Grassroots Glory

...Zhou has grown at an unbelievable speed. Last season, Schalke's miraculous performance was almost created by him, especially the elimination of Liverpool and the first round of the semi-final against Manchester United, which made the superstars all excited. Overshadowed. For the current Schalke fans, Zhou is the king in their hearts. In the past year, his brilliance was enough to overshadow all the favorites in European football. And he is from China... Maybe from this From now on, it is time to re-examine the football in this country, that mysterious oriental civilized country has never lacked jaw-dropping miracles like this.

Zhou Tiancheng defeated Pato and Bo Yang and stood out from the world's 70 top rookies in the primary election. From the perspective of the process, it is logical, but for the European media, the more they are like this, the more they are surprised. Before Zhou Tiancheng appeared, the talents of Pato and Bo Yang had already gained fame, but it was Zhou Tiancheng who won this honor in the end.

The birth of the first Asian Golden Boy.

The picture of Zhou Tiancheng's penalty kick against Liverpool at the last moment of the Champions League last season was used as the main picture, accompanied by such a text. In the early morning of the next day, the newsstands in Gelsenkirchen, large and small, had a booming business. The owners of many newsstands specially printed newspapers with this news on the outside of the newsstands to attract fans.

For the people of Gelsenkirchen, although the coal mine resources have begun to decline and the status of the city has declined, only the love for football and Schalke 04 has been passed down.

Sixty-six-year-old Danny Tenson stopped at the door of a newsstand he passed by every day. His six-year-old grandson, Cooper Tenson, held his grandfather's hand and kept bouncing the ball with his feet. The old man is no stranger to this habit of his grandson. Only when there is a football under his feet, the little guy can calm down.

Danny, morning.

Morning, Al, give me a copy of today's. I'll see what's the big news today.

Boss Orr said while holding the newspaper: The biggest news today must be Zhou, the last one. You are lucky.

Uncle Tensen opened the newspaper and said in surprise, Isn't this Zhou? He won an award?

Yeah, the Golden Boy Award. To be precise, this is already yesterday's news, and the newspaper is slower.

Uncle Tensen's ears are not good because he is old, and he misheard the Golden Boy Award. He widened his eyes and exclaimed: What? The Golden Globe? Zhou won the Golden Globe? Compared with those superstars?

No, Danny, it's the Golden Boy Award, the award for the best young player under the age of 21, which is still worse than the Golden Globe Award.

Oh, that's it... The old man's expression returned to normal, and he continued, But I won't be too surprised if he wins the golden ball one day.

Grandpa, grandpa, he looks so handsome! The little grandson Cooper looked at the beautified appearance of Zhou Tiancheng shooting and swinging his legs in the newspaper, and screamed, his eyes gleaming.

My little Cooper, do you also want to be a star in the future? Uncle Tensen asked kindly.

Cooper shook his head slightly: What is a star, Grandpa?

That's what made you look so handsome. Uncle Tensen pointed to Zhou Tiancheng's picture and said.

Okay, okay, as long as you have this every day. The little guy said, pointing to the football under his feet.

Then if you can have him every day in the future, won't you feel very happy?

The little guy nodded heavily this time.

Boss Orr on the side said: Danny, your grandson is a football player, maybe you will be the golden boy's grandpa in the future, haha!

Uncle Tensen looked at his little grandson. Of course he knew the talent of his little grandson. Even the coach of the school football team and the retired players who had played in the second division had mobilized him.

Let the children receive more professional training, but Uncle Tensen has concerns. He does not want his grandson to suffer from injuries in the future. He knows that it is inevitable to be a professional player. So he has been undecided. But look at the energy of the little guy. There was a slight shake in my inner thoughts. Maybe we can really let this little guy try.

...

When the outside world was buzzing about Zhou Tiancheng, the winner of the new Golden Boy Award, and another potential future star was influenced by him and was about to chase his football dream. , After sleeping late, he received a call from his agent Lorca.

Peter, if I'm not mistaken, you are definitely not just here to congratulate me on winning the award.

Haha, your guess is really accurate, Zhou. Of course, I still want to congratulate you. Do you know what it means to win the Golden Boy? You will be a strong contender for the Golden Globe Award in the future!

Okay, before you get it, it's useless to say anything, just say something?

Okay, I've been in China for the past two days. There is a brand on your side that invites you to endorse their new product. Of course, they say it's a big portal website. Sina, um, yes, sina. Is it a well-known brand? companies don’t know much about it.”

Zhou Tiancheng was taken aback for a moment: Indeed, what did they ask me to represent?

They said that they have developed a social software called 'Weibo', which has similar functions to Twitter. It has just been developed and is about to be launched to the market after the internal beta. They want to ask you to speak for them. I think their conditions are quite good. .”

Okay, as long as you think it's okay, talk to them first, and then talk to me when you need me. I'll leave it to you. I'm at ease.

Zhou Tiancheng was speaking the truth. The Adidas brand endorsement that Luoka helped him negotiate really made him trust the agent's ability.

...

The next day the team resumed normal training. When Zhou Tiancheng came to the training base again, his teammates looked at him very differently.

What's your expression? Is there something on my face?

Hewedes shook his head: No, everyone just thinks, how can you be so good.

This remark reveals obvious envy. Hewedes still remembers Zhou Tiancheng’s appearance when he first joined the U19s and was unfamiliar with everything about professional teams. At that time, he felt that this Chinese was different from what he had heard, but Who would have thought of the result now?

Brother Cheng, let me touch it, let me touch it, soak up the fairy spirit of the golden boy, and cultivate into a god as soon as possible. Jiang Hao rushed forward with excitement.

Magath said to everyone before training: Zhou won the golden boy, I can understand that you are happy. If the season is over now, I can give you a holiday right away and celebrate as you like, but now focus on I take it back and prepare well for the match against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Although we are ten places higher than them in the ranking, the teams fighting for relegation are often more desperate. The half-time championship, the 70% chance of winning the league championship, boys.

Bundesliga teams pay more attention to the half-time championship before the winter break, just because of the law that the half-time champion has a 70% probability of winning the league championship, while the last three opponents of Schalke 04 in the first half were It is Monchengladbach, Werder Bremen and Hertha Berlin.

A former Bundesliga champion, Werder Bremen is currently ranked third with a difference of only four points, and is also the opponent for the championship. Magath originally focused on preparing for this game against Werder Bremen, although he apparently put Borussia Mönchenglad What Bach said is very important. In fact, he still has this confidence in his heart. As long as the team performs normally, there will be no surprises.

But the scoreboard after the end of the game was very dazzling, 0:1, the home team Schalke 04 was in front, and the visiting team was behind.

It was their current star Marco Reus who scored the winning goal for Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning from a penalty in stoppage time in the first half, but Zhou Tiancheng was sent off after two yellows and one red in this defense. is the real turning point.

Duan Xuan hit the nail on the head when commenting after the game: Zhou Tiancheng's red card seriously hit the morale of Schalke 04. This team is completely unable to adapt to high-intensity games without Zhou Tiancheng. Rakitic in The opponent's targeted siege is difficult to support alone. Schalke once again highlighted the old problem of last season, relying too much on Zhou Tiancheng. Rakitic is strong enough and has the ambition to be the core, but with Zhou Tiancheng, he is used to it. The role of the green leaf has always been difficult to become the second core of the team, especially under the high pressure of the opponent, and the overall offense cannot be organized in an orderly manner. Then they will be in big trouble. If they lose to Werder Bremen in the next round of the league, they may Lost the top position again, and then lost the half-time championship...

Speaking of this, Duan Xuan didn't go on, but anyone who understands understands what he means. So far this season, in every season in which Bayern won the half-time championship, the final Bundesliga champion has never been left behind. In this case, Schalke will be suspended this year.

This scene caused Magath the most headache, Zhou Tiancheng will miss the next strong dialogue with Werder Bremen.

After the game, in the mixed interview area, Zhou Tiancheng was still the focus of attention.

Zhou Tiancheng, you are sure you have won the Golden Boy Award, can you say a few words now? The Chinese reporters automatically ignored Zhou Tiancheng's red card, and their focus was still on the Golden Globe Award.

Zhou Tiancheng really didn't want to answer this question, especially when he was sent off and the team lost again, he felt that what he was holding in his hands was a disaster, but the media had already blocked his way to continue. In other words, he had to show his attitude.

Zhou Tiancheng got angry facing the camera for the first time: What do you want me to say? Say that I deserve this award, and I will aspire to win the Golden Ball next step? Oh, to be honest, I don't think it is What an honor, maybe in your eyes it represents the sign of a future superstar, but look at last year's golden boy Anderson, how did he do in Manchester United? I never thought I was close to the level of Messi and Ronaldo, and I I won the Golden Boy Award, and then you saw this game. So, I will not say what you want to hear. The judges can award me this award, which proves that my performance in the past year is convincing, but This is just a small step, and there is still a long way to go.”

After Zhou Tiancheng finished speaking, he forced the reporters away and left a group of reporters looking at each other in blank dismay, digesting what he just said.

What does he mean? It feels like he doesn't like the Golden Boy Award?

No, I think the team still lost. In fact, it's quite understandable. I won the Golden Boy in the first two days, and then I got a red card in the game. If it was you, don't you feel a little slapped?

Actually, what Zhou Tiancheng said is quite reasonable, and this kind of mentality is desirable, at least more reliable than those who get carried away after winning an award. At least he knows the direction of improvement, and he can become a great tool in the future. A 40-year-old The many-year-old senior reporter adjusted his glasses and said.

In the locker room after the game, Zhou Tiancheng stood up and first apologized to all his teammates: Today's game is my fault. I should have calmed down when Royce broke through me. I have already received a yellow card, and I am responsible for this loss, but I promise that there will never be a next time. The next game against Werder Bremen is very important, and I can only count on everyone.

Westerman immediately took the initiative to take the blame: Zhou, how can this be all your fault, I am also responsible. It should have been mine in the penalty area, and you just came to help me defend.

What are your responsibilities? I am directly responsible for failing to keep the goal. Zhou, no matter how you count it, it cannot be blamed on you. Neuer continued.

Rakitic also said from the side: Zhou was sent off for such a long time, and I didn't get the game back. It's my ability.

Zhou Tiancheng was also very uncomfortable because of his own mistakes, but now he is amused by the performance of these people, and at the same time he is very moved, what a bunch of good brothers!

Okay, you don't need to take responsibility on your own heads. We have to reflect on the loss, but don't make it a criticism meeting for everyone. I know it well. The performance in this game is not my normal level, but everyone Don't worry, we will play Chelsea at home in the Champions League in three days. I assure everyone that I will return to normal. If I lose this game, I won't think about it anymore. There are still two rounds to the end of the half, and there are still nineteen to the end of the season. In the first round, losing one game is not the end of the world, I don’t know how the Bayern situation is, but in the worst case, we can still maintain a tie with them. So there is still a long way to go.”

When Zhou Tiancheng said this, he suddenly thought of himself. Just like what he said in front of the camera just now, the Golden Boy Award is not worth complacent, at least his highest goal now is to touch the top honors in world football.

At best, he has evolved from a tadpole to a frog now, but he is very clear about his goal, otherwise he will easily sink to the bottom of the well.

At least compared with Messi and Ronaldo, a giant crocodile in world football, his current influence is more limited to the Bundesliga. The Bundesliga is relatively weak among the five major leagues.

There is still a long way to go to reach that level of attention.

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