Chapter 372: What kind of player is he ?
After the 12th round of La Liga, it's time for another international break. For most of the Real Madrid players, this isn't a good day for rest because they must respond to the national team's call-up to participate in the European Championship qualifiers.
Next year's European Championship will be jointly hosted by Austria and Switzerland, making it the most prestigious national-level event in the world of football after the World Cup. All European players want to lift the trophy for their respective countries, reaching another pinnacle in their careers.
As a newcomer selected for the first time by the Portuguese national team, Pepe appeared somewhat nervous. In 2006, he received an invitation from the Brazilian national team, but due to the abundance of talent in the squad at that time, he felt he didn't have much opportunity to shine.
Moreover, since he had been playing in Europe, he applied for Portuguese citizenship to avoid occupying a non-European quota in his club. Head coach Scolari strongly advised him to represent Portugal, and out of love for the country, Pepe ultimately decided to change his nationality and join the Portuguese team.
Now, with the departure of Ruicosta and Figo, the two core players, there is no doubt that the team has become centered around Cristiano Ronaldo.
Cristiano Ronaldo's performance has been outstanding, helping Manchester United rise again and snatch the league title from "new rich" Chelsea's hands. He has always played a crucial role.
However, the young Portuguese player still lacks solid individual honors. Many senior players, such as Simao, Deco, and his relationship with them is not friendly, even involving some conflicts.
The main reason for the conflicts lies in Cristiano Ronaldo's temper. His refusal to accept defeat and his proud demeanor make some older players feel disrespected.
As soon as Pepe reported, he felt the unusual atmosphere within the team. The two main factions maintained a superficial harmony, which gave him a vague sense of unease. It seems that Portugal may find it difficult to go far in this European Championship.
During training breaks, Cristiano Ronaldo approached Pepe and greeted him. Pepe felt a bit uneasy, thinking he might want to recruit him into his faction. As a newcomer, he didn't want to get involved in complex struggles.
Unexpectedly, the first thing the Portuguese star asked about was Wang Feng: "Lavellan, you have been with Wang Feng at Real Madrid for more than a season. I want to ask you, what kind of player do you think he is?"
Pepe was stunned for a moment, then thought for a moment and said, "If I were to describe him with one word, I think 'legendary' is the most suitable. No matter when, he always brings confidence to his teammates and brings hope of victory to the team."
"I haven't experienced the era of football kings like Maradona, Pelé, or Beckenbauer, but I think even if they were in their heyday, they might not have performed as well as Wang Feng."
Cristiano Ronaldo's face looked a bit unsightly. Not only did the media and football commentators praise Wang Feng incessantly, but even his teammates almost worshipped him blindly. Is he really that magical?
Although he lost to the opponent in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals last year, Cristiano Ronaldo believes that as long as he works harder, he still has a chance to catch up with him. And according to the latest news, the 2007 Ballon d'Or winner is likely to be produced between the Chinese superstar and the Portuguese rising star.
The probability of winning the award himself is not high, but Cristiano Ronaldo still has some expectations in his heart. Now, hearing Pepe's evaluation, he suddenly felt discouraged. He then asked about some details of their daily training, wanting to know where the gap between them lies.
Listening to how Wang Feng, even after achieving such success, still demands strict requirements of himself, often trains extra, and actively thinks about many offensive tactics, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn't help but feel admiration.
Talented players emerge in the football world every moment, but those who have both talent and are willing to work hard are few and far between. Cristiano Ronaldo secretly swore not to fall behind. Even if he couldn't catch up with the peak state of the Chinese superstar, being two years younger is his advantage. One day, the world's number one player will be me!
Pepe soon made his debut for the Portuguese national team, starting in the European Championship qualifier against Finland and playing the full match. His performance was commendable, but there were problems with the coordination between the midfield and the forward line, resulting in a lack of attacking power. In the end, the match ended in a 0-0 draw.
Just as the national team players returned to their clubs, the league reignited. On November 25th, in the 13th round of La Liga, the Galaxy battleship welcomed newly-promoted Murcia at home.
This was an afternoon match, and head coach Schuster still didn't send out the main lineup. They were too tired and needed a good rest. However, Wang Feng managed to play the full match. Over the past two weeks, he had been accompanying Lu Yao off the field, making him the most leisurely person in the entire team.
Even though Real Madrid could only put out one-fifth of their strength, Murcia, as the second-to-last team, still couldn't match up. Especially with Wang Feng's sharp attacks, these players who lingered at the bottom of the league witnessed the power of a world superstar.
In the first half, Wang Feng scored three goals with his feet and head, completing a hat-trick. Before being substituted in the second half, he assisted Barboa in scoring the fourth goal. In the end, the Galaxy battleship won 4-0, with the Chinese superstar scoring four goals in 60 minutes.
After the match, a group of Murcia players surrounded Wang Feng, wanting to exchange jerseys with him. However, he only had one jersey on him, so he could only choose to exchange with Goitom, who had a commendable performance.
This 1.95-meter-tall Swedish forward looked somewhat similar to his compatriot Ibrahimovic, but in reality, he was far behind in both technique and physical confrontation. His best record was scoring 14 goals in the Segunda División, and this season, he only scored 2 goals in La Liga.
Back in the dressing room, Wang Feng was somewhat surprised to see Florentino there. Generally, the president of Real Madrid rarely came to the dressing room to meet with everyone. With a smile on his face, he said to the Chinese superstar, "Turning the football field into a celebrity-chasing scene is truly a spectacle. It seems that the newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner is well-deserved."
Wang Feng was a little stunned before he could respond. Without waiting for him to speak, Florentino continued, "Go change into clean clothes. The people from 'France Football' have been waiting for a long time. After the interview, let's have dinner together."
Wang Feng quickly finished showering, changed into clean clothes, and then accepted the interview and photo shoot from "France Football" in the honor room of the Bernabéu.
Puffanastier said apologetically, "Our schedule is quite tight, so we can only take up your rest time after the match. The game was very exciting, and the photographer took many satisfactory photos on the sidelines."
Wang Feng waved his hand to indicate his understanding. They were very familiar with each other, so the process went smoothly, and they completed all the work in no time. Then, the club hosted dinner for everyone. During the banquet, the atmosphere was lively and everyone enjoyed themselves.
In recent years, due to the vigorous development of the Internet, print media has gradually declined, and "France Football" is no exception. The selection of the Ballon d'Or consumes a lot of funds, so they can only try to minimize costs.
Currently, there are voices within the magazine suggesting cooperation with the "lower-tier" but financially strong FIFA Best Men's Player award. However, this idea is still under discussion, after all, the Ballon d'Or is known for its authority, while the FIFA Best Men's Player award focuses more on popularity, with less emphasis on past achievements.
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