be landing soon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sure enough, the opposing center-back is already descending, and Lu Yang is...what! He’s not descending!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hang time! Lu Yang has incredible hang time! It’s as if he’s defying gravity! His physical attributes are beyond everyone’s imagination!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A beautiful Lion’s Head Shake! It’s a goal!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Header seal of victory! Lu Yang did it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"GOAL! Victory, Lu Yang brings another win to the team!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My God! Three consecutive matches, Lu Yang has scored last-minute winners! He’s simply the king of last-minute goals!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No one has ever performed so crazily! Who would have thought a 1.78-meter center-back would have such heading ability?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yang, Morici, and Vedian celebrated wildly together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The South Stand echoed with cheers comparable to that of a thousand people celebrating, though there were actually only two hundred people present.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the coach’s seat, Sotu picked up his notepad again to record.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lu Yang’s ability to compete and jump is impressive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is he naturally this strong, or... is he developing?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Considering Lu Yang’s age of sixteen, Sotu believed it was the latter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if that’s the case, then Lu Yang’s talent is terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only slightly unfortunate aspect is Lu Yang’s height.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 1.78 meters, he’s certainly not short for an average person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even in football, it’s not considered short.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But... the future trend in football leans toward taller players, at least defensively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is evident from historical data on the heights of defensive players in the midfield and defense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, being 1.82 or 1.83 meters wasn’t an issue for a center-back, and 1.88 meters was already considered quite tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, the entry height requirement for center-backs is nearing 1.90 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Midfield defensive players also generally need to be over 1.80 meters, ideally 1.85 meters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And frustratingly, there are now many players over 1.85 meters with excellent ball skills, meaning the stereotype of tall players being inflexible is gradually losing validity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you had two players with the same skills, one tall and one short, regardless if they were offensive or defensive players, you would choose the taller one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because height is also an advantage on the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If only Lu could grow a bit taller,\" Sotu offered a sincere wish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He will. He’s only sixteen, although he’s already had a growth spurt,\" Tom replied. \"In the East, there’s a saying that men grow until twenty, so he can reach at least 1.80 meters!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sotu shook his head, as 1.80 meters still wouldn’t be enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What can those extra two centimeters do?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The news of San Remo’s three consecutive wins quickly spread in the Italian D Division.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone knew San Remo was different from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all of this was related to that small Eastern center-back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In three matches, four goals, two assists.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An average of two goal contributions per game!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this a center-back?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These statistics are hard to achieve for forwards or midfielders, let alone Lu Yang, who is just a center-back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is undoubtedly the most attacking center-back in the Italian D Division, second to none.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The feat of three consecutive last-minute wins also successfully made it to authoritative reports in Italian Football.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many were stunned when they saw this on the news.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, it was always news about Serie A, rarely Serie B; how has even Italian D Division news made it this time?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But upon closer inspection, everyone agreed it was indeed newsworthy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, there were three consecutive matches where they won at the last minute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moreover, their opponents were ranked 14th, 1st, and 5th on the leaderboard, respectively!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention, all three matches were won beautifully, especially the second match’s stunning 33-meter overhead kick, which had some recognition across European Football.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And those Serie B and Italian Third Division teams previously attracted by the competition between Lu Yang and Arnold were now even more coveted of Vedian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He scored again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite being in a defensively weak relegation team, Vedian was at the top of the scorers’ list with fourteen goals, which had much more value than Arnold’s fourteen goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bisceglie was averaging two goals per game, but Arnold’s contribution didn’t even account for a third, making that a large issue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Conversely, Vedian had previously accounted for seventy percent of the goals for the San Remo Team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weak teams produce goalkeepers, strong teams produce star performers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vedian’s goals weren’t easily achieved in strong teams; each one was achieved through immense effort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vedian was becoming increasingly popular in the Transfer Market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the match against Catania, Lu Yang only received a random pack, and it wasn’t even a football-related or victory pack but rather a pack for achieving three consecutive last-minute wins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This suffices to show that not every match or victory will yield rewards from the system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s quite picky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ding! You received a special reward: height increased by three centimeters.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Lu Yang saw the reward, he was a bit stunned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There’s actually a reward for height?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s worth noting that height has always been Lu Yang’s weak spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he’s only sixteen and might still grow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had already had one growth spurt. Growing from 1.60 meters to 1.78 meters was already astonishing, saving Lu Yang’s career.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Barring any future growth, it’s typically slow-paced, growing two to three centimeters at most over three to five years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unless Lu Yang experiences a second growth spurt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And it’s really rare for people to grow again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now, the system’s reward has suddenly given him a height increase?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, Lu Yang was thrilled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Never expected a height reward!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, height had been a chronic weak point for Lu Yang.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, a system reward has directly given him a height increase?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like magic!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would’ve thought that at the young age of sixteen, this promising player would have a so-called second growth spurt! His future in European Football looked brighter than ever.\u003C\u002Fp>",1482,"2026-06-06T13:45:07.891Z",1,"novelbin.me","ea2457f232599797b3c8998ff29fbd4cb8994e7ca1fe2154ed5b07d48b383f5a","i-am-the-football-star-chapter-137","i-am-the-football-star-chapter-136",836,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-the-football-star-cover.jpg"]