Chapter 146: Prototype of the training plan
The young man glanced at Wang Feng in surprise, feeling somewhat familiar. Although Europeans often have prosopagnosia when it comes to recognizing Asians, those who frequently appear in the news tend to leave a deeper impression.
After a moment, he recognized the soaring football star. His mind was in a whirl. It took him a while before he said, "Wang Feng, hello. I'm Franck Ribery."
He looked at the people beside Wang Feng. Ribery recognized them too: Zanetti, Matrazi. My God, weren't these the key players of Inter Milan who had just faced Lyon yesterday?
How come they're out on the streets today? Seeing the famous football star right in front of him, Ribery couldn't contain his excitement. After he calmed down completely, Wang Feng and he exchanged words, and Wang Feng learned that he was a professional football player, but he played for the Alez Football Club in the French third division.
Due to the club's meager salary, Ribery had to moonlight as a road worker with his father. Just these past few days, there was a job available in Lyon, so they came from Alez to Lyon.
Although Ribery looked mature, he was only 19 years old, the same age as Wang Feng. Learning this information, Wang Feng felt deeply moved. It seemed like he was quite lucky.
He became a key player for the team at the age of 16, quickly catching the eye of the powerhouse Inter Milan. Then he soared to success. However, in the football world, there are many talented newcomers who can only wait for their chance while time passes them by.
Wang Feng said, "Your basic skills seem good. Are you interested in trying out in Serie A?" Ribery was stunned at the suggestion, then ecstatically said, "Do I really have this opportunity?"
Ribery's heart was full of discontent. He was confident in his football skills; all he lacked was an opportunity. Back then, he had no resources or connections, so he could only start from the fourth tier of French amateur leagues, his hometown club Blois Football Club.
Two years later, his outstanding performance caught the attention of Alez Football Club, which brought him to the French third division. If everything went smoothly, it would be another two years before he would be valued by teams in the French second or even first division. It would take time to climb up step by step. Who knew how long it would take before he could truly step onto the grand stage of top clubs?
Now Wang Feng had offered him a shortcut, how could he not be ecstatic?
Wang Feng nodded and said, "I can recommend you to the club because I think you're really good. Whether you can seize this opportunity depends on your ability."
Ribery nodded incessantly. Wang Feng then left the contact information of his agent, Balmond, and the deputy director of Inter Milan, Ruolsong, for him. "You can contact my agent. If there are no good options, you can also have your current agent contact Inter Milan directly. I'll talk to them."
Even after Wang Feng and the others left and Ribery got the contact information, he still felt like he was in a dream. He couldn't believe that a simple part-time job had led to such a lucky opportunity.
Meanwhile, Matrazi asked puzzledly, "Wang, I don't see anything remarkable about that kid. Is it because he looks fierce that you're paying him special attention?"
Wang Feng smiled and shook his head. "I just thought of some things from the past, so I couldn't help but want to help him."
Matrazi didn't quite understand, but he empathized with the survival of grassroots players. He could only sigh, "Why didn't I meet someone as enthusiastic as you back then?"
With Wang Feng's recommendation, Inter Milan would surely give Ribery an opportunity. If he truly had the talent, reaching the top would not be impossible.
After this incident, Wang Feng silently pondered in his heart, "Whether it's in China or abroad, there must be many talented players who are unrecognized. Why not do something for Chinese football?"
In his mind, a plan was vaguely taking shape: to establish a football academy backed by a foreign club, exclusively recruiting impoverished children from families who love football and aspire to make it their career, providing them with all training, living, and educational expenses until they reach adulthood.
This would not only help poverty alleviation but also cultivate talent. As for whether they would continue on the professional football path after adulthood, it would depend on their own choices.
However, one thing was certain: they would not recruit children from well-off families, even if they had talent. For them, football was just a hobby that they could pick up or give up at any time. Football was not a matter of survival but enjoyment for them.
And if they truly wanted to pursue a professional football career, they didn't need Wang Feng's help.
Certainly, there were many players who genuinely loved football now, but mere love for the game wouldn't improve Chinese football. It needed to become a way of survival, as common as working and laboring.
As for whether truly outstanding talents nurtured outside the system would encounter the same problems and be marginalized like Wang Feng, that was something Wang Feng couldn't control now. He only believed that with enough "wild" players making names for themselves, the formalities would lose their significance.
There were still many details to be worked out in this plan. Wang Feng's assets and influence were not yet sufficient to support it. It seemed he needed to continue working hard to expand his influence.
So Matrazi and zanetti stared dumbfoundedly at Wang Feng, who suddenly looked so determined. They didn't know what new idea had struck him.
In the 6th round of Serie A, Inter Milan faced Bologna away. Although Cooper still used a lineup of half main and half substitute players, Wang Feng did not start.
Even with an incomplete lineup, Inter Milan still controlled the game. The veteran Batistuta had a breakout performance in this match. Despite Bologna's defense holding strong for nearly forty minutes, it was eventually pierced by his classic Batistuta goal.
Wang Feng came on as a substitute in the 65th minute. Three minutes later, he received a pass from Dalma on the right flank and dribbled into the end zone.
Facing Farconi's defense, he first stopped the ball with his foot, then flicked it with his toe, accelerating past the defense horizontally into the penalty area.
Bologna's goalkeeper, Peruzzi, rushed out to block Wang Feng's shooting angle, but Wang Feng feigned a shot and instead passed the ball over the goalkeeper and defenders' heads to the middle, where Recoba followed up with a header into the empty net.
Inter Milan won 2-0 against Bologna, securing their sixth consecutive victory in the league!
On October 31st, Inter Milan faced Rosenborg at home. In the first leg, both sides had already shown a significant gap in strength.
Just 6 minutes into the game, Inter Milan earned a corner kick. Wang Feng took it and accurately found Matrazi in the penalty area, who opened the scoring for Inter Milan.
In the 31st minute, Inter Milan's goalkeeper Tordo kicked a goal kick, sending the ball over the midfield to the front. Wang Feng and Rosenborg defender Mato contested for the ball, but Wang Feng outsmarted him, successfully intercepting and passing the ball forward.
He then quickly accelerated away from his opponent, first reaching the ball on the edge of the penalty area. Seeing trouble for the Rosenborg goalkeeper, he could only abandon the goal, but Wang Feng flicked the ball to the right with his right foot, avoiding the goalkeeper's reach.
He then took a shot at a tight angle and scored into the empty net. Inter Milan led 2-0!
Wang Feng was substituted off at halftime. In the 77th minute, Emre's left-wing cross assisted Kalon in scoring again.
In the end, Inter Milan won 3-0 against Rosenborg, securing their spot in the next round with one match to spare.
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