[Football] Crown of Thorns

On July 2018, 7, all the quarter-finals of the World Cup ended.

The countries that broke into the semi-finals are South American duo Brazil and Argentina and European duo Germany and Portugal.

Historically, except for Portugal, the other three countries are veteran football powers, but judging from the results of international competitions in recent years, it is not surprising that the Portuguese team broke into the semi-finals.

After qualifying in the group, Portugal defeated one-star France and four-star Italy successively. From the record point of view, it is no less than the other three strong teams.

"...Compared with the European Cup two years ago, the Portuguese team's journey is well deserved..." Furtado raised his head after reading this, "It means that two years ago we Defending the European Cup is not worthy of the name, but this time we beat a strong opponent and entered the semi-finals, can we barely become a strong team?"

This is the second day after the game. In the afternoon of July 7th, most of the players who were exhausted yesterday enjoyed a lazy morning. It was not until noon that many people slowly got up and walked at a slow pace. Go to the hotel restaurant and enjoy delicious food.

I want to eat barbecue!Someone is shouting.

Coentraan, who choked half to death on a mouthful of minced chicken and vegetable salad without salad dressing, had tears in his eyes.

"I don't even have to eat."

Jia Ma chopped down viciously, chopping up the steak in front of him.

"Watch your table manners."

Veloso sighed and looked at the steak in front of him—it was well done, but he didn't have much appetite.

Although he was injured and left the game yesterday, it may be troublesome to check his injury after the game, so he is not in a good mood.

The same is true for Gama. He ran the entire field. However, during the examination last night, the team doctor said that his leg muscles were overly fatigued. He suggested that he take a good rest for a few days, otherwise it may affect the next game.

Even though they won Italy, many players on the Portuguese team have entered a period of physical exhaustion. Physical wear and mental fatigue have formed layers of pressure, making them a little exhausted.

Since they broke into the semi-finals of the World Cup again after a lapse of 12 years, the whole country fell into a carnival of excitement.

Since the World Cup, Portugal has not been called a strong team in international competitions. Their best performance in the World Cup finals for decades was the third strongest in the 1966th World Cup (England) in 2006.After that, until the No.18 World Cup (Germany) in 40, Portugal did not reach the top four of the World Cup again after a lapse of 1 years, but in the last three or four finals, the Portuguese team lost 3 to [-] to the host. The German team finished fourth.

Then, now...

"Speaking of which," Furtado, who was reading a newspaper, showed his head, "this time Spain was eliminated by Brazil in the quarter-finals."

"Listen to your tone, why do you want to play against Spain?"

Pepe turned her head and asked.

"Yes I do!"

Furtado smiled.

Pepe made a cut, and turned back to continue cutting his steak. It can be seen that he has a good appetite.

"Last year they were a group and went home."

Veloso muttered.

"So are we……"

Coentrao finished half of his sentence, but was swallowed by his teammates' fierce eyes.

"Fabio will never look at people's faces and talk."

Furtado put down the newspaper in his hand.

"You actually read the local newspaper, do you understand Russian?"

As soon as he said that he didn't look at people's faces when he spoke, Coentraan couldn't help but speak again.

So he got the scornful eyes of his teammates again.

"I don't understand what I just said?"

Furtado asked seriously with a puzzled expression.

"Uh……"

The golden retriever blinked his eyes, and kept looking around for help.

"An is reading the newspaper delivered by the hotel," Veloso said helplessly, "it's just the English version."

"Haha, let me tell you why Ann can understand Russian, and sure enough..."

'Crack', the world is finally quiet.

The golden retriever classmate holding his head, "Ann!!!"

But this time even Veloso didn't want to help him out, "It deserves it!"

With a pop, Gama couldn't help laughing, "Fabio, I suggest you keep your mouth shut for three days."

The golden retriever student who didn't get support from his peers was very indignant, "It's obviously Xiko who should shut up."

Gama was silent.

Gama decided to reflect on himself, why did he want to talk to Fabio?

"Fabio, according to my judgment, our next game..."

"Shiko!"

There were several shouts around him.

Gama looked around and said, Oh, good guy, all the teammates and staff sitting nearby showed a look of 'stop talking'.

"I didn't mean to say the game..."

Gama explained.

But everyone still shook their heads, "Xiko, don't talk about the upcoming game, of course you can talk about other people's, but forget about your own."

Such an obvious and disgusted attitude is the first time Gama has felt in the team, heartbroken...

At this time, Ronaldo walked into the restaurant with a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

"What happened to you?"

With an expression like I'm starving to death and want to eat a big meal, Ronaldo happily picked up food on the self-selection table and asked his teammates here.

"nothing……"

Gama sighed.

"Really?"

Ronaldo, who said he was going to have a big meal, came over with a plate and sat opposite Gama, "Is there something wrong?"

Looking at the food on his plate, Jia Ma pulled his lips, "Just eat this?"

A few broccoli with some olives, a small piece of fat-free cake, a small piece of chicken, and a little macaroni. I didn't even take today's main steak.

"It's already a lot."

Ronaldo said that he also took yogurt and nutritional soup, which had enough nutrients needed by the body's muscles.

From a certain point of view, Ronaldo, who is almost harsh on his body management, is worthy of the height of his sports career now. How many players just can't control their mouths when they are in high light, and their physical fitness is declining rapidly, resulting in the high light no longer... Really should Let everyone see Ronaldo's diet control and training attitude.

Gama thought.

Even if it is him, he occasionally eats some high-calorie food when he is not playing, but Ronaldo will not move at all, especially during the game, he is strictly controlled to the point where people feel unbearable.

But maybe this is the reason why he can maintain a high level of performance at the age of 33, when many strikers are about to retire!

"I can have some steak today."

Gama suggested it.

Ronaldo shook his head, "I've had enough."

Well, even in the current rich situation, Ronaldo does not waste food.

Gama reached for the plate in front of him, poured the small piece of chicken inside onto Furtado's plate, "Take a steak!"

Furtado silently looked at the extra chicken pieces on his plate, "Xiko..."

Ronaldo laughed, got up and went to the dining counter to get a small piece of steak, "It smells good."

The two naive guys laughed, leaving only the speechless teammates to look at Furtado.

In the end, Furtado ate the extra chicken.

Then, the physical coach of the coaching staff who saw this scene said with a gentle face, "Ann, remember to run a few more laps in the afternoon."

I bother!

Furtado's heart is tumbling: the white water chicken has a high fat content!

why treat me like this?

Furtado, who chased Gama with his eyes, felt aggrieved.

Hehe, you pretend for me, and then pretend?

Jia Ma sneered twice, the bastard who attacked me during the game, don't think I can't guess who it is!

A gust of cold wind blew by, and someone muttered, the air conditioner is broken?

There are also smart people who have guessed the tail of the hand, and are prepared for the possible (definitely) retaliatory actions that will follow.

In the next three days, Gama, who was asked to rest by the team doctor, did not know what to mutter with the coach, and conducted new tactical training.

Looking at the wow wow teammates being trained, Jia Ma smiled sweetly.

Teammates: ┳＿┳

…………

On July 7, the first semi-final was held at the Zenit Arena, with Germany v Argentina.

In the end, both sides failed to score in the main game, and also failed to score in overtime, and the two sides entered the penalty shootout stage.

When it comes to the penalty kick stage, as the famous British legend Lineker said: a football match is a game in which 22 people fight for 90 minutes on the field, and the Germans win.

The Argentina team led by Messi once again fell on the penalty kick.

After the game, everyone saw Messi's painful expression from the live camera.

This is already the first time he has fallen on penalties in international competitions since he became the core of the Argentine national team, and he himself does not want to think about it.

At this moment, all the sadness and heartache defeated him again...

All the Portuguese players sitting in front of the screen watching the game fell silent.

Watching the game before, they laughed and cursed or satirized or mocked everything that happened on the field, but when the end came, they looked at their painful peers under the camera, and the captain and the two top football stars in the world Messi, everyone felt a kind of emotion that is difficult to express in words.

"that……"

Someone raised the topic, but they didn't know how to continue.

Jia Ma was silent, staring at the non-stop camera on the screen with complicated emotions.

Don't look at his good performance on the field in the past two years. At the beginning of the year, he won the two major football awards, the World Footballer and the Golden Globe Award, as well as the title of the best foreign player in the Premier League, etc., but in football, He is also just a football superstar, and he has never been able to be called a top star with Ronaldo and Messi in terms of status.

Agostinho once said that this is because he doesn't know how to hype. In terms of his ability and appearance, he should have become a top star like them, but Gama has always refused to cooperate with the hype. , and I don't want to go out to many occasions where I can make a name for myself, so I haven't been able to achieve the greatest amount of fame.

But Gama just didn't want to.

If he wanted to hype, the gossip with Monet back then was enough to make him popular all over the world.

Jia Ma doesn't want to be like that famous football couple, how about a life of being chased by paparazzi every day?

he does not like.

Gama hopes that his daughter can live in a peaceful and stable environment.

He doesn't want to be a selfless person who is chased by the paparazzi, who knows that one day he will hurt the people around him...

Turning his head, Gama glanced at Furtado, then turned to look at Ronaldo.

"robot!"

Gama yelled.

Ronaldo turned his head, there was no expression on his face, no, maybe there was but he hid it.

Over the years, even Ronaldo, who can no longer hide his feelings, will actually try his best not to let others see his feelings.

"We will win!"

Gama pretended not to see the emotion Ronaldo wanted to hide, and said in a calm tone.

Pepe, who was sitting next to Ronaldo, smiled, "With Chico's words, we will definitely win."

"That's right, so what if it's the Brazilian team, we must win."

In the conference room, everyone cheered.

Hearing the voices of his teammates, Ronaldo smiled slowly.

Gama turned to look at the screen, where the post-match press conference had already begun...

Looking down at his hands, Gama smiled softly.

How can we be willing to admit defeat when we have come here? Even if it is the Brazilian team, we are not a big team.

What is a dark horse and what is unexpected, no one wants to lose!

Come on!

Take Brazil!

Get to the top!

We must win!

…………

The author has something to say:

PS: Encounter strong enemies!