Soon, A
The first round involved the 12 lowest-ranked teams in Asia. They competed in two-legged ties, with the aggregate winner of each pairing advancing to the next round of qualifiers.
As the second-to-last team in FIFA's global rankings for Asia, Team Am was naturally part of the first round of qualifiers. Their opponent was Sri Lanka. The two teams were considered old rivals, often engaging in closely contested matches. In the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, Team Am had also faced Sri Lanka, losing 1-3 on aggregate and failing to even reach the second round. The script for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers was similar. Team Am rarely progressed beyond the first round, which explained why the team's players readily ceded their spot. They were acutely aware of their limitations and believed that true football enthusiasts should yield their positions to stronger players.
However, with Team Am having recently acquired a wealth of talented youth players with experience in Europe's top five leagues, a former world-class player like Messi as their coach, and the world's richest man, Huang He, as their owner, their opening match garnered significant attention.
When the Sri Lankan team arrived on the field, they witnessed a scene beyond their wildest dreams. During the pre-match interviews, over 300 journalists packed the cramped press room, their microphones all aimed at the Sri Lankan players. Among these journalists were Europeans and Chinese, but very few Sri Lankans. Previously, their interviews were typically limited to Sri Lankan media. Who else in the world would care about the Sri Lankan football team's World Cup qualifier matches? This time, however, they felt an unprecedented level of attention.
This attention intensified as they entered the players' tunnel. They were met by over a dozen camera crews, including a large crane camera, equipment typically seen only at Asian Cup-level matches, now present at this small-scale fixture. Upon entering the field, the atmosphere became even more explosive. The stands on both sides of the stadium were completely filled.
Since Sri Lanka was the home team, the stadium was somewhat dilapidated and small, with a capacity of only just over 10,000 spectators. Yet, these stands were packed. Surprisingly, few of the faces belonged to Sri Lankans; a significant portion were European and Chinese. The Europeans were primarily there to see Messi, while half of the Chinese contingent were also there for Messi, and the other half came to support the Chinese youth players. Many Chinese fans now followed the second-tier professional leagues of Europe, and several players had already garnered their own fan clubs, some even forming dedicated fan associations.
The current team captain, Liu Xu, was one of the most popular players. His exceptional talent on the European stage, often involving solo runs where he weaved past six defenders before elegantly slotting the ball into the net, had captivated the league and enthralled Chinese fans. For years, they had longed for such a formidable and gifted attacking player from their own nation.
It wasn't just Liu Xu's performance that was remarkable. Many other players on the field had also showcased outstanding performances in their respective professional careers. They had been playing for various teams in the smaller leagues of the top five European leagues. However, upon receiving the call, they had promptly left their teams to participate in trials, forming the current Team Am.
Beyond the sheer number of spectators, which surprised the Sri Lankan players, what was even more astonishing were the advertisements adorning the stadium perimeter fences. Huge billboards for "Jiangnan Blind Boxes" were prominently displayed. They hadn't seen sponsors willing to advertise in their home stadium for many years.
"Brothers, let's win this match and show our opponents our strength! Don't let them underestimate us!" Knowing that the crowds and advertisements were primarily directed at the star-studded opposing lineup, the Sri Lankan captain rallied his teammates with great enthusiasm.
However, by halftime, the Sri Lankan team had completely abandoned this thought. The first half was a complete rout. Against the hastily assembled Team Am, the Sri Lankan team seemed as fragile as an infant, their defense virtually non-existent. They conceded goals effortlessly, almost every ten minutes. The most dominant player was Liu Xu, who was on the verge of scoring a hat-trick in the first half alone.
By the end of the first half, Team Am led Sri Lanka 4-0. The Sri Lankans were utterly stunned. They played like sleepwalkers in the second half, conceding another six goals, bringing the final score of the first leg to a resounding 10-0. The second leg, with home and away advantage swapped, was a mere formality. Although the score wasn't as exaggerated as 10-0, Team Am's performance was even more brutal, easily achieving a 14-0 victory and successfully advancing to the second round.
Domestically, fans were extremely satisfied with these two matches, never having witnessed their team win by double-digit scores like 10-0 and 14-0. However, there were dissenting voices. A former national player expressed his displeasure, suggesting that while Team Am's strength far surpassed their opponents, was it not impolite to win by such a margin? As a nation with a thousand-year-old civilization, shouldn't they exhibit more grace and courtesy, making the encounter more dignified for both sides? This former national player was subsequently ridiculed, with many questioning if he had adopted a similar mindset during his playing career, perhaps even holding back against opponents.
In contrast to the excitement of the domestic fans, the international community remained largely unfazed. Strong teams defeating weaker ones by double-digit margins was not uncommon. Furthermore, Team Am's players were all competing in the second-tier leagues of the world's top five leagues, their skill level, while not reaching the absolute pinnacle, was still considered world-class. Defeating Sri Lanka was, therefore, a simple task. Add to this the coaching expertise of Messi and a world-class support staff, and anything less than a dominant victory would have been unacceptable.
However, international media also noted that while the first round might be easy, the second round of qualifiers would be far more challenging. Asia's true powerhouses would emerge in the second round, including Japan, South Korea, Iran, Australia, Qatar, and the Chinese national team. These would be classified as the first tier, followed by second, third, and fourth tiers, with the fifth tier comprising teams that advanced from the first round.
The next stage, the 40-team qualifiers, would be divided into eight groups (A through H), with five teams in each group. The top team in each group would automatically advance to the final 12-team qualification round. Additionally, the four best second-placed teams across all eight groups would also secure a spot in the final 12. The group draw would be conducted by selecting one team from each of the five tiers for each group.
Following an uneventful draw ceremony, the final group standings were revealed. Team Am was placed in Group G, alongside South Korea, Lebanon, Thailand, Turkmenistan, and Am.
After careful consideration of the draw results, the domestic fans expressed their satisfaction with what they deemed a very favorable group. Firstly, they avoided being drawn with the Chinese national team, thus preventing an internal conflict where one of the teams might be eliminated. While this meant their top-tier opponent in the group would be South Korea, making the possibility of winning the group unlikely, they could still aim for the second spot.
Looking at the other opponents in the group, Lebanon, Thailand, and Turkmenistan were considered easy opponents. Unlike other groups that featured teams like YLk and XYY, who had the potential to stage dramatic comebacks and become dark horses, Team Am's group seemed more straightforward. For instance, the Chinese national team was in Group A, with XYY from the second tier securing the top spot, forcing the Chinese team to rely on their second-place advantage to qualify for the final 12, which was considered a disgrace. Therefore, although Team Am was unlikely to finish first, a commanding victory against the other teams in the group would significantly increase their chances of qualifying as a second-placed team.
Consequently, domestic fans were optimistic and joyful. However, to their surprise, South Korean fans were not pleased.