Chapter 1 The Roar of Flamenco

The loudspeakers at the Estadio Nuevo Colombino suddenly burst into the rhythm of flamenco.

Fans on the Iberian Peninsula raised their glasses of sherry.

"Lee!!!"

"Lee!!!"

"Lee!!!"

Seville, at this moment, seemed like the warmest city.

....

After coming on the field, Li Kang gestured a few signs to his teammates.

Everyone understood.

Very standard international hand gestures.

Anyone could understand.

Dunga's heart was unmoved.

He even felt like laughing.

A strikerless formation fallen from grace? Even with the addition of a European midfield prodigy, it wouldn't make any difference.

The tiki-taka of the Iberian Peninsula was dead.

It died in the 2013 Confederations Cup final.

....

The game resumed.

Alisson kicked the ball out from the goal.

After receiving instructions from the coaching staff, David Luiz didn't boot the ball long.

Instead, he advanced a few meters.

And passed the ball to Marcelo on the wing.

The Samba Army suddenly sounded the charge.

The entire formation pressed forward quickly.

Cazorla and Iniesta immediately counter-pressed.

Marcelo accelerated sharply, easily shaking off the two along the left wing.

"Even if the positioning of the Spanish midfield masters is excellent, it can't stop the explosive speed of the Real Madrid full-back!"

"With absolute speed, all positioning and predictions are just clouds!"

....

How explosive was Marcelo at this time?

If he didn't have to defend, he would be a super full-back with all stats maxed out!

'Three Marcelos couldn't defend against one Marcelo.'

Dunga confidently smiled and said, "His defense has improved a lot in the last two seasons. Plus, with Kroos' cover and support at Real Madrid, Marcelo can switch between winger and attacking midfielder at any time during the attack. Modrić and Casemiro can protect the defense, so he can just go forward without worry!"

The assistant coach said puzzledly, "We don't have Kroos and Modrić in our Brazil team..."

....

Marcelo went on a lone ride, reaching the vicinity of the center circle.

Neymar moved towards the center.

Coutinho quickly moved to the wing.

The two's crisscrossing runs were extremely agile and fast.

Busquets anticipated everything, but needed support from his teammates.

Carvajal arrived in time.

Marcelo looked up and, instead of putting on a dazzling dribbling display, instinctively passed the ball to Coutinho.

Then continued his overlapping run.

....

At the side of the field.

Mijares said nervously, "Boss, Dunga... Brazil is going to use Mourinho and Ancelotti's tactics against us!"

Del Bosque smiled and said, "Don't worry, we have Lee now."

On the other side.

Dunga stood on the sidelines, loudly encouraging his teammates.

Attack!

Use attack to shatter the Matador's revival fantasies.

....

Coutinho's early career was like a novel's protagonist template.

Playing in the Brazilian Serie A at 15, full-level long shots, famous throughout South America.

Joining Inter Milan at 17, his curved shots amazed the Meazza.

He and Balotelli were hailed as Inter's future.

Now, at 24, Coutinho is Liverpool's hottest star, the absolute leader, the core of the attack.

How explosive is his strength and form?

His unparalleled long shots are stunning the world.

Only Liverpool fans don't admit how strong he is.

Unfortunately, he has a "childhood dream of playing for Barça," and for the rest of his life, he will ultimately chase his dream in vain, tasting the bitterness of the world.

....

Estadio Nuevo Colombino.

Coutinho stopped the ball.

Facing Koke's fierce challenge.

He didn't choose to dribble past him.

He elegantly flicked it with his heel.

The ball rolled towards Casemiro behind him.

"A soul-stirring backheel pass."

"Casemiro's forward run is well-timed, giving him better passing space."

Casemiro had already calculated the next passing route.

He stepped towards the ball with small steps.

Leaning forward and swinging his leg.

Bang!

A black-haired figure swept past.

The Real Madrid tiger waist kicked into empty air, his body staggered, his expression stunned.

How could someone be so elegant when sliding?

Too perverted!

"Beautiful!"

"Lee Kang, a clean and fierce tackle!"

"A chance for a Spanish counterattack!"

"Alas, the counterattack is too slow!"

....

The Seville fans cheered for only a few seconds before letting out a sigh of regret.

After intercepting the ball, Lee Kang sent a long pass!

The ball spun violently, drawing an elegant arc in the air, accurately finding David Silva on the right wing.

What was David Silva's early nickname?

"Slower Messi"!

Iniesta rushed forward frantically, trying to support the Manchester City midfielder in the center.

Soon.

He was overtaken by Casemiro, who had turned around after falling.

...

On the other side,

David Silva chested the ball down.

And started sprinting!

In an instant, he lost the best opportunity to break through.

Alves, Willian, and Thiago Silva surrounded him tightly from different directions.

"Alas! If he were a little faster! He wouldn't be in this predicament!"

"No physicality, no speed, this ball is going to be lost!"

"Beautiful!"

"The genius magician of the Sky Blues!"

Slower Messi is not a derogatory term.

His ability to control and get rid of opponents in small, confined spaces.

David Silva has reached the pinnacle.

He is the re-definer of the attacking winger.

...

Time seemed to stand still.

David Silva flicked the ball with his left foot, then pulled it back.

The movement was slow.

The rhythm was exquisite.

He happened to use his body twice in a row to separate the opponent from the ball.

Alves and Willian couldn't get a foot in to steal the ball and could only cling to him tightly.

The moment the distance narrowed.

A breakthrough route in a small, confined space appeared!

David Silva pushed the ball diagonally with the outside of his left foot.

He stepped aside, barely avoiding Thiago's tackle.

Turning around and taking a few steps, he dribbled the ball forward.

By the time Alves and Willian came to their senses.

There was no chance to touch the Blue Moon genius's clothes!

He wasn't afraid of flashy and head-on wingers.

He was only afraid of this kind of attacking winger with special abilities!

...

The whole stadium erupted.

Dunga punched the air.

The Spanish substitutes cheered.

Del Bosque pressed his hands down, signaling everyone to sit down.

"Incredible! He resolved the encirclement of three people."

"The change of rhythm, the use of space!"

"This is David Silva!"

"This is how he played when he was at Valencia! It's how he played in the 2008 European Championship!"

"It's a pity that there is no Villa, no Dzeko, no Agüero in the Spanish front line today!"

....

David Silva dribbled the ball to the vicinity of the left baseline.

Alves and Thiago quickly caught up!

With a snap!

The ball left the outside of the Blue Moon magician's left foot.

Like a scimitar, cutting the Brazilian defense to pieces.

As if it had gone through thousands of combinations.

At the end of the line.

The figure of Spain's number 6 appeared.

Li Kang.

He walked to the arc of the penalty area.

A natural passing and running... give-and-go combination.

Everyone opened their mouths in surprise.

No one would doubt that as long as Li Kang completed the shooting action, the pinpoint pass would be deflected into the net.

Not so easy.

There's still David Luiz!

His defensive anticipation and positioning are top-notch.

As long as he doesn't rush in, he is the perfect center-back.

"Unbelievable teamwork!"

"He's going to shoot..."

"Cazorla!"

David Luiz rushed towards Li Kang frantically!

Alisson quickly adjusted his position!

Snap!

The ball in their field of vision suddenly disappeared.

Li Kang calmly and elegantly touched the ball with one foot.

The Matador's blade pierced the left side of Brazil's six-yard box.

Cazorla miraculously appeared at the finish point.

With balanced feet.

He gently pushed.

The ball rolled into the Brazilian net.

Alisson was dumbfounded.

Even if Van der Sar possessed him, he wouldn't have been able to defuse the danger in a flash.

1:0!!!

The Estadio Nuevo Colombino erupted in celebration.

The Matador dynasty raised the curtain on its revival!

"Beautiful!"

"Too much teamwork!"

"The most familiar way to score: pass it into the goal!"

"The Spanish team's counterattack style is very different!"

"No speed, no impact, but with the ultimate use of space, the mastery of rhythm changes!"

"They pulled the Brazilian defense to the same speed as themselves! And then used their rich experience to open the door!"

"Li Kang, he intercepted the Brazilian attack, he sent a fatal pass!"

"In this friendly match, the Spanish team has made up for the dream lineup that is difficult to piece together in the club!"

...

Livestream.

Barrages of comments flew.

-[This is a friendly match? The teamwork is awesome.]

-[You guys watch carefully, Li Mingdeng has a group of superstar teammates, how awesome he's become, how easily he's playing!]

-[Football is indeed a team sport, Little Lee shouldn't go back to Leverkusen, what's the point of being a dad and mom? Prepare for the European Championship six months in advance!]

-[Li Mingdeng should retire from the national team after winning the European Championship and the World Cup. After this group of teammates gets old, the new generation of Spain will still be full of pits.]

-[I seem to have seen the 2008 European Championship... Aragones' invincible Spain, not a meaningless slow-paced passing game to find opportunities, but a rhythm-controlled passing game that pursues penetration and advancement. The role of the striker is to freeze the opponent, and every midfielder has the right to fire... that was the most beautiful era of Iberian football.]

-[It's a pity that Li Kang didn't meet Aragones.]

-[It's a good thing he didn't meet him. Zhizhe's personality is too strict, biased, and arbitrary. Li Kang may be firmly pressed on the defense line.]

-[I think Del Bosque is better. The way he looks at Li Kang is like he's looking at his grandson.]

....

At the side of the field.

The Spanish staff were extremely excited.

Mijares jumped up excitedly.

Not just because of the goal.

But because they saw the hope of revival.

The opponent is the five-star Brazil team with three nails on the rotten ship.

The combination of Thiago Silva and David Luiz is like a layer of water-soaked paper in front of us.

Del Bosque smiled and stroked his mustache: "It turns out we went into a misunderstanding. Lee and Xavi are completely different meanings of La Masia number 4. He is not the successor of any legend, he will write his own legend!"

On the other side.

Dunga's expression was complicated.

After the stagnation ended, he angrily called Casemiro over.

At this time, Fat Tiger had just returned to Real Madrid, and his reputation was not great. He didn't have any superstar status.

It's useless even if he has superstar status.

Even if they were superstars like Ronaldinho and Kaka, Dunga wouldn't have given them a good look back then.

"Damn it, I told you to keep an eye on Li Kang, why are you as slow as a snail?"

"We shouldn't have lost the ball! You should have helped defend and restricted David Silva!"

Casemiro scratched the back of his head, pointed to Iniesta in the distance, and said embarrassedly: "Iniesta's running position is more threatening... At that time, Lee's passing and shooting angle was blocked by his teammates, so he couldn't create a threat."

He couldn't express the bitterness in his heart.

Who are my partners in the club?

Modrić and Kroos.

You want me to stop Li Kang and David Silva alone?

....

Estadio Nuevo Colombino, thunderous applause.

Li Kang was surrounded by his teammates.

As soon as he came on the field, he changed the situation.

"Lee, Arsenal is more suitable for you."

"Lee, if you come to Manchester City, you will play even easier than now."

"We, Atletico Madrid..."

Iniesta silently withdrew from the celebrating crowd.

...

The celebration didn't last long.

The Spanish players ran back to the center circle.

Li Kang found that playing in the national team was very easy, and he didn't need to use his brain much.

On the offensive end: Iniesta, Cazorla, and David Silva, the movements and stretches of the three master-level midfielders, would directly give the optimal solution for the finishing point.

On the defensive end: Busquets's prediction and positioning, and Koke's fierce interception, would allow the supporting teammates to easily win back the ball.

....

The game restarted in the center circle.

Mijares gesticulated frantically on the sidelines.

Dunga's expression became more and more serious.

What terrible changes would Spain's next tactical adjustment bring?

Hulk kicked the ball across to Neymar.

Beep! Beep beep~

The referee blew the whistle to end the first half at this time.

"The two sides played very... smoothly in the first half!"

"The referee team didn't give any stoppage time. This is a tacitly understood unwritten rule in international friendly matches."

...

Neymar put his hands on his hips and slowly walked off the field.

Spain's midfield control is too strong, and Dunga's tactics are too rigid and conservative.

He simply has no chance to receive the ball in the frontcourt.

Just like Barça without Xavi.

He doesn't have Messi by his side in the national team.

Thiago Silva worked hard to interact and communicate with his teammates on the defense line.

He is still the "world's number one defender" at this time.

He has an alibi when Germany beat Brazil 7-1.

....

Mijares diligently put a coat on Li Kang, handed him water and a dry towel.

"Lee, quickly seize the time to rest."

Pique curled his lips: "Lee didn't even sweat!"

Everyone was stunned, and then they came to their senses.

Li Kang only played a few minutes after coming on as a substitute, and he helped the team open the game.

Morata followed closely behind Del Bosque, constantly explaining: "Boss, Lee and I really have a lot of teamwork... The coaching staff should seize the opportunity and let me and him be on the field at the same time..."

...

Brazil's locker room.

Dunga transformed into a tyrant, roaring angrily:

"Whether it's a friendly match or an important cup, I hope you can all go all out!"

"The Centennial Copa America is coming soon! We want to bring the trophy back to Brazil!"

"Spanish tiki-taka is dead!"

"They're just mystifying!"

"In the second half, I don't want to see the defense line out of position again!"

"Our lineup strength will not lose to that group of old players in Spain!"

The Brazilian players remained silent.

Lineup strength and age, of course, have an advantage.

It's a pity why let a group of superstars play a "civilian" style.

....

Argentina, Ezeiza Training Center.

Mascherano, wearing a vest, sat in front of the TV, melancholy:

"Spain is very likely to step on the top of Europe again."

"If we had a midfield genius like Li Kang in the 2014 World Cup, the result would be very different."

"Leo, I'm already 32 years old, and I may not be able to accompany you to the 2018...2022 World Cup..."

Messi patted his old partner on the shoulder.

He didn't speak.

....

Portugal Training Center.

Nani walked into the locker room and asked suspiciously: "Are you hiding here watching the game alone?"

Ronaldo quickly pressed the remote control and turned off the TV.

His face was stern: "I was just changing channels."