[Football] Crown of Thorns

South Africa, Port Elizabeth

This is the city of Port Elizabeth on the southwest coast of Algoa Bay in the Republic of South Africa. Founded in 1799, this city is not only one of the most important ports in the Republic of South Africa, but also the largest wool trading market in South Africa. It is also the satellite city of Egypt in the northwest. Ten Hag is a city that forms one of South Africa's important industrial regions.

Port Elizabeth has an airport and a port, with convenient transportation, beautiful scenery, and a well-developed local tourism industry.This place has a subtropical Mediterranean climate with an average annual temperature of about 20 degrees Celsius.

It used to be a British colony, so there are many historical buildings in the city, such as Duncan Street, a lighthouse converted from a military museum, and an ostrich auction market built in 1883 that is now an ostrich feather exhibition center.Monuments include St. Augustine's Cathedral, Fort Frederick, and Corradindon.The 283-kilometer narrow-gauge railway from Port Elizabeth to Loerie is one of the only remaining narrow-gauge railway lines in the world.

Of course, I introduced a bunch just to say, it's really beautiful here.

Since the Portuguese national team was assigned to Group G in this World Cup, their first game will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth, so they will come here first to set up a scheduled training session base.

"The scenery is really nice."

After getting off the plane, the Portuguese internationals were taken directly to the station to appreciate the natural scenery and enjoy the fresh air with a slight sea flavor. It was really comfortable!

Because the average temperature here in June is between 18 degrees and 6 degrees, you need to wear a coat at ordinary times.

The staff also specially told these players who sometimes make troubles and have no sense of proportion to be careful of catching a cold.

"By the way, everyone, pay attention. The security situation here is not very good. If you want to go out, it's best not to act alone."

The staff reminded them.

"understood!"

………………

"Can we go to the opening ceremony?"

"Let's stay here and watch the broadcast!"

"The opening ceremony is held in Johannesburg, do you want to run around?"

"I heard that Shakira will come, don't you want to see it?"

"You can go to the Barcelona game."

"Hey, you think I'm dead!"

Hahaha~~~

After throwing their luggage in the room, the young guys came out to stroll around the base, and after a while they got together talking and laughing.

From time to time, those busy staff will encounter players pat and pat, and after they have eaten, they still have nothing to improve after being warned.

As time passed, it soon came to June 6, the opening of the World Cup.

Regardless of the games in other groups, just look at the Portuguese team.

In this World Cup grouping, the Portuguese team was assigned to Group G. On the surface, this group is a group of death.Portugal's Group G opponents include Brazil, Côte d'Ivoire and North Korea.From the point of view of paper strength only, the Portuguese team is weaker than Brazil, but slightly stronger than Côte d'Ivoire and North Korea.

Of course, what is on paper is just talk, the main reason why Group G is called the group of death is because of the unpredictability of Côte d'Ivoire and North Korea.Theoretically speaking, Portugal has little chance of winning against Brazil. If the gutter capsizes in the games against Côte d'Ivoire and North Korea, there is even the possibility of going home in the group stage.

In addition, there is the North Korean team known as the mysterious division. Although North Korea is considered a recognized underdog, the attack line represented by Zheng Dashi, Hong Yingzao and Zheng Zhemin still has a certain strength.For North Korea, the greatest weapon is their sense of mystery.In the Asian qualifiers, they were able to score points against teams like the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, proving that they have their own skills against teams of the technical genre. Facing stronger Brazil and Portugal, North Korea's Toughness is still the greatest weapon.

In addition, the Portuguese team has not performed particularly well in international competitions. Coupled with the withdrawal of the Portuguese golden generation, the overall strength of the Portuguese national team has been considered to have weakened a lot by the outside world. The Portuguese team was rated as a second-rate weak team.

Therefore, the problem facing the Portuguese team this time is not only a strong enemy, but also the problem of whether it can perform itself.

In the first game of Group G, Portugal played against Côte d'Ivoire.

Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium) is a newly built stadium. The city government began to build this football stadium after South Africa won the right to host the World Cup, because there was no professional football stadium in the city before.

After the completion of the stadium in 4, this stadium with a capacity of 8 held the Confederations Cup in June of that year, which was regarded as a warm-up for hosting the World Cup.

After the warm-up activities before the game, the players who returned to the locker room were talking and taking care of themselves while chatting with each other.

"The stadium is still good."

"It's new anyway!"

The players who were checking their equipment chatted and looked very relaxed. Of course, who can tell if they are really relaxed.

Gama patted the shin guards. His unscrupulous agent finally got his sneaker sponsor and signed it to Nike. Although he hadn't reached the point of letting the other party make a special one for him, he still got tailor-made treatment.

Thinking of this, Gama secretly glanced at their team leader, Mr. Ronaldo.

Ronaldo's sneakers aren't just tailor-made, they're purpose-built - but purple?

The corners of Gama's lips twitched, this is the color known as gay purple, Ronaldo really dared to wear it!

Recalling Ronaldo’s sneakers, it seems to be the same as him. He especially likes to wear various brightly colored sneakers, red when he was at Manchester United, black when he first arrived at the Galaxy Battleship, and then blue, Yellow, huh, huh, now it's beautiful purple.

It is said that a pair of football boots on his feet is about 225 US dollars. How much is it converted into RMB? Gama Wrench, who has not paid attention to this aspect of the exchange rate for a long time, has not calculated it. It is probably not cheap—— Jia Ma, who considered himself a petty citizen, muttered to himself, it must be very expensive!

(PS: In 2010, the exchange rate of RMB to USD was about 6.8.)

Probably because his gaze was too enthusiastic, the team leader soon noticed Gama staring at his sneakers intently.

Ronaldo, who had already packed up, came over and looked down at Gama's equipment, "You also signed Nike."

He could tell at a glance that the pair of professional sneakers on Jia Ma's feet were tailor-made, and this kind of treatment was only available to players who signed with Nike.

"Yes!"

Gama looked up at him and smiled.

Seeing Jia Ma's smile, the team leader also smiled. He stretched out his paw and rubbed the short hair on Jia Ma's head, hey, it feels good.

The captain suddenly thought that this kid was the youngest player in the team, which reminded him of the time when he was the youngest player in the team four years ago.

He was rubbed on the head! ! ! !

A sentence echoed in Jia Ma's heart, he was actually rubbed on the head.

Damn it, can a man's head be touched casually, it's a matter of dignity - the captain's paw rubbed his head twice before letting go - hehe!

Jia Ma wanted to bite his teeth, but in the end he let the team leader rub it again and again.

Someone in the room laughed out loud, and Jia Ma turned his head and stared at him fiercely, making the laughter even louder.

The team leader also smiled, "I like my CR9."

Before going to Real Madrid, Ronaldo's label was CR7. After he moved to Real Madrid, he changed to CR9 because his back number was 9.

"well enough!"

Gama shrugged.

Ronaldo's treatment is based on his strength. He has not yet reached that level, so naturally he does not have the same treatment. This is based on his strength. He admires Ronaldo but will not envy him.

"If you like it, I'll give you a pair if you win today's game."

The captain grinned.

Jia Ma curled his lips, "It's specially made for you, and I can't wear it if I give it to me."

"Well," the team leader looked serious, "Then I'll let them order a pair for you, and I can even sign it for you."

Hearing the banter in the captain's words, Jia Ma snorted twice, "No!"

"Really not?"

"No..." Gama thought for a while, "Yes, add another set of jerseys signed by you."

Pupu, there was laughter all around, and Jia Ma looked up at the captain standing in front of him seriously, "If we win today's game, in addition to the signed sneakers, I also need a signed jersey."

Ronaldo stared at his young teammate with a bigger smile on his face, "Okay, deal!"

"Well," Gama thought for a while, "I want your national team jersey if you win today's game, and I want Real Madrid's jersey if you win the next game."

His words made Ronaldo stunned, and then he laughed, "Okay, no problem!"

"And what if we beat Brazil?"

Pepe on the side asked with a smile.

His question made Ronaldo amused, and he looked over again with his big white teeth.

Gama tilted his head, "If we win all three games, we will also need Manchester United's jersey."

Hahaha, the teammates who heard their conversation knocked on the table and cabinet and started clapping.

Ronaldo waved his hand happily, "No problem!"

"we have a deal."

"OK!"

…………

Gama: What seems wrong?Why did I suddenly become childish! ! !

With the whistle of the referee, Côte d'Ivoire's white and green jerseys and Portugal's red jerseys began to collide.

Black, white, red, green, under this sky, fight.

This is our war!