Chapter 520: The Ambition of the Stick (Daily Transition)

The national team's training intensity at this stage is not high.

The main training content is still tactical integration, with set pieces as a supplement.

For these T1-T0 stars who have just fought hard through a season, diet and sleep are more important, as well as adapting to the Russian climate and environment.

The World Cup starts in just a few days, and there is no time for you to level up, after all, this is not a bodybuilding competition.

After a half-day debate between Bayer's logistics and Spain's logistics, they finally decided to let Li Kang continue with his six-meal-a-day diet.

The management team is also busy.

After all, Li Kang is a World Cup ambassador.

The little assistant is tutoring him every night on basic Russian etiquette and customs.

As the saying goes: Germans understand Russians best.

"One day, the post office issued stamps featuring Brezhnev's portrait."

"But they just wouldn't stick."

"Why?"

"Some people spat in the wrong direction."

"Others licked in the wrong direction."

Li Kang was stunned for a moment, not yet coming back to his senses.

The little assistant burst out laughing: "This is the sense of humor of Soviet Russians!"

Outside the window.

Bosque, who happened to be passing by, overheard these words, couldn't help but frown, and twitched his little mustache: "Hmph, spiritually victorious Germans."

The highly anticipated 2018 World Cup is about to kick off.

Countless tourists flooded into Russia's major cities.

Intense and brainwashing magical advertisements bombarded the world's visual and auditory senses.

Among them, Chinese enterprises accounted for 30%, and the number of sponsors broke the World Cup record.

Some marketing accounts wanted to mislead viewers, saying: "Oh, these Chinese enterprises are idiots, splashing money everywhere."

Actually, that's not the case.

It's not that they are idiots, but these enterprises were classified as second-tier brand partners by the World Cup Organizing Committee.

The advertising slots and display rates' "fish pond" is only so big.

It's a seller's market.

There are also many wealthy enterprises around the world, but they are just splashing money wildly, and they are only third- or fourth-tier supporters.

As for the "short-term" return rate of World Cup advertising: South Africa and Brazil's two World Cups have already given the answer.

This is just short-term data.

Just as CCTV host Bai Yan Song said on the economic channel: "The Chinese elements of the 2018 Russia World Cup, apart from the national team, have all gone elsewhere."

This joke will probably be recycled again at the Qatar World Cup four years later.

As for the advertising content?

The advertisement that leaves the deepest impression on people on TV screens is:

"I am Messi, I am not naturally strong, I am just naturally determined."

Viewers watched Messi lying on the grass, and their urge to tamper grew stronger.

However, online, the hottest advertisement is: the 2014 World Cup Singapore anti-gambling public service announcement.

The content is roughly:

On the eve of the 2014 World Cup, a few kids were playing in the park, discussing which country would win the World Cup.

Xiao Jie said Brazil.

Xiao Hua said Argentina.

Xiao Wei said Spain.

Finally, Xiao Ming said sadly: "I hope Germany wins, because my dad spent all the family's savings betting on Germany to win."

Hearing this, the kids fell silent.

The atmosphere instantly became heavy.

The screen went black, and then slowly emerged a line of text: "Control the ball, kick away the gambling addiction."

Result

Result: Germany won the championship!

The Singapore Responsible Gambling Council was dumbfounded: the anti-gambling ad had become a gambling inducement!

Thus, on the eve of the 2018 World Cup, many people were looking forward to Singapore's anti-gambling public service announcement.

June 7.

The Spanish national team arrived at the Krasnodar Football Academy in southern Russia.

The reason for choosing this place as the training base.

On one hand, because the environment and facilities are sufficiently complete and excellent, and it is adjacent to the Krasnodar Stadium.

On the other hand, due to the efforts of the Krasnodar Frontier Minister, who secured an extremely low reception price in exchange for the peak season of local accommodation and tourism; there is no doubt that the influence of superstars is truly immense.

"Damn, how are there still fans holding up the Catalonian flag? And they even put Ramos's poster on a..."

"And the Basque cross flag"

"Isn't that the green-and-white flag of Andalusia?"

"I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End—what the hell is Asturias's emblem? What nonsense!"

The bus slowly drove into the training base.

The roadside was packed with countless fans, their raised flags infuriating the Spanish players—each person angry for different reasons.

Miniano quickly silenced the crowd, hesitated, and said: "Take it easy—maybe they're just players of *King of the Crusaders*."

The base has twelve natural grass pitches, two indoor courts, and a regulation stadium seating 1,600 spectators.

Li Kang dropped his bag in the room and then headed to the training field with De Gea.

The two planned to keep adapting to the World Cup's official ball—the Adidas Telstar 18.

This ball is weird.

Made from whatever the latest material is.

With the World Cup approaching, national team goalkeepers all said: "This high-tech ball is rounder, slicker, flies a stranger trajectory, and is harder to save."

Telstar was the first match ball Adidas provided for the World Cup at the 1970 Mexico tournament—black and white!

This design changed the first impression of football for generations to come.

When people think of football, they picture a sphere made of white hexagonal leather patches and black pentagonal ones.

Before 1970, footballs were poop-yellow and stitched like volleyballs.

From 1970 until the early 21st century, every football in video games, films, and TV shows used the Telstar prototype.

June 14.

The opening ceremony of the Russia World Cup.

Viewers in front of their TVs stared intently at the screen, waiting eagerly.

The broadcast camera suddenly swept from the sea of people at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium and shifted to space!

The black-and-white Telstar 18 match ball brushed past a Russian astronaut and fell toward Earth.

Immediately after, the classic "Dun! Dun dun dun dun~" began to play.

It was Tchaikovsky's *First Piano Concerto*.

This tune is also very familiar to Eastern fans, as it often appears in the *Little Tyrant* game.

Especially in "Tetris."

Speaking of Tetris, that's another long, long story.

"Yuri Bashmet and Daniil Trifonov, world-class violist and pianist, opened the curtain on the 2018 World Cup."

"Several fighter jets streaked across Moscow's sky, drawing jet trails in the shape of a football pitch!"

"The camera panned to this historic landmark."

The commentator couldn't name the grand sculpture on screen.

It was the female war god wielding the "Sword of Victory"—the "Motherland" in the Soviet people's hearts.

After the victory in the Battle of Stalingrad.

The Soviets didn't boast of victory but expressed sorrow for fallen heroes through melancholy.

This is the romance of a fighting nation.

The sculpture has nothing to do with religious myth.

The sword of the "Soviet Mother" is 33 meters long and weighs 14.6 tons.

As for her, she weighs 8,000 tons.

No need for devout faith—that blade piercing the clouds will awaken the fighting spirit of future generations.

The camera panned again.

Luzhniki Stadium.

Ronaldo led a young ball boy out of the tunnel.

Thunderous applause.

A British famous singer in a red suit—Robbie Williams—strode arrogantly onto the pitch and launched into the 2018 World Cup theme song "Let Me Entertain You."

Unexpectedly.

This guy, while singing, actually raised a middle finger at the camera.

The director panicked and cut the feed immediately.

Ironically, the cut went to Putin and several other heads of state.

They watched helplessly as the Brit made that gesture, displeased, and raised both hands.

Next.

Appearing was the Russian soprano—Aida Garifullina.

"Ah ah ah~~ah ah ah~ah ah!"

Her indescribably beautiful voice moved hearts deeply.

Robbie Williams tried to touch her hand, but Aida swiftly pulled hers back.

The performance on the green field kept changing.

The flags of the 32 participating teams gathered at the center circle stage.

Xiao Luo in casual wear, beaming, tapped his hand drum.

Da Luo continued leading the young ball boy, eyes excited as he gazed down the tunnel.

A few minutes later.

The long-awaited moment arrived.

When Li Kang walked out of the tunnel holding the black-and-white Telstar 18.

The entire stadium erupted instantly!

Over eighty thousand fans shouted his name in unison!

"Lee!!!"

Lee!!!

Lee!!!

All over the world, fans in front of televisions and beneath large screens in plazas couldn't help but shout out.

"2018 Russia World Cup Ambassador, Li Kang!"

"He placed the football at his feet."

"This ball should be gently passed to the mascot in front of him—Zabivaka!"

"Ah? Wrong!"

On the towering stage in the center circle, fire pillars erupted!

Li Kang tilted his body slightly, swinging his left foot!

Thud!

The football lifted off the ground, tracing a beautiful arc in midair before descending toward the stage encircled by 32 flags!

Finally landing in the fire basin, the flames extinguished just in time.

A breeze swept by.

The 32 flags fluttered in the wind.

The exquisite long-pass technique brought the Russia opening ceremony to its peak!

"A new chapter of the World Cup has opened—beneath Saint Isaac's Cathedral in Saint Petersburg, on the deck of the Aurora cruiser, before Pushkin's statue, on the campus of Moscow Oriental University. Russia displays its culture and creativity to the world."

"Starting from the 1958 Sweden World Cup."

ESPN broadcast room.

Bullet comments poured like a waterfall.

【So handsome! What background does Li Mingdeng have! Showing off at 20 in the World Cup opening ceremony!】

【And a hundred million yuan in endorsement fees, though I heard Abu paid for it.】

【Seumida, our Li, so handsome.】

【Eight fang ya lu, the whole universe is yours.】

【I was just afraid Li Mingdeng would kick and tear his trousers.】

【Hope Li Kang doesn't endure too many setbacks or regrets in the Moscow summer.】

【How do you all view the opening match?】

【Thirty million, I bet on Germany winning!】

【You fake fan, the opening match opponents are Russia and Saudi Arabia.】

Li Kang couldn't just walk away directly.

Under the guidance of the organizers, he walked step by step toward the main stand, sitting beside a Middle Easterner wearing a red-and-white checked headscarf.

Behind the seat were two sign language interpreters.

Head wrapped in a cloth, I am the richest under heaven.

The headscarf color also has ranks.

"Hello hello."

The Middle Easterner enthusiastically greeted in English, then said nothing more.

Li Kang politely nodded in response, then shifted his gaze back to the green field.

The match presented a one-sided situation.

Russia's central forward—Yuba, dominated the scene, fully displaying the nature of a striker tyrant!

Why is he so awesome, can't he go play in Europe?

In past years, Ronaldo, Balotelli, my Drogba, Aguero, Ibrahimovic, Suarez, Van Persie, Falcao, Dzeko, Klose, Gomez, Mandzukic, Podolski (Cologne version), Benzema, Lewandowski, Tevez, Henry, Bergkamp, Higuain, Diego Forlan, Cavani, Torres—no, plus Huntelaar.

These typical or atypical center forwards, multi-talented.

Amid the frenzy of tactical reform, using their own style traits, they made a name in the five major leagues.

A hundred flowers bloom.

It seems that in those wonderful times, the fortune of the entire football world fell upon the "center forward" position.

Traditional center forwards, in counterattacks, would receive the ball in the front zone and pass back to the playmaker, who then distributed to the flanks to launch a transition attack.

That group of aberrant center forwards might shake off defenders with a turn after receiving the ball, creating a one-on-one; or turn and fire a world-class shot; or themselves complete organizing passes, needing no playmaker.

The rhythm of the attacking chain is not on the same level.

Traditional center forwards, in positional play, need to shuttle in the opponent's penalty area, making the defense lean and contract, then create space for flank teammates to receive crosses; if the opponent doesn't lean or contract, suppressing both flanks' crossing passes, then the traditional center forward must keep running to help teammates create space for long-range shots— theoretically, even the older Van Basten doesn't kick like that anymore.

That group of aberrant center forwards, in positional play, not only fulfill the pivot role but also shift into their own variant forms, possessing richer means to break defenses.

In the five major leagues, who is the best "traditional" center forward?

Carroll.

Active since 2006 in lower-to-mid-tier teams.

Even if many fans mistakenly consider Giroud a "traditional center forward."

He is actually non-mainstream, with footwork too flashy, all kinds of divine balls.

Kane?

Kane works hard, silently developing all his abilities, his upgrade path is comprehensive, absolutely impossible to be a traditional center forward.

Unfortunately.

With the passage of time, the fortune of the center forward position seems to have been plundered.

Other positions on the green field have welcomed a hundred flowers blooming.

The era of center forward scarcity has arrived.

When the club racked its brains to find a few "traditional centre-forwards", it discovered that they mostly disappeared during matches and could not hold up against increasingly monstrous centre-backs. They might be useful in the second division.

"Modern centre-forwards". There are so few of them worldwide, how can they be enough to go around?

What is lacking is not traditional centre-forwards, not some big lump charging forward to score with a couple of taps, when the opposing clubs' defences are not that stupid.

What is lacking is versatile modern centre-forwards.

Sometimes, the football world is just a cycle. Van Basten was already striving towards "modernisation, all-round ability" in his era, yet now major clubs are still looking for traditional centre-forwards.

Beep! Beep-beep~

The opening match has ended!

Russia 5:0 Saudi Arabia.

Li Kang withdrew his thoughts, lowered his head and glanced at his phone.

The national team coaching staff sent over the predicted lineup for the South Korean team: the centre-forward position is exactly the 1.98-metre-tall "traditional centre-forward" Kim Shin-wook, Asian Champions League striker king.

Shengbidebao, New Peterhof Hotel.

The South Korean team players felt very happy, as they finally had their own single rooms throughout the World Cup.

Young players and young assistant coaches did not have to share a room due to seniority hierarchy.

Even happier: the Korea Football Association air-freighted 4 tonnes of kimchi to Russia!

Head coach Shin Taeryong, now 48 years old, has well-maintained hair.

His mind is very strange.

Perhaps due to bearing too much public opinion pressure, this guy made the South Korean team, which was undergoing "whitewashing", become the team with the most fouls in the pre-selection friendly matches.

Not tactical fouls, but rather dirty feet, elbow strikes and other malicious actions.

Previous head coaches spent over a decade striving to "cleanse the image", but all efforts came to naught.

The South Korean team's summon list for this World Cup is even more miraculous: only Son Heung-min and five other overseas players were recalled, while the remaining positions are actually filled entirely by stars from the K-League, Chinese Super League, and J-League.

It is incomprehensible.

Actually, there are many overseas players among the Korean players.

This guy also does not like letting the team revolve around Son Heung-min to play.

Very strange.

I cannot understand his thought process.

"We scrambled the numbers of four players during training, so that Spain's spies cannot know our specific tactics, they cannot tell who is who, and in Europeans' eyes, Asian faces all look alike!"

"In the match against Spain, our entire team will revolve around Kim Shin-wook to play!"

"Those little dwarves cannot withstand our aerial bombardment!"

"Seumida!"

Shin Taeryong clenched his fists: "There is an ancient Chinese saying: the great roc rides the wind and rises in a single day, soaring straight up ninety thousand li!"

The South Korean players' bodies trembled with vigour!

Especially Kim Shin-wook, who sports a head of green hair, his gaze firm!

June 16.

Shengbidebao Stadium.

Sixty-eight thousand spectators from around the world gathered here, anticipating the kickoff of the first round of the Group B stage: South Korea versus Spain.

The banners of "Blood and Gold" and "Tiger of Taiji" huddled in the corner stands.

Due to Li Kang's growing influence, the tickets for the Bullfighter Legion's group stage matches were swept up by neutral fans, and as for the reserved tickets for the national camp? They had long been snapped up by ticket scalpers.

All four stands, the vast majority filled with neutral fans wearing Bullfighter number 6 jerseys.

"ESPN! ESPN! Good evening, viewers!"

"Welcome to the live broadcast of the first match of Group B in the 2018 World Cup!"

"South Korea versus Spain!"

"Tiger of Taiji encounters the Bullfighter!"

"Son Heung-min's face-to-face confrontation with De Gea!"

Player tunnel.

Son Heung-min smiled at Li Kang, not daring to be overly affectionate.

The atmosphere was subtle.

Several overseas players of the South Korean team wanted to show goodwill, suggesting things like exchanging jerseys after the match, but were met with the cold attitude of the Spanish players.

Some things cannot be whitewashed.

In the 2002 World Cup quarter-finals, Spain was harshly denied two goals by the black whistle of Gandur, and even Enrique's perfect solo break was ruled offside.

Ultimately, the South Korean team managed to advance to the semi-finals.

Beckenbauer was so frightened that he flew overnight to Korea to pressure FIFA!

Semi-final.

South Korea versus Germany, on-field referee replacement!

"Having blackened Italy and Spain, do they still want to blacken Germany into the World Cup final?"

Even now, it cannot be whitewashed.

Current head coach Shin Taeryong encourages South Korean players to foul, making the game disjointed through fouls.

(End of chapter)