"At this moment, the referee Zalua from Italy blew the whistle to end the match!"
In the broadcast booth, the famous CCTV commentator Liu Jiayuan passionately delivered his post-match commentary: "In regular time, the French Team, thanks to Maël's 3 goals and Nasri and Giroud's 1 goal each, defeated the Germany Team five to three! This was a wonderful match! A match with rich tactical changes! A match that will be written into the classic events of Football history along with Maël's name!
"And the Germany Team's 15-game winning streak in major international tournaments created in this competition has also come to an end!"
"Such a result is cruel for Löw, but touching for the French Team.
"Both of these countries' Football have tasted the pinnacle of modern Football glory, and have also encountered setbacks and bumps on their respective paths forward! German Football is moving from the seriousness of the German forest philosophy towards exquisite and agile changes; the French Team wants to get out of the wrong and ineffective attempts of the past few years and strive to restore their innate French romantic feelings!
"Löw and Deschamps are brave reformers of their respective traditions, but encountering failure on the road to reform is like a butterfly flying across the sea, and no one can bear to blame them!!
"Of course, we should also send the most beautiful flowers and applause to those who have achieved success!"
"Another group of core players and absolute superstars from Europe's top Football powerhouses are about to leave this arena. We see them looking into the distance with reluctance before leaving, and their backs can't help but look a little lonely! Maybe they didn't see anything, they just didn't want to leave here! Maybe, they are looking in the direction of the French Team, in the direction of Maël!
"Many people, including the young player Müller, may want to pose a question to the world! They have been famous geniuses since they were young! They stood out in this cruel and competitive sport!
"They defeated millions or even tens of millions of teenagers with dreams! They walked across a single-plank bridge and stepped on countless bones under their feet to get to where they are today!
"But when such a group of top geniuses gather together to form an incredibly strong team, why do they have a sense of insignificance in front of another peerless genius?! Could it be that their efforts of countless years away from home, and the honor of being called a genius by countless people, only helped them cross the threshold of seeing a truly peerless talent?
"They will not be convinced, because in the Bundesliga arena, in the La Liga arena, and so on, there are countless teenagers who grew up under the praise of 'genius' and fell at their feet! But they must be convinced, because only by substituting the feelings of those mid-tier team players when facing them can they understand why they lost so miserably this time! Why did their entire team score 3 goals, while Maël scored 3 goals alone! What they encountered was not only the Best Player of this competition so far, the peerless third pride besides Messi and Ronaldo, but also the best, third pride in a super-explosive state, ushering in a period of explosion!
"I don't know if Maël can maintain this state, but just looking at this moment, I want to say that if heaven had not given birth to me, Maël, the Football world would be like a long night!!"
"."
"That's all for the broadcast of the European Cup semi-final! Audience friends, let's meet on July 3rd at the National Stadium in Warsaw for the European Cup final!
"At that time, the strong and powerful Gallic Rooster French Team, led by a super giant, will face the 08 European Cup champion, the 10 World Cup champion, and the Matador Legion Spain Team, which is also composed of a group of super geniuses!
"That will be a collision of ice and fire! A collision like Mars hitting the earth! It is a battle of the century!
"I am Liu Jiayuan, goodbye! The broadcast commentary for the next game will be brought to you by Director He Wei!"
"."
"Oooooooooooh. Ooh!"
Liv Stadium, brightly lit, one of the most familiar melodies in the entire Football world resounded throughout the stadium, making every French Team fan feel as if they were in the peak heat of the European Cup.
Of course they would have this feeling, because they really stood at the peak! Countless blue smoke bombs were lit in multiple locations in the stands, making the place smoky. If the security team wasn't watching all the time, they would have jumped off the field and rushed to the center of the field to celebrate.
The hot summer is finally coming to an end. They are very grateful at this moment that they were not abandoned halfway, but are about to go to the final summary moment, the gathering moment! Otherwise, this heat would only be left with hotness, and this summer could not be prefixed with 'grand'.
"Oooooooooooh. Ooh!"
Maël and the players of the French Team were also shouting and jumping with their arms around each other's shoulders. They had already gathered together to taste the purest and most sincere joy at this moment.
Before participating in the European Cup, most of them did not expect that on June 29th, they could be sure that they would enter the final of this European Cup! Looking back on the past, most of them were worried about changing coaches, changing new core players, changing captains, and worried about their performance in the first few international A-level friendly matches.
After that, they worried about the opening match of the European Cup, worried about the turmoil caused by losing the last round of the group stage, and successively worried about Italy and Germany, two traditional powerhouses.
But look now, the light boat has passed ten thousand mountains, and each of them can feel the final of the intercontinental competition. This is an experience that many people may never have in their lives!
"Let's have pressure in early July, that's a matter for then."
Maël saw many people happy for a while, then looking worried, and reminded them with a smile, "Now, let's just throw everything aside and celebrate!"
"That's right!"
"Come on! Let's dream first! We will be the champions!!"
"Oh ho! What French Team? German Team? Never heard of them, I only know that Aix has produced an amazing guy! He grew up naked in the gardens of Provence!"
"Hahaha!"
The French Team players shouted, creating a joyful atmosphere.
Maël celebrated with them for a while and was invited by the staff to the on-site press conference room to receive post-match interviews.
"Congratulations!" A hostess came over and handed him the commemorative ball from the match and a small trophy for the Best Player of the match.
"Thank you."
Maël nodded to her, and as he took the trophy from her hand, he suddenly felt his palm being gently scratched.
He wasn't sure at first, until he saw the award presenter, who could be described as voluptuous, deliberately leaning forward to reveal her full figure, and then winking flirtatiously at him with her right eye before leaving.
He smiled slightly; after becoming a superstar, he had seen a lot of this.
He knew that as long as he stood there and waited a little after the interview, someone would immediately and considerately send him the address.
Maël ignored it and admired the prizes in his hand. These two things were something many top players could not obtain in their entire lives, and he got them at the age of 18, which really made him feel a little giddy.
"Now is the time to be high-spirited, what do you want to say to those past doubts?" A reporter asked with a smile at this time.
"Doubts?"
Maël made a slightly frowning expression, then smiled heartily, "I haven't heard any doubts, maybe I rarely read reviews, or it's really too little? Haha... I must say my career has been quite smooth.
"Like I said before, I may encounter short-term retrograde situations many times, but each time, I will immediately adjust back to the correct course and continue to move forward.
"If you look at it as a whole, every step I take has meaning and gains, whether it's the first season, the second season, or the experience of coming out to participate in the European Cup in the middle.
"Even without such a large scope, every month or even every week, I will get something new."
A reporter nodded, with an admiring expression, "Is this an optimistic view? In fact, people who like you often see your negative comments on weekdays and feel angry because of it."
"Optimistic?" Maël touched the back of his head and shook his head with a smile, "I am optimistic, but this has nothing to do with optimism.
"Is it that I have actually seen some negative things, but I am very forgetful and have forgotten them? Haha, this may also be one of my skills, I will not recall too much of the bad things in the past, I will only recall the good things, and I will only continue to look forward.
"I think people should be like this, otherwise it is easy to be defeated and easy to be slowed down."
He nodded to the reporter, and then continued: "As for the people who like me, well, I can understand their feelings, because I once regarded others as Strength.
"I think they don't need to pay attention to these things at all, just smile and ignore them when they see them, because I can use my performance to prove that I have shattered all the doubts every time.
"I don't care about the things, they naturally don't need to care, let alone feel angry, it doesn't matter at all.
"When I take everything, all the negative voices will stop."
"Wow." The reporter raised his eyebrows and brought the microphone to Maël, curiously saying, "A very domineering reply, taking everything is what you have been mentioning, do you think you are on the right path?"
Maël did not hesitate at all, and truthfully said: "Of course, I must be on the right path, I can overcome all the challenges within my ability.
"I think I've completed the initial and even the mid-term goals of taking everything, and I'm striding towards the final destination.
"In the process, I've rarely left any irreparable regrets, or have I?"
"I agree." This reporter was clearly a fan of Maël, and he smiled brightly at this moment, "The public opinion seems to be changing, some people think you can achieve your goal."
Maël leaned back and smiled, replying as he prepared to leave, "I'm honored to be the first of these people, and one who will never quit, thank you."
"French Team defeats Germany five to three! Advances to the European Cup final! Maël breaks the European Cup's fastest goal, sets a record with a hat-trick, and ties Platini's record of 9 goals!" - Global Headline Explosion
"Maël's Twitter and Facebook fans break through 50 million at an extremely fast rate! Total fans across all platforms officially exceed 100 million! A single post is quoted at over £1.2 million!" - French L'Équipe
"A female supermodel with 24,700 Twitter followers voluntarily reveals that as an awards presenter, she wanted to seduce Maël for a pleasant night, but was rejected. The female supermodel's follower count has now exceeded 200,000." - British The Times
"The female supermodel further reveals that it wasn't just one night, she doesn't have a family or children, if Maël is willing to go out with her, she's willing to keep demanding until Maël can't stand up." - British The Sun
"Damn it!" - McCabe posted on social media late at night after getting off the plane from Poland. The French Team players dragged their tired bodies onto the bus heading to the base, many were so sleepy that they fell asleep as soon as they got on.
Maël looked at the missed calls on his phone, finding calls from Isabella, Mendes, and Bale and Safina, among others.
He didn't reply for the time being, until he returned to the base, lying on his back in the quiet room to rest for a while, before picking up his phone.
"It's already the 30th, tomorrow is the 1st, the day after tomorrow is the 2nd, followed by the final."
He first called Safina to discuss the upcoming physiotherapy arrangements, "Your workload may increase in the next few days, you and Harry have to prepare.
"2-3 recovery massages a day are guaranteed, and there will also be 1-2 low-intensity muscle recovery training sessions, the timing is completely random."
"Okay." A firm answer came from the other end of the phone, making people feel a sense of peace.
After hanging up this call, he considered it and tentatively called Isabella, thinking that if she didn't answer in a few seconds, he would hang up, so as not to disturb her rest.
Unexpectedly, she answered in seconds, and immediately asked him in a vibrant tone, "Just got back to the base? Don't you have a day off today? I'm still waiting for you, knowing that even if you don't come, you'll call me."
"Haha..." Maël gradually felt a bit of family affection for the other party, and replied gently, "No days off, just 3 days of preparation time, I have to stay at the base all the time, see you after the European Cup."
"What after the European Cup."
Isabella's voice was very confident, and a little bit proud, conversations between lovers are always a bit cheesy, "It's during the European Cup victory celebration, we'll meet at the National Stadium in Warsaw."
"I hope so." The smile on Maël's face grew stronger, he could already imagine what Isabella's expression would be like, with her little chin raised, a little flamboyant.
"Okay then." There was a little disappointment in her voice, but not towards Maël, "It's so late, you should rest quickly, you must be very tired, I won't disturb you.
"See you in a few days, I hope we can all use alcohol to add some fun that night... not depressing alcohol."
"Okay." Maël agreed, hung up the phone and lay on the bed for a while with a smile, imagining something.
Unconsciously, he fell asleep in this position, he must have been too tired.
When he woke up the next morning, it was already past 9:20 AM. Maël dazedly burrowed into the cold quilt to gather some yang energy, and only got out of bed after feeling that his body had recovered to its best condition.
He took out his phone, preparing to return Mendes' and Bale's calls when he suddenly felt an extremely hungry feeling, which made him quickly put on his shoes and run to the cafeteria on the second floor.
After eating unhurriedly, he prepared to return to his room to talk to the two of them.
When passing by the calendar at the entrance of the cafeteria, he saw that the final day was marked with a red label, he could feel a sense of urgency throughout the entire team.
"Buzz... Buzz!"
The phone rang at this moment, and he quickly walked out of the cafeteria, discovering it was Bale calling.
After answering, he held the phone to his ear, hoping to hear good news about the next season.
"Not bad, brother."
Bale started by praising him with a suppressed laugh, then paused for a long time and said deeply, "I've been thinking about what you said to me last time for a long time.
"To be honest, at first I thought joining Arsenal was impossible. From any perspective, joining Real Madrid seems better than joining this team. I hope you don't mind me saying that.
"But you need to know that your temptation is not only effective for European giants, but also for players, especially when you take the initiative to call and invite them.
"Haha..."
Bale laughed, seemingly thinking he had made a very humorous joke.
Maël helplessly curled his lips, wondering whether to tell him that his level of joking was indeed quite suitable for joining Arsenal and being his teammate.
"But the biggest obstacle is still the deadly rivalry between Tottenham and Arsenal. I think that's the point. Really, it's not crucial for me how much I get at Real Madrid or how much exposure I get."
Bale spoke his true thoughts on the phone, "You guys are very rich now, and remaining undefeated also gives you a lot of exposure.
"More importantly, with you and Van Persie, no one thinks this team lacks the competitiveness to win the Champions League.
"You leading the French Team to the European Cup final is the best example, and being able to score a hat-trick in the European Cup semi-final means you definitely have the strength to repeat that scene in the Champions League semi-final."
"The final works too," Maël added, his confidence always at its peak.
Bale was silent again, but obviously not because he was speechless. He must have been thinking about something. "Ah, you know, the fact that I can communicate with you about joining means that I actually have a way to overcome this problem.
"But once I make that choice, I will inevitably face a lot of pressure and pay a great price. It seems like none of this would happen if I joined Real Madrid."
Maël understood, he wanted to ask what he would gain if he joined Arsenal.
He had already explained this to Bale before, but maybe he felt it wasn't enough.
"First of all, your Wales teammates are basically playing in England. You also feel at ease here, so there's no need to rashly change environments."
He started, wanting to lure Bale from the side, but was quickly interrupted by the other party, "I know all this, and I also understand that I may not have smooth sailing if I go to Real Madrid, otherwise I would have made a decision decisively.
"Actually, I want to know, what is the upper limit of your ambition? Taking everything is just your personal... More importantly, what do you want to bring to this club? You have a certain amount of credibility, and people believe to some extent that you will give everything for what you say and have the hope of achieving it."
Maël was pushed back, and he understood that he had to lay his cards on the table with Bale, "I have a very clear answer, and that is a seven-crown king in a single season or year.
"You know, only English clubs have the hope of achieving this feat, and if a club like Arsenal completes it... I can't imagine what a grand occasion that would be.
"All I know is that it would be the goal I pursue in my lifetime."
"." Bale was silent again, this time for a different reason than the last. After a long time, he asked again, "Is that realistic? Will there really be such a team? I can't imagine it."
"Realistic."
Maël explained to Bale, "One step at a time, nothing is unrealistic. As long as we can see hope next year, then we will have the opportunity to complete it the year after, and the year after that."
Bale's reply this time was quick, but it had a strong impact on Maël, "If you win the European Cup, I'll believe you."
"Beep beep..." Hearing the phone hang up, Maël didn't come back to his senses for a long time. How did he unknowingly become one of the main influences on whether Bale could join?
He felt a sense of responsibility surge into his heart again, not knowing if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
So, if Bale can join, can Arsenal give him the captaincy? Walking in the front row every week, undoubtedly the first to lift the trophy after winning, it's glorious just thinking about it! He didn't fantasize for too long before he spoke with Mendes again, who arranged to meet him before the European Cup final, and he agreed.
This time, after hanging up the phone, a sense of emptiness appeared in his heart, as if everything had disappeared, no one and nothing else would occupy his mind, everything was just the final in front of him.
He walked forward aimlessly, trying several times to find some positivity about the game, but found that this emptiness seemed to block his feelings, and even made his emotions gradually decline.
Maël couldn't explain this sudden change with psychology and philosophy. Could it be the major competition syndrome that the media often talks about? He didn't think he had this disease, otherwise he wouldn't have performed so well in the semi-final.
Just think of it as a normal feeling. He continued to walk forward, but he was still thinking wildly and couldn't really calm down.
The next two days passed in a daze. Maël trained with the team every day, analyzed the opponent's tactics, and also did extra training and physiotherapy massages, living a regular and numb life.
He often flipped through the past game schedules, not knowing what he wanted to see from them, just flipping mechanically, as if just to pass the time and relieve the pressure on his brain.
On the morning of July 3, Maël could feel that everything was different. People began to become serious, and every action seemed to have meaning, with high-fives and hugs before and after.
"Clap clap!"
First, when he entered the cafeteria for the last meal before the game, he high-fived and hugged everyone, until his hands were a little numb.
Later, when leaving the restaurant, these procedures came again. Then, before getting on the bus to the final venue, it happened again, when getting off the bus with the surrounding people, and again when entering the locker room, and again when warming up.
"Clap clap!"
He was completely overwhelmed by the clapping. He felt that everyone from all directions was entrusting their expectations to him in this way, increasing his pressure step by step.
Maël even sometimes forgot that the European Cup was about to kick off later, and hundreds of millions of viewers around the world would focus their attention on them.
But if you ask him what he was thinking, he couldn't say.
Sitting in the locker room making final preparations and hydrating, he vaguely heard someone calling him. He raised his dull eyes and glanced at the door. He saw Mendes in a suit smiling and waving to him.
In fact, after looking at this, he realized that he hadn't looked at Mendes' eyes just now, just glanced at his outline, and after knowing what he was doing, he was too lazy to move his eyes up.
Something's wrong! Something's definitely wrong! "Hoo!" Maël got up and walked towards Mendes, while using the old method to adjust his emotions, but found that it didn't work.
This made him a little anxious, and even caused a situation he had never experienced before, where his eyes were a little sore from anxiety. He tried to look calmer so as not to affect the others on the team.
"Maël? Maël?"
Mendes called out several times, and he turned his head, but his eyes were looking at the position of the other person's shoulder.
He noticed that Mendes' body shrank back slightly, as if he knew what was wrong with him, but didn't choose to talk to him about it for the time being.
"Come with me."
Mendes led him forward, through several dark corridors, towards a corner.
"AahahAahah!"
At this time, he could already vaguely hear the cheers from outside the stadium. He had to admit that this was a bit stimulating to him, making him a little more awake.
"Maël."
Stopping at the corner, Mendes turned his head and smiled slightly, with great impact, "Do you feel like these days have been numb, as if you have lost all feeling, and you have just been confused.
"Do you know why? Because you desire it too much. Too much desire will create the illusion that you are always far away from it, even if it is close at hand.
"I originally wanted to talk to you about something else to relieve your pressure, but now I find that what you need more now is to feel that you are very close to it, the sooner you feel it, the better."
Mendes turned from the corner first, a smile on his face, and pointed to the end of the road, "Look, it's right there."
Maël then turned around, stood beside him, and saw a trophy shining with brilliant golden light displayed on the glass cabinet at the end.
That was the Henri Delaunay Trophy, 42 centimeters in height, 50 centimeters including the base, made of pure silver, and weighing about 8 kilograms. It was the meaning it represented that made it the object of pursuit for generations of European football superstars!
Now, it was indeed right there!
Maël's heart suddenly settled down a bit, and the raging fire of desire rekindled in his eyes, his gaze towards the trophy as if he wanted to penetrate it and burn it into a pile of silver paste.
The European Cup final, this was the most important match he had participated in so far in his career, and he must be clear about his goals and know what he should do.
The Fabregas, with whom he had quite a history, and the Matador Legion aiming to defend their title were waiting for him ahead. If he wanted to achieve the Football God goal, he had better defeat them squarely today, during their peak!
"Beep beep!" The assembly whistle for the appearance sounded, and the starting players from both sides were to gather at the National Stadium in Warsaw.
ps: Though late, it has arrived. I have kept my promise. I wrote until 6.15. Next, I will try my best to increase the number of words per chapter for the daily two updates.
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