Chapter 1 The Dream

Since the 1957 World Cup qualifiers, China, a large country accounting for nearly a quarter of the world's population, began a dream that it had been painstakingly pursuing for forty-four years. It was incomprehensible to some that the most populous country in the world could not prove itself in the world's number one sport.

Wang Dawei, Zhang Linxiang, Kong Wenbin, Zhao Yihang, Schlapner, Li Jisheng... One by one, names were associated with this dream. The fixed matches in New Zealand and Saudi Arabia, the 5.19 Incident, the Black Three Minutes, Jinzhou Doesn't Believe in Tears... These old historical photos are the journey of China's forty-four-year quest to reach the World Cup. Along the way, there was no shortage of suffering and thorns, but flowers and beautiful scenery never appeared. Along the way, generations of Chinese footballers shed blood, sweat, and tears, yet failed to see the dawn. Along the way, many people's hearts grew cold, their tears dried up, and they fell and never got up again, while many others joined in, braving wind and rain, steadfast and unswerving.

Time and time again, the lowered national flag on the stands and the tearful fans were seen. Time and time again, they fell, only to see darkness when they looked up. Only then did they realize that sometimes dreams can be so cruel.

Along the way, there was always a group of people rushing to the front, the thorns under their feet cutting through their soles, the dark night making it impossible to distinguish directions, and the bumpy roads causing them to fall time and time again. They fell, and then another group of people took over the flag and rushed to the front. They fell, and then another group of people picked up the flag and charged, non-stop...

In 2001, there was another group of people carrying the flag, continuing this dream.

Four years is a cycle, and it has been a full forty-four years...

The 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, co-hosted by Japan and South Korea, suddenly reduced the number of China's opponents in Asia by two, leaving only Saudi Arabia and Iran. In the draw for the top ten, they drew a very favorable draw: as the second seed team, China would definitely avoid one of Iran and Saudi Arabia. But the result of the draw was that they avoided them all. Saudi Arabia and Iran were assigned to Group A, where they fought each other. In such a good situation, the only remaining question was whether the Chinese national team led by Milu could change its past decline and carve out a bloody path to Japan and South Korea from Group B.

Even when facing weak teams, the Chinese people were very uneasy, because the Chinese team has always had the "fine tradition" of "capsizing in the gutter." In addition, the Chinese team's performance in the preliminary round was unsatisfactory, and they even lost to North Korea, which had not participated in international competitions for a long time, in the Shanghai Four Nations Invitational Tournament! This was unforgivable in the eyes of the Chinese people, and coupled with the "bombardment" incident in the preliminary round, all of this made the already pessimistic Chinese people even more pessimistic.

On August 25, 2001, the Chinese team played against the UAE, their first opponent in the top ten, at the Wulihe Stadium in Shenyang. Just three minutes into the game, the Chinese team gave the fans a great surprise. Hai Dong, number 10 of the Chinese team, broke into the penalty area and crossed, Yang Guang, number 20, feinted at the near post, and Li Peng, number 18, a midfielder who followed up in the middle, easily pushed the ball into the empty net!

The ball went in! 1:0!

Wulihe was instantly filled with jubilation, and all the uneasy speculations and worries before the game were kicked away by this goal.

Then, the Chinese team began its glorious journey in the top ten.

August 25, won 3:0 against the UAE at home.

August 31, won 2:0 against Oman away.

September 7, facing Qatar, the strongest opponent in the group, they equalized the score in the last minute after being one goal behind in the first half, and took a perfect point with a 1:1 draw.

September 15, defeated Uzbekistan, the Central Asian wolves, 2:0 at home.

September 27, won 1:0 against the UAE away.

At this point, the Chinese team had accumulated 13 points and was already at the top of the standings, basically securing a spot in the World Cup. But fans across the country were still waiting, waiting for an official coronation day. On October 7, 2001, China returned to its home field from the UAE. This day was naturally chosen by the fans as the auspicious day for the Chinese team to advance to the World Cup.

On October 7, 2001, the Chinese team played against Oman, the weakest opponent in Group B, at home.

The tiring military training was finally over, and the National Day holiday was so long that there was nothing to do. Zhang Jun, Yang Pan, and Su Fei went to the center of Hefei every day, not necessarily to buy anything, but mainly to kill time. They were new here, and after a month of military training, they didn't know what fun places were nearby. Another thing was to call on the brothers in the dormitory to play football. China's chances of qualifying were excellent, and there were many more people playing football recently. Even though it was a holiday, there were no fields available if you went late.

On October 7, everyone stayed in the cafeteria after eating, and any place with a TV was crowded. Zhang Jun and the others had the foresight to arrive at the cafeteria an hour early to wait, avoiding the trouble of not being able to see the images or hear the sounds behind the vast crowd.

After the game started, everyone's emotions were quickly mobilized. They kept cheering when the Chinese team attacked, and they slammed the table and cursed when the Chinese team made mistakes. If Oman committed a foul, they would boo non-stop. Except for not being able to carry a big flag around, everything was the same as being at the stadium.

Zhang Jun had the feeling that there were a billion fans in the stands of Wulihe in this game. Only the Chinese team could have such a large number of fans for a single game in the world. Although they were angry at its weakness and saddened by its misfortune, as Chinese people and Chinese fans, could they not support the Chinese team? So, no matter how much cursing of Chinese football they usually heard, the Chinese team never lacked fans when it came to such a crucial battle as the top ten!

The game was a bit dull. Perhaps the enormous psychological pressure of qualifying made the national team unable to let go. Moreover, Oman used practical actions to prove what they said before the game: "We are not here to be a foil for others' banquets!" They were here to spoil the game.

The game had been going on for 30 minutes, and the score was still 0:0. At this time, pessimism quietly returned to the hearts of the watching fans. There were too many examples of the Chinese team dropping the ball at critical moments. Watching the national players make mistakes and fail to score, the fans also began to feel uneasy. Zhang Jun could already hear someone sighing that it was no use. He felt a sharp pain in his arm. He turned his head and saw that it was Su Fei, who had been holding his arm, pinching him. She stared at the TV screen, but her hand was tightly pinching Zhang Jun's arm, and her lips were bitten pale.

The Chinese team lost another scoring opportunity. The fans in the stands of Wulihe Stadium had already begun to sing "My Motherland" to cheer for the Chinese team.

"The five-star red flag flutters in the wind! How loud the victory song is! Sing of our beloved motherland! From now on, march towards prosperity and strength!..."

Yang Pan's emotions were relatively agitated. He cursed whenever the Chinese team made a mistake. Relatively speaking, Zhang Jun just watched quietly, with only his hands clenched tightly.

Zhang Jun clearly remembered the time. 35 minutes, the Chinese team took a throw-in from the left side. Ma Tian, number 9, passed the ball back to Li Yi. Li Yi kicked the ball to the far right side of the Oman team. Li Peng, number 18, headed the ball to the middle. Hai Dong, who was lurking in front of the Oman team's small penalty area, headed the ball again. Yu Weimin, number 11, and Yang Guang, number 20, formed a double tap in front of the goal. Yu Weimin took the lead and shot the ball in!

1:0!

The ball went in!

At that moment, in Wulihe in Shenyang, in a campus in Hefei, Anhui, in Beijing, in Shanghai... all over the country, like a volcano that had been silent for a long time, everyone jumped up, waving their arms, and shouting loudly.

"It's in!"

"We've qualified!"

"We won!"

"We've qualified! We've qualified!"

...

Yu Weimin was the attacking midfielder who replaced Hao Hong, who was suspended. The only goal he scored in the top ten was also the most important goal in the Chinese team's 44-year history! This goal was also the most exciting one in the Chinese team's top ten. A total of 7 players participated in this attack, and the success rate of passing the ball was unprecedented! When he shot the ball into the Oman goal, Chinese football had never been so proud!

In the remaining time, Oman launched a full-scale counterattack, but the Chinese team, which was in the lead, performed very calmly. Until the final whistle sounded, they did not give Oman a chance.

After the three whistles sounded, Wulihe became an ocean of jubilation. Fans, reporters, players, coaches... poured in. The team members raised the national flag high and saluted the fans in the audience. The people in the cafeteria also became excited. Zhang Jun still didn't scream as much as the others. He just sat on the chair and continued to watch the TV broadcast. The joy after the victory had to be savored carefully to be more flavorful.

When Zhang Jun saw Fan Qiang, the veteran of the three dynasties of the national team, the central defender number 5, draped in the national flag, squatting on the ground and weeping, his eyes also became a little wet. A big man in his thirties was crying like this in front of the camera, in front of the national audience. Was it just pure joy? The defeat in Abu Dhabi in 1993, the drizzling Jinzhou in 1997, the missed penalty, the fatal mistake... Eight years! How many eight years can a professional player have? Thirty years old! How many thirty years can a person have? From being the best scorer in the league that year to being the veteran of the three dynasties in the national team, he had experienced more than others and felt more deeply, so he would cry so uncontrollably in public! What is more shocking than a vicissitudes-filled man crying?

Playing football since he was a child, football brought him the most joy. Today, on the happy day of China's qualification, Zhang Jun deeply felt the cruel side of football. Fan Qiang was lucky, he was able to go to the World Cup field to realize his dream at the end of his career. But how many people in China's journey to the World Cup were as lucky as him? For a World Cup dream, many people changed from arrogant teenagers to white-haired old men before they had today. But among those who initially charged and witnessed the charge, how many could see this day with their own eyes? See Fan Qiang's tears?

And on this day, at this moment, on the scene, in front of the TV, how many big men were crying like him?

Marshal He Long, who was in charge of sports when New China was first established, once said: "If the three major ball games don't make it out of Asia, I won't rest in peace!" Basketball and volleyball had both gone out, but only football was standing still. Today, he could finally rest in peace.

In another four years, who will be standing on this green field continuing this dream? As long as football doesn't stop spinning, this dream will not wake up.

Life is finite, but dreams are infinite...