Chapter 1 The Beginning

The 2001-2002 Philips University Football League Anhui Regional Selection Tournament was held at Hefei G University from November 1, 2001, to January 5, 2002, adopting a tournament system. The sixteen participating schools this year were divided into four groups. After a single round-robin within each group, the top two teams from each group advanced to the knockout stage. They were then matched up in the following manner: A1 vs. D2, A2 vs. D1, B1 vs. C2, and B2 vs. C1, successively determining the first to eighth places. The top two teams would qualify for the East Zone regional finals. According to regulations, the regional selection tournaments could only be held on weekends, so every Saturday and Sunday were days for the university football players to showcase their talents to the fullest.

Starting several days prior, the U University team members began praying that it wouldn't rain in Hefei. Fortunately, the heavens were cooperative, providing clear skies all the way to the match day.

Su Fei would definitely not miss Zhang Jun's match. U University prepared two school buses, one exclusively for the team and the other for enthusiastic fans who volunteered to cheer them on. Zhang Jun boarded the first bus, while Su Fei boarded the second. Before getting on the bus, neither of them spoke a word, nor did they engage in the "relentless entanglement" like other teammates with their girlfriends. They simply exchanged a glance.

This one glance was worth a thousand times more than those relentlessly entangled words.

Hefei G University specifically renovated the stadium for this university league, completely covering it with artificial turf, a plastic running track, and plastic seats. Although the lush green turf was fake, it was also very soft. The first time Zhang Jun stepped on it, he thought of the turf at the Xigong Stadium, which was specially prepared for professional leagues.

The stands were already quite full, but most of them were neutral, the students of Hefei G University. They didn't have a clear inclination of support. Whichever side played well, they cheered and applauded for that side. Whichever side fought tenaciously, they gave their cheers to that side.

The opponents hadn't arrived yet. Zhao Yu had Lao Li lead the team in warming up, and when the opponents arrived, he would have the team withdraw again. He didn't want to reveal his new offensive tactics too early.

Secret weapons, after all, wouldn't be worthy of the audience if they weren't a bit mysterious, right?

Zhang Jun didn't overexert himself during the warm-up. When Yang Pan crossed the ball, he always feigned a grab at the front, then let the ball leak to the teammates behind him. Yang Pan understood him. Performance during warm-up didn't mean anything. If they underestimated him because of his inaction during warm-up, then during the match, one sprint from him could very likely cost the opponent a point.

The opponents arrived twenty minutes later. Zhao Yu signaled the team to end the warm-up, gathered them around him, and began making the final preparations.

"We've been practicing these past few days, and I believe everyone has memorized them, right? Just display what you've practiced during the match. Our central penetration was famous in last year's competition. The opponent will definitely pay close attention to defending our central area in this match. Their flanks will definitely have big loopholes. We'll seize this opportunity, attack the flanks. Zhu Hui, your task is to distribute the ball, giving Yang Pan and Zhang Fan a chance to go down to the baseline. As for whether you cross or cut after reaching the baseline, just make your own judgment based on the situation on the field. Don't necessarily stick to just this one routine of crossing from the baseline. Remember, be flexible and adaptable, and assess the situation!"

Su Fei chose a spot above the U University bench and sat down to quietly wait for the start of the match. She wanted Zhang Jun to be able to see her at a glance on the field.

When the players from both sides and the three on-duty referees stepped onto the field in formation, the cheerleading squads from both sides launched their first contest.

"U University, go!"

"Y University, victory is ours!"

In the U University lineup, only the seven players in the backfield were veterans. Their experience and understanding were key to ensuring a solid backfield. Only with the worries of defense resolved could the frontcourt play to its fullest.

However, the opponent was full of confidence, believing that they had thoroughly studied U University's usual tricks, so they placed their defensive focus on the center. Now they could rest easy. Everyone longed to achieve a flying start in the first match of the new season.

The referee blew his whistle, and the match began!

U University didn't have a smooth start. Although they had been practicing flank attacks these past few days, U University had been playing through the center for a year after all. Xie Yun, in his new position, was still somewhat unaccustomed, always pushing forward to break through the center, which in turn squeezed the original attacking midfielder, Zhu Hui, to the right. As soon as Zhu Hui went to the right, Yang Pan no longer had room to sprint. Then the entire U University formation fell into disarray.

For the first ten minutes, U University's offense showed no signs of improvement. The opponent's central defense was very effective. Zhao Yu anxiously stood up and shouted loudly from the sidelines.

"Xie Yun! Pull back! What are you doing rushing so far forward?"

"Zhu Hui, don't run to the right, go back to the center!"

As such, Zhang Jun, the striker, also didn't achieve much. Many times, he even had to retreat again and again.

In the fifteenth minute, Y University took the lead by capitalizing on a mistake by a U University defender.

The Y University cheerleaders on the sidelines cheered wildly! Young people never lacked energy. They waved everything they could wave in their hands, jumping up and down in the stands.

This goal seemed to wake up the U University players. When they kicked off again, everyone could clearly feel that they were a completely different team.

Xie Yun listened to the coach's arrangement and returned to the defensive midfielder position, playing the role of controlling the team's rhythm. Zhu Hui then returned to the center, fully utilizing his characteristic of timely and accurate ball distribution. Then, Yang Pan, without any restraints, began to liven up, his flank breakthroughs threatening Y University's defense time and time again.

Only seven minutes after conceding the goal, Xie Yun made a long pass from the backfield. It seemed too long, but Yang Pan used his speed to catch up with the ball and, near the sideline, brilliantly hooked the ball back, passing one of the opponent's defenders. Then, he very cleverly crossed with his right foot!

The ball was passed far, to the far post. One of the three center backs hurriedly retreated, but Zhang Fan arrived earlier. He jumped up, didn't shoot directly, but instead headed the ball back to Zhang Jun in the middle!

At this time, Zhang Jun leaned against another center back, then swept his leg, sending the ball Zhang Fan had laid off for him hard into the empty net!

They equalized!

Zhang Jun scored his first goal in the University League! Equalizing the score for U University! Zhang Jun was also very excited after scoring. He spread his arms and "flew" on the field. After being depressed for twenty-two minutes, the U University fans finally let out a sigh of relief!

The happiest person was Zhao Yu off the field. This goal proved that his flank tactic was the right choice, and it strengthened his confidence to persevere.

After scoring, U University's morale was greatly boosted. The three lines combined closely and performed outstandingly. For a period of time, the situation on the field even became one-sided.

In the forty-third minute, again, after Yang Pan broke through on the flank, he crossed diagonally to the arc outside the penalty area. Xie Yun, who had been holding back for a long time, took a powerful shot. The football flew into the goal very cleverly. Y University's goalkeeper was beyond his reach. 2:1! U University took the lead!

The second half began with sides changed. This time it was Zhang Fan. He made a very clean through ball down the flank. Zhang Jun understood and quickly rushed out from the crowd, successfully shooting at a small angle in the face of the goalkeeper. Two goals! 3:1!

Zhang Jun "flew" again!

Su Fei stood up, looking at Zhang Jun, who was like an eagle. This was the Zhang Jun she loved and yearned for!

On the opposite side of the stands was a row of wire mesh. A huge blue banner was stretched from east to west on the wire mesh. The white words "Philips 01-02 National University Football League" seemed like white clouds in the blue sky against the blue background.

Zhang Jun was running freely under the blue sky.

The sea is wide for fish to leap, the sky is high for birds to fly…

The final result was that neither side scored again. The score of 3:1 remained until the end of the match.

Zhao Yu believed that the significance of this match was not only that they got three points and achieved a flying start, but also that he truly saw a U University with two wings flying together. Yang Pan's speed and escape followed by passing, Zhang Fan's clean and crisp style of play, although his breakthrough ability was average, allowed him to often seize fleeting opportunities and deliver brilliant passes, coupled with his advantage in headers in the frontcourt. Truly adding wings to a tiger!

The team personally experienced the benefits of flank attacks, and they believed that such a chaotic start would definitely not happen again in the next match. After the opponents had all seen the power of U University's flanks, they would also correspondingly shift their defensive focus to the flanks. At that time, they could combine flank and center attacks, catching them off guard.

In Zhao Yu's heart, that beautiful tomorrow was getting closer and closer.

On November 2, 2001, U University defeated Y University, a team in the same group, by a score of 3:1 on the field of Hefei G University, earning three points and ranking second in Group C. They had one less goal difference than SL University, which ranked first.

From this day on, Zhang Jun was also moving forward at full speed towards another national championship.

ps: Recently I saw many friends discussing whether the pre-revision version was better or the post-revision version was better. I saw many people saying that the revised version wasn't as good as the pre-revision version. This was a situation I had anticipated during the revision. Perhaps because the pre-revision version caused too much controversy, I knew that even if I revised it further, I wouldn't be able to change the feelings in many people's hearts. But I still had to revise it, not because I didn't have my own principles, but because I thought the novel did have some problems and needed to be revised. So, since I decided to revise it, I had to persevere and finish the path I chose without looking back. I don't think the revised version is very good or that everything is fine. It definitely still has problems, but I don't have time to revise anything else now. Frequent revisions to a few chapters would also be irresponsible to the readers.

Recently, many friends have been guessing which club Zhang Jun will go to in the future. Hehe, it seems that most people are in favor of going to Inter Milan. Of course, there are also people who are planning for Zhang Jun to go to La Liga and the Premier League, and there are also people who are directly asking me on QQ. Hehe, I have almost explained the suspense in the preview of "We Are the Champions", so I will definitely reserve this last suspense until the end.

Another: A friend went to join the army. He never liked the revised version of "We Are the Champions". He should be in the army now, right? It's a bit of a regret. Thinking about the good times we had chatting and joking together, I don't know when I'll see him again. He may not be able to see the current "We Are the Champions", but I still want to dedicate the revised "We Are the Champions" to him, and also to all my friends.