CHAPTER 1851: CHAPTER 969: THE FOUR GUARDIANS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL TEAM

In Aztec Stadium in Mexico City, tens of thousands of spectators are filled with fiery enthusiasm.

In this summer season.

The America-Canada-Mexico World Cup has brought passion and vitality to people, gathering countless soccer lovers from around the world in North America to watch one World Cup match after another.

And today’s match is Xia Country’s national team against the American team.

The match is about to begin.

The first to take the field is the American team. Since this World Cup is the America-Canada-Mexico World Cup, the American team is considered to have the home advantage, even though this Group D match is taking place in Mexico.

After the American team made their entrance as "hosts," it was time for the national team to take the field.

Although the national team’s ranking in international soccer has improved significantly, it is still not taken seriously by international soccer powerhouses. They believe that the national team made it into this World Cup due to a bit of luck, as both the Korean Team and Japan’s team’s strength declined, giving the national team the opportunity.

However, that is not the case.

The strength of both the Korean Team and Japan’s team hasn’t shown any apparent decline and remains very stable. The national team’s advancement to the World Cup wasn’t due to luck; it was through their own capability.

"Xia Country’s soccer, huh? That’s just a joke."

"Asian soccer has fallen so much that even Xia Country’s national team can make it to the World Cup."

"Haven’t you guys seen Xia Country’s soccer games? I think this team seems pretty strong."

"In front of our American team, Xia Country’s soccer team is just paper-thin."

"This is a match without any suspense; our American team will surely win."

"It’s indeed a match without suspense, but since it’s our American team’s first match, we definitely have to give it our full support."

"I have more faith in the American team, but their level is just like that; compared to our French team, they’re far behind."

"American team, you’ll pay the price for your arrogance!"

On Twitter, many foreigners believe that this match between the national team and the American team is basically without suspense, with the American team certain to win.

Foreigners are sometimes like this; when they have a preconceived notion about the national team, they simply don’t take it seriously. In fact, the national team has undergone significant changes, but these changes are merely seen as "lucky breaks" by them.

On the field.

Players from both teams have all taken their places, ready for the match to begin. The head referee explained the kickoff rules to the players from the national team and the American team, then gave the American team the privilege of the first kick-off.

With the sound of the whistle.

The Group D match of the America-Canada-Mexico World Cup between the national team and the American team officially commenced. In Xia Country, various sports channels and video platforms broadcasted the match live, with the number of viewers immediately soaring.

After all, this is the World Cup, and it’s the national team’s first match in the World Cup in over twenty years. Most importantly, their opponent in this match is the American team, combining all the viewing elements. Prior to the start of this match, multiple sports platforms had already made promotional warm-ups, with countless netizens eagerly anticipating it online.

Now that the match has finally begun, the number of viewers watching the live broadcast is skyrocketing.

In the VIP section of Aztec Stadium, Ding Yue and his friends are watching the match intently. On the field, the national team’s players are performing in an orderly manner, executing the tactics devised by their coach.

Liu Zhan, Li Shuangying, Zhao Xuanming, and Zhu Tan are still the main core fighting force of the national team, along with the godlike goalkeeper Zhu Cheng. This is the standard configuration for the national team’s starting lineup.

Given it’s the first World Cup match and the opponent is the American team, the starting lineup needs to use their strongest lineup.

The necessary respect towards this match must be maintained. Although the American team is not as strong as the teams from France, Spain, Germany, or Argentina, they are still formidable opponents not to be underestimated.

After kickoff, the American team attempted to drag the game back and forth in midfield. They did not make a clear offensive attempt, partly because the national team’s defense against them was very tight. Several times the American team tried to break through the national team’s midfield and back defense lines, with hardly any success.

So the American team kept dragging in midfield to maintain ball possession.

However.

This dragging strategy is the most prone to issues.

Sure enough.

As one of the main forces in midfield, Zhu Tan exploited his explosive speed advantage, taking the opportunity when the American team became slightly lax in their midfield ball control, swiftly snatching the ball from beneath an American player’s feet without committing a foul.

Once Zhu Tan got hold of the ball, the national team began to move like a perfectly operating machine. Players on the defensive line rapidly advanced, while the forwards swiftly charged towards the opponent’s half.