China vs. Iceland

In the evening, Wu Bin came out of the bathroom, took a hot shower, and felt much better.

However, my body still felt a little restless.

Training can be addictive sometimes, like now, there's always an urge to keep training.

Of course, he also knew the importance of balancing work and rest, and that he still needed to rest.

Looking down at his own body, he could see the muscle lines that had gradually become firmer after Rijkaard's special training.

Although it has only undergone two virtual space training sessions, the changes are really too obvious!

His lower body became more and more stable, and he became more and more confident in his fights. He was no longer the frail boy who would fall over at the slightest bump.

During today's training, he even withstood Zhang Lei's full-force charge head-on and cleanly intercepted the ball. Seeing Zhang Lei's surprised and unwilling eyes, Wu Bin felt a great sense of triumph.

Well, this is what time travel should be like!

He came to his bedside.

Ye Xiaolu was no longer in the room.

Now 25 years old, he has resigned himself to his fate, so as soon as training ended, he quickly took a shower and went out to play.

That's fine, it'll be quieter this way.

Wu Bin sat down in a chair, scrolling through his phone.

The QQ group for big shots has fallen silent again.

Actually, you could tell that most of the time no one was talking in this group. It was only a couple of days ago that Beckenbauer and the others suddenly started talking about tactics, which caught Wu Bin's attention.

Of course, there is another possibility: that this "cheat" was only activated two days ago.

Isn't this a common trope in many time-travel novels?

Some cheat codes even remain hidden for many years before being discovered by the protagonist who travels through time...

It's okay, what I've learned now should be enough.

We can't bother the big shots too often anymore.

This is not reserved enough, and it doesn't quite fit his "tactical master" persona.

Thinking about it, Wu Bin opened the "LiveBar" APP again.

Even after being in this world for so long, he still has the habit of watching football-related news and videos after training, both to relax and out of an instinctive love for the sport.

"Hmm? There's a Chinese team match today?"

The live stream page on Zhibo8 prominently displayed the words "China Men's Football Team VS Iceland," and the match was about to begin.

Wu Bin also had some recollection of it.

This is a warm-up match known as the "China Cup".

At this time, the head coach of the Chinese team was the renowned Italian coach Marcello Lippi.

在中国队在亚洲区预选赛12强赛的前四场比赛中取得1平3负的糟糕战绩后接手，之后就带领中国队0：0战平了卡达，算是止住了颓势。

With the second round of the World Cup qualifiers starting in March, Lippi certainly hopes to lead the team to play more warm-up matches against strong teams and then find suitable players in the matches.

Therefore, the current national team is composed mainly of newcomers, with half of the starting lineup players wearing the national team jersey for the first time.

As for their opponent, Iceland, although they are not fielding their strongest lineup, they just created a dark horse miracle in the 2016 European Championship and are ranked 21st in the world. The team focuses on overall tactics and their fighting power should not be underestimated.

Even though he already knew the result of the match, Wu Bin still tapped his phone screen.

The screen lights up, showing both sides lining up.

The Chinese team wore red jerseys, while the Icelandic team wore their signature blue jerseys.

The moment the national anthem played, Wu Bin's heart tightened inexplicably, and a complex emotion welled up in his heart—it was the anticipation and trepidation ingrained in the bones of Chinese fans, the stubbornness of knowing the road ahead would be difficult, yet still unable to resist being full of hope.

At the start of the match, both sides appeared rather reserved.

After a brief period of testing the waters, the Chinese team was the first to find their rhythm.

Cao Yunding's corner kick created a threat, Cai Huikang's header was cleared off the goal line by the opponent, then Mao Jianqing cleverly set up Yin Hongbo, who made a run forward and became one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his low shot was blocked by Iceland's goalkeeper Halldorsson with his leg.

Wu Bin leaned forward slightly, his hands clenched tightly, and he muttered unconsciously, "Good opportunity! A little more decisiveness! A slight deviation and it would be in!"

At that moment, he felt as if he had returned to the days before he traveled back in time, sitting in front of the screen worrying about the national football team, his eyes filled with urgency and anticipation.

China's advantage did not last long.

As the game progressed, the Icelandic team gradually gained control of the game.

They lacked flashy techniques, but through their tacit teamwork and solid tactical execution, they gradually compressed the Chinese team's offensive space and took control of the game.

Meanwhile, the Chinese team's midfield gradually revealed its fatal weakness.

Cai Huikang, despite anchoring the midfield, struggled to connect the attack and defense. His passing was sluggish and his success rate declined. He was also ineffective at interceptions and his defensive positioning was loose. Facing Iceland's simple and fluid penetrating passes, he was almost powerless to defend, resembling a loose defensive line that could be breached at any moment.

Wu Bin's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his fingertips tapping unconsciously on the table. A wave of bitterness washed over him; he was all too familiar with this feeling of powerlessness.

He's watched so many of the Chinese team's matches, and most of them are like today's...

At halftime, the score remained 0-0.

Lippi made adjustments at halftime, bringing on Hu Rentian in an attempt to strengthen the attack, but the Chinese team's physical condition gradually declined, and the players' performance on the field became worse and worse. It was difficult to form effective cooperation on the offensive end, while the defensive end frequently showed loopholes.

In the 64th minute, Iceland seized a counter-attack opportunity. Sverrisson received a cross from the left wing, turned and shot, but the ball was blocked by Chi Wenyi. Finnbogason followed up at the far post and pushed the ball into the empty net, breaking the deadlock and taking a 1-0 lead.

Wu Bin shook his head.

The familiar recipe, the familiar taste!

The Chinese national football players on the screen gradually panicked, while Iceland's defense became increasingly tight.

In the final moments of the match, Iceland seized another opportunity, with substitute star player Sigurdsson cutting inside and scoring, bringing the score to 2-0, and China ultimately losing to their opponents.

This also extends the embarrassing record of six consecutive winless matches in international A-level competitions.

As the final whistle blew, the Chinese national football team players on the screen stood dejectedly on the field, some with their hands on their hips, others wiping away sweat. Lippi stood on the sidelines, his face solemn and his eyes full of helplessness.

Wu Bin turned off his phone, leaned back in his chair, stared at the ceiling, and felt a surge of emotions.

He recalled the countless nights before his time travel, when he would sit in front of the screen watching the national football team suffer defeat after defeat at crucial moments.

They failed to qualify for the second stage of the World Cup finals for three consecutive editions, in 06, 10, and 14.

They could advance to the second stage through the qualifiers on the 18th, 22nd, and 26th, but they were always eliminated with a low ranking.

Among them were humiliating defeats like the 0-7 loss to Japan...

Since the brief success in 02, six consecutive attempts to qualify for the World Cup have failed, and the deep-seated disappointment and helplessness have once again clearly surged into my heart.

He recalled the harsh taunts, the countless fans who shed tears in the dead of night, the labels of "fear of South Korea" and "fear of Japan," and how the national football team was repeatedly given high hopes only to disappoint again and again. His heart felt as if it were being tightly gripped by an invisible hand, a dull ache gripping his chest.

Looking back now, it really is Lippi's national team that had the best chance.

Many people say that if he had taken over earlier, instead of starting from such a terrible period with 1 draw and 3 losses, it would have been possible for them to qualify!

After all, although the Chinese team ultimately ranked second to last in the group, they were only three points away from second place and only one point away from third place.

More importantly, after Lippi arrived, he re-selected players and brought advanced tactical concepts, which also brought a glimmer of hope to the national team, which was mired in a slump.

He tried to make up for the shortcomings of the national football team, but you can't cook without rice. The gap in the players' strength and lack of experience could not be completely changed in a short period of time, so in the end, he failed.

Wu Bin looked down at his feet.

Previously, he could only cheer for the national football team from in front of the screen, but now, he is no longer an ordinary fan, but a football player, a defensive midfielder who is working hard to improve. He has the opportunity and the ability to change things.

A strong belief quietly grew and spread in his heart, gradually becoming firm.

He remembered his original intention when he traveled through time, and his love for football.

He could no longer remain a bystander; he had to train hard, give it his all, and improve himself little by little.

From being a key player for Fujian Tianxin, to playing in the China League One, the Chinese Super League, and then the national team...

He will take it one step at a time, and one day he will be able to wear the red jersey, stand on the international stage, and turn the fans' sadness into cheers and disappointment into hope!

Wu Bin stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the training field in the distance. The afterglow of the setting sun shone on him, as if it had gilded him with a layer of golden light.

He clenched his fists, his eyes becoming incredibly determined, his weariness long since replaced by the passion in his heart.

Work hard! Strive!