Chapter 238: Opening of Asian cup
After returning to Italy, Inter Milan held a grand celebration, even larger than last year's, because this year they had one more trophy.
The number of Inter Milan fans participating in the championship parade increased, and at this moment, the entire city of Milan belonged to Inter!
Inter Milan became the first club to achieve consecutive championships in the Champions League after its restructuring. Moreover, they also won the league title three times in a row. In the eyes of the public, the current Nerazzurri had officially surpassed the "Great Inter Milan era" of the 1960s and established a new "Inter Milan dynasty"!
Wang Feng, as the leader of this dynasty, was naturally praised by the media as Inter Milan's most successful signing in history. This made Moratti, who personally invited Wang Feng and orchestrated the transfer, particularly proud. Whenever he accepted interviews, he would boast about these achievements.
The Milan Sports Daily commented that if Inter Milan could win the Champions League again next season, whether it be a three-peat or accumulating five championships, it would qualify them to permanently retain the St. Bled Cup! It's worth noting that historically, only four teams—Real Madrid, Ajax, Bayern Munich, and AC Milan—have had the opportunity to permanently retain the St. Bled Cup, showcasing their status as superpowers!
Even powerhouses like Barcelona, Juventus, Manchester United, Arsenal, and Liverpool did not have this opportunity and could only display replica trophies in their trophy rooms, let alone newer clubs like Chelsea.
Moreover, with continuous reforms by UEFA, it was rumored that this honor might be completely abolished in a few years, becoming a true swan song.
Wang Feng didn't stay long in Milan. He hurried back to China to prepare for the upcoming 2004 Asian Cup, while in Europe, the 2004 UEFA European Championship proceeded as scheduled.
However, before the opening ceremony, the third round of the FIFA World Cup qualifiers took place. China hosted Malaysia at home, and in this match, Wang Feng finally didn't have to play, as China cleanly won 4-0.
Afterward, everyone headed to the capital for closed-door training. Initially, the team leader wanted to assign a separate room for Wang Feng, but when he learned that the players were sharing rooms, he decisively refused: "I'm the same as other players, regardless of accommodations." So he and Shao Jia shared a dormitory. They were both overseas players, which made communication easier.
This year, 1860 Munich failed to return to the Bundesliga, leaving Shao Jia somewhat confused about his future. Several Chinese Super League teams were interested in signing him.
He discussed this with Wang Feng, who pondered for a moment and said, "I think you're still young. Staying abroad will help further your growth and hone your skills. Even if it's the 2. Bundesliga, it's still stronger than the Chinese Super League, right?"
Shao Jia nodded. Indeed, in terms of intensity and competitiveness, the 2. Bundesliga far surpassed the Chinese Super League, placing high demands on players' physical and technical abilities.
Wang Feng couldn't help but sigh, "We have many talented youngsters who refuse to leave the country. Going to the 2. Bundesliga, Ligue 2, or even the Segunda Liga would be good, but they hesitate because of the tough conditions and lower earnings."
Shao Jia nodded in agreement. Nowadays, families who can afford to send their children to domestic youth training camps are well-off. They are fully capable of sending their children abroad alone, but parents prefer to keep their children close, avoiding hardships. Therefore, they choose domestic youth training.
The children who can play football cannot endure hardships, while those who can endure hardships lack the conditions to play football. That's the reason for the scarcity of talent.
That's why Wang Feng values ??those poor families. He can sponsor them to study abroad, and whether they can succeed in the end depends on themselves.
During the first training session, head coach Alihan arranged high-intensity physical training, making everyone complain incessantly. However, sometimes a team was just so wonderful that if one person completed the training diligently, others would be embarrassed to complain too much.
That person was Wang Feng! Although he inevitably felt tired after the grueling Champions League final, he still handled this intensity of training with ease.
Alihan's eyes lit up. Indeed, the role of a superstar was reflected in every aspect of the team. He then handed the players over to the fitness coach, while he and other coaching staff discussed tactics for the Asian Cup.
"Based on the World Cup qualifiers against Kuwait, I don't think Wang Feng is entirely suitable to stay on the front line because no one can cooperate with him," the technical coach said.
"Yes, our midfield lacks awareness and capability. Wang Feng needs to frequently withdraw to organize, so can we let him play as an attacking midfielder?" Alihan's eyes brightened.
"We can give it a try. Wang Feng's attacking organization is also top-notch in world football. Last season, he even recorded 20 assists in Serie A."
Alihan nodded. "Later, I'll talk to Wang Feng and hear what he has to say. I believe he'll have many good suggestions."
Wang Feng readily accepted his new position. During his time at Inter Milan, with Ribery providing support in the middle and front, his attacking ability was greatly unleashed. But in the national team, there was no one to take on that role, so he had to do it himself.
Moreover, what he excelled at even more than Ribery was his finishing touch. So even in the attacking midfielder position, his scoring ability remained undiminished.
In the next few friendly matches, Alihan introduced this new formation for coordination. Wang Feng didn't disappoint his expectations. In the first match against the UAE, he scored a hat-trick and assisted Li Jin and Li Yi for two goals, helping the team win 6-0.
In the second friendly against Lebanon, Alihan fielded a full substitute lineup, but the opponents capitalized on a mistake in the 30th minute to score first, leaving the Dutchman on the sidelines furious. He believed that even with substitutes, they shouldn't lose to such weak opponents as Lebanon.
Helpless, he had to send in Wang Feng and other key players. Soon, the situation turned around. Wang Feng scored four goals and assisted two more, leading the national team to a 6-1 victory over Lebanon.
After the match, Alihan found Wang Feng. "Wang, I think you and your teammates have already cooperated well. Putting you on the field for the warm-up matches is completely meaningless, so from now on, I will focus on other players. Just keep your competitive state up."
Actually, he muttered in his heart. Every game, Wang Feng played for a dozen minutes and made the opponents dizzy. The other players on the field were like taking a walk, so what's the point of the warm-up matches?
In the following friendly matches against Oman and the Philippines, Wang Feng sat on the bench and watched the entire game. As expected, the games were much more intense, although their strength was weaker than China's, they still caused quite a bit of trouble.
In the end, relying on the outstanding performance of overseas players, China defeated Oman 2-1 and the Philippines 3-0, achieving a perfect record of four consecutive victories in the warm-up matches.
This news also greatly excited the domestic media and fans, who were eager to lift the championship trophy for the first time on home soil.
Amidst great anticipation, the Asian Cup kicked off.
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