Chapter 1 China's Asian Cup

The Asian Cup was the first large-scale football event China had ever hosted domestically, making it a matter of national importance. In particular, the Chinese team, playing on home soil, was the focus of great expectations. Despite the poor reputation of Chinese men's football, this did not prevent China's die-hard fans from repeatedly placing their hopes on them.

Luo Wenqiang already knew that he would be leaving the Chinese Football Association soon after the Asian Cup to take up the position of Director of Personnel at the State Sports General Administration. He very much hoped that before he left, he could leave a good impression on Chinese fans at the Asian Cup, and even more so, that the higher-ups would see his political achievements. That was why he had wanted to transfer Yang Pan to the national team.

However, Ali Han assured him that the Chinese team, with its current lineup, would still win the championship. Only then was Luo Wenqiang slightly relieved.

The declaration of winning the championship was limited to the top echelons of the Football Association. To the outside world, they expressed "modestly" that their goal was to advance from the group stage. Chen Wei felt somewhat sad. In a competition on their own soil, and being listed as a favorite to win the championship, they didn't even have the courage to announce their desire to win the championship to the outside world. Were they afraid of being laughed at if they didn't win? But if they really gave it their all, even if they came away empty-handed, who would dare laugh at them?

But there were just some people who couldn't see through it.

In fact, if it hadn't been arranged to be held in China, this Asian Cup wouldn't have attracted much attention from the Chinese people. Originally, with the European Cup and Copa América as comparisons, who would be interested in the Asian Cup, which had no technique, no tactics, and no stars? What concerned Chinese fans was probably still a patriotic heart.

The media also actively promoted the event. Some media outlets even ran advertisements like this before the European Championship: "Asian Cup, the mood of a host country winning the championship." As the Asian Cup approached, due to the influence of the Football Association's "modest" attitude, the media's advertisements were also more subtle. "2004 Asian Cup, witness the birth of a new Asian overlord." This sentence seemed subtle, but it was actually clearer. A new overlord, what is a new overlord? Among the favorites to win the championship in this Asian Cup, only the Chinese team had never touched the honor of Asian champion. The object referred to by this new overlord was very clear.

However, very regrettably, Chinese fans were divided into two distinct factions: those who thought China had a chance to win the championship, and pessimists who didn't think China would win the championship, or even advance from the group stage.

Chinese people seemed to like infighting. The two factions not only argued in real life, but also argued fiercely on the internet. Then, in this lively atmosphere, the Asian Cup opened in Beijing.

However, the opening ceremony, which Luo Wenqiang had hoped for, caused him to lose face in front of the Secretary-General of the Asian Football Confederation, Velappan, because of the fans.

Not to mention the sparse stands, just one booing incident made Velappan very unhappy.

Originally, the fans should have been booing Luo Wenqiang. However, because Cctv5, which was responsible for broadcasting, considered the uncertainty of the live broadcast, it released the signal with a 30-second delay. That is to say, everyone watching TV at home or watching the screen at the scene was seeing a picture that was 30 seconds in the past.

Therefore, when the live screen broadcast a shot of Luo Wenqiang speaking, the fans booed in unison, which was very harsh. But at this time, the person standing in front of the microphone wishing the Asian Cup a complete success was Velappan, the Secretary-General of the Asian Football Confederation.

Velappan, who was unaware of the truth, was extremely annoyed. As the Secretary-General of the Asian Football Confederation, where did he go that he wasn't welcomed and respected? But the Chinese fans were so ignorant and dared to boo him? So, the next day, several major media outlets prominently featured an article by Velappan angrily questioning Chinese fans.

But he didn't know that fans were the people in the world who paid the least attention to power and status. They didn't care which Secretary-General you were, if you annoyed them, they would still make you lose face. So, Velappan's move undoubtedly poked a hornet's nest. Not only the fans, but even the media expressed their dissatisfaction with Velappan's pointing fingers and demanded that he retract what he said.

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Even though the Chinese team was held to a draw by the "amateur team" Bahrain in the opening match, which made many people very pessimistic about China's prospects in the Asian Cup, this did not prevent the second match against Indonesia from being packed. The fans seemed to want to prove that Velappan was talking nonsense, no matter how bad the Chinese men's football team was, the Chinese fans were definitely first-class.

As a result, they enjoyed a hearty victory. The Chinese team swept Indonesia 5:0. It felt like eating hot pot on a hot day. Although they were sweating profusely, they were still taking off their clothes and shouting "Awesome!"

How long had it been since the Chinese men's football team had given the fans such joy?

This great victory completely ignited the passion buried in the hearts of Chinese fans. From then on, every match of the Chinese team would be packed at the Beijing Workers' Stadium. Li Yan couldn't help but sigh, "Except for the Longma battle, the Workers' Stadium has never been as lively as it has been during this period! I wonder what the national players will think when they see this? In fact, our fans don't ask for much..."

He remembered an interview. A group of fans who had rushed over from Hunan, led by a man named Niu Jianhua, had come to cheer for the Chinese team. However, because many people didn't expect the Chinese team to go so far, their budget was not enough, and eventually they even had problems eating. If they hadn't booked their tickets in advance, they probably wouldn't have been able to enter the stadium. Because they really couldn't hold on any longer, several brothers with poor family conditions had to go back early. Before leaving, they all grabbed Niu Jianhua's hand and said, "Lao Niu, count our share too, cheer for the Chinese team!"

In this way, the remaining people persisted until the final.

When Cctv5's reporter interviewed these Hunan fans who were basically out of money and food, Lao Niu smiled honestly at the camera and said, "If the Chinese team can perform like this, we are willing to go without food and drink."

"Yes! Willing! It's a matter of pride for China!" The people behind him shouted loudly, waving the five-star red flag.

Now, when Li Yan recalled the answer from the man called "Lao Niu" again, he was a little touched.

This is the Chinese fan. They have paid money, time, and too many things that ordinary people cannot imagine, which are not understood by others. Just to exchange for a game where they can hold their heads high, for a competition worth remembering forever.

In the end, a good game can bring such and such benefits to players, coaches, the Football Association, and businesses, but what actual benefits can it bring to the fans? Whether it's money or fame, they get nothing. But they are still so obsessed, they can smash the TV they just bought after a football failure; they can divorce their wives for the control of the TV; they can set themselves on fire* to protest the government not letting them watch the World Cup.

This is the fan, a group ridiculed by many as "madmen"; regarded as dangerous elements affecting social stability and unity; the most easily overlooked but also the most basic group in Chinese football, a... very special existence.

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Carrying the extraordinary expectations of fans across the country, the Chinese team defeated Qatar, Iraq, and Iran all the way, and finally stood at the Beijing Workers' Stadium, waiting for their opponent in the final, a century-old enemy -- Japan.

The importance of this final would make the breathing of everyone concerned become heavy and rapid. Everyone knew what the word "Japan" meant in the hearts of Chinese people. In China's modern history of more than a hundred years, Japan used very cruel methods to engrave unforgettable scars in the hearts of Chinese people, and the pain on the scars did not diminish or even disappear with the passage of time, but recurred every year on special days, reminding China, don't forget history. Time can smooth everything, but it is the only thing that cannot erase the hatred between nations. Just like Jews and ***, Palestinians and Israelis, India and Pakistan, and also China and Japan.

From the September 18th Incident to the Lugou Bridge Incident, and then to the Nanjing Massacre. This was no longer just a football match.

"N Reasons to Destroy the Little Japanese," this eye-catching headline of *Titan Sports* was personally written by Li Yan. He also came up with the title. When he submitted the manuscript, some people were worried that the words "Little Japanese" would touch the sensitive and fragile nerves of some people, but Li Yan insisted on publishing it like this, and said, "I just want to touch the sensitive and fragile nerves of some people." In the end, the deputy editor-in-chief waved his hand: "Publish it according to the original manuscript."

So, this title and article that made the audience feel relieved was published on the front page of *Titan Sports*. The title was also marked out in red characters, black body, and bold to make it very eye-catching. Li Yan looked at the title, and he was very proud.

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The pre-match propaganda, filled with fervent emotions, filled the match with the smell of gunpowder. Even the Japanese government protested to the Chinese government, hoping that the Chinese government would treat football and politics separately. But the fans didn't care about that. Chongqing was the venue for Japan's group matches. Whenever there was a Japanese match, all the Chinese fans would definitely be fans of Japan's opponents. The booing never stopped when the Japanese team played its national anthem. It was believed that the final would be no exception.

However, Cctv5 did not give the fans in the stands even one shot throughout the final. After all, it was a very influential media outlet, and many things could not be reported.

The first half of the match ended in a 1:1 draw. After the Japanese team scored first, the entire Workers' Stadium was silent, with only the cheers of the Japanese players. Lao Niu bit the corner of the national flag in his hand, his heart in his throat. He was afraid that the Chinese team would commit its old problem of going soft. But fortunately, the Chinese team then relied on a clever cooperation on the left to score an equalizer. The cheers in the Workers' Stadium were like a volcanic eruption, erupting all the anger that the Chinese people had been suppressing for a long time.

God knows how many of them were greetings to the direct female relatives of the Japanese people? However, even the always honest Lao Niu couldn't help but loudly curse, "I fuck your mother, Little Japanese! I'll let you be crazy again! Crazy your mother's ass!"

After cursing, he suddenly felt much better, even more effective than taking an elixir.

The balance of the first half was broken by a handball in the second half.

Yuji Keisuke, this name should be firmly remembered by all Chinese fans. It was he who deliberately used his hand to knock the ball into the Chinese team's goal after the corner kick was taken, helping Japan regain the lead. When the Chinese players raised their hands to protest, the referee turned a blind eye. He insisted on ruling the goal valid, even though the entire process of the goal was being played on the big screen, clearly showing Yuji Keisuke hitting the football with his hand.

The referee's obvious bias also broke the morale of the Chinese team, and the subsequent match was played in a chaotic and disorganized manner.

At that time, the goal was repeatedly played by Cctv5, and even the commentator Liu Hongmin anxiously shouted in the broadcast room, "This is clearly a handball! Why is the referee turning a blind eye? Is this the gold medal referee that the Asian Football Confederation is focusing on cultivating? If it's this level... then I personally can only express my regret and anger!"

The gold medal referee in Liu Hongmin's mouth was the referee for this match, Fahari from Kuwait. As the Asian Football Confederation's key gold whistle, Fahari was going to referee the German World Cup, representing the highest level of Asian referees. However, he made multiple low-level mistakes in this match, which was really incomprehensible. Even the Japanese team's coach Zico helplessly said, "This is the first time I've seen a referee call us offside when throwing a boundary ball!"

In fact, it wasn't that the referee's level was not good, but that the Asian Football Confederation had deliberately arranged it. This matter was not complicated as long as it was viewed in connection. First of all, the Chinese team was the host, and for the sake of box office revenue and popularity, the interests of the host must be taken care of. The Asian Football Confederation did not want the stands in the final to be deserted, which would become a big joke in the world football scene. This would explain why someone on the opposing side was sent off in the Chinese team's two knockout matches, and the fouls committed by the Chinese team were almost ignored, while the opposing team was treated with extra severity. In the semi-final against Iran, it would have to be seriously considered whether the Chinese team could have appeared in the final without the help of the referee.

However, taking care of the interests of the host did not mean allowing you to win the championship. In particular, Asian Football Confederation Secretary-General Velappan was publicly humiliated in Beijing, which was equivalent to humiliating the Asian Football Confederation. This made Velappan very unwilling to swallow this breath. In addition, the relationship between the Asian Football Confederation and the Chinese Football Association had never been very good. Now that there was an excuse, it was only natural to have the referee take down the Chinese team in the final. Moreover, losing to Japan in a handball manner would increase China's pain and make Velappan feel better. In fact, the seeds of the Chinese team's failure were buried as early as the opening match, but the Chinese fans, media, and Football Association officials, who were too excited, did not see it.

The Asian Football Confederation built a stage for the Chinese team to make a fool of themselves, first praising them to the sky, and then smashing them to the ground. In this way, Velappan not only looked black, but his heart was also really black!

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Returning to the match itself, watching Li Yi running around aimlessly like a headless fly in front, Li Yan really couldn't bear to watch any longer. If Zhang Jun was there, those opportunities, as long as he seized them twice, the Little Japanese would be finished. So what if they used a handball? They would still lose even if they used despicable means!

But now... the Chinese forwards!

Chinese football has always been famous in Asian football for producing high-quality forwards. From the ball king Li Huitang in the 1930s; to Rong Zhixing in the 1970s, who was called "the only Chinese with world superstar temperament" by Pele; to Qiu Suhui, Gu Guangming, and Zhao Dayu in the 1980s, who were as famous as Van Basten in the World Youth Championship; and then to Hao Haidong, Li Bing, Song Maozhen, and Yang Chen in the 1990s... which one was not a famous name at the time? This made Chinese fans very proud and made Japan envious, because although their midfield was the first in Asia, their forwards... were really not good enough.

But now the Chinese national team can't even find a forward who can score goals! How ironic is this? I remember when he was in college, Li Yan saw an article in *Football Club* magazine called "Forwards: China's Football Double-Edged Sword", which roughly said that it was a good thing that China produced forwards, but it also had disadvantages. Over-reliance on forwards made the Chinese team's style monotonous, ignoring the cultivation and construction of midfield talents. Since Peng Weiguo retired, China has never had a real attacking midfielder. With the development of football tactics, the importance of the midfield in modern football has become increasingly prominent, but the Chinese team still relies on forwards, blindly long passes and crosses, or relying on fast wingers to cross from the bottom line. But once there is a shortage of forwards, the impact on Chinese football will be very huge. Because by that time, the Chinese team, which has long lost its midfield and now lost its strong forwards, will suddenly find that it doesn't know how to play football anymore.

At that time, the article did not have any repercussions, but Li Yan now has to admire the author. Now what he said has finally become a reality. There has been a break in the Chinese forwards. If it weren't for the extraordinary performance of Shao Jiayi, a midfielder playing in Germany, the Chinese team might have been wiped out in the group stage.

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Finally, finally heard the whistle at the end of the match, the goal scored by the Japanese before the end of the match was meaningless. Watching the Japanese laugh and celebrate wildly on our own field, Li Yan felt very uncomfortable. He had a bit of an impulse to rush down and hit someone. I believe that there are not a few people who have the same impulse as him, because as soon as the match ended, a group of emotionally excited fans rushed down from the stands and chased and beat the referees and Japanese players on the field. There were also many people in the stands who didn't go down cheering for those warriors.

Do you know why Cctv5 played advertisements very unconventionally as soon as the match was over, instead of continuing to report the situation ahead, and there were no reporters interviewing? It was because of this episode.

With the intervention of the armed police on the scene, the conflict only lasted for a short two or three minutes before it ended. When the picture turned back again, nothing could be seen, as if nothing had happened here just now. The Chinese team had already started to go on stage to receive the silver medal.

Everyone went up, shook hands with Zhang Jilong, and then put on the silver medal, and then went down the stage without saying a word, and then took off the silver medal.

Ali Han refused to go up to receive the award. He even wanted to go back to the locker room directly. But he was stopped by the Asian Football Confederation officials when he walked to the entrance of the passage: "Sorry, coach. You must go up to receive the award." He pointed to the award platform not far away.

"Are you asking me to receive the championship trophy?" Ali Han said to the official angrily.

"Sir..."

"Sorry, that silver medal doesn't belong to me in the first place, why should I go up to receive that... damn silver medal?" Ali Han still insisted on returning to the locker room, but the other party blocked his way with his body.

Seeing that the other party wouldn't let him pass, he had no choice but to stand at the entrance of the passage angrily, watching the embarrassed people on the award platform.

"Sir, I would like to remind you that refusing to receive the award will be punished by the Football Association!" The official said in a tough tone.

"Sorry, I have the right to refuse an unfair medal!" Ali Han also said in a tough tone.

Seeing Ali Han's tough attitude, the official knew that he would definitely not go up to receive the award. On the other side, Velappan was standing on the stage with the last silver medal in embarrassment, not knowing what to do, but he must have cursed Ali Han's family all over in his heart. The camera gave him a close-up of his face for a long time, and when his embarrassing smile appeared on the live screen, nearly 70,000 Chinese fans at the scene unanimously and from the bottom of their hearts booed him, which was regarded as a "thank you" to Velappan.

In the end, there was no other way but to pull Ali Han's translator Dong Hua to make up the number and receive the silver medal.

Then it was time to award the gold medals and trophies to the champions. The fans were already starting to leave in dissatisfaction, while the Chinese team stood on the bench, watching the Little Japanese happily go on stage to receive the award.

The Japanese players seemed very excited, after all, they had defeated the Chinese team on Chinese soil, and what could be more relieving than this?

But Chen Wei was a little unlucky. Because he was the award presenter for the champion, he had to stand on the stage and hang the gold medals around the necks of each Japanese player, and then shake hands with them.

One, two, three, four... When he finally handed the heavy championship trophy to Japanese team captain Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, he couldn't help but feel a little heartache--this should have been handed to the Chinese players...

Finally, after finishing this errand, Chen Wei quietly stepped back. Watching Miyamoto Tsuneyasu raise the trophy high and cheer with his teammates, he also put his left hand, which had shaken hands with the Japanese players, next to his suit pocket and gently rubbed it a few times.

This subtle to the point of being imperceptible action was noticed by Li Yan. Everyone should be very clear about what it meant.

The seeds of hatred between China and Japan in football were officially sown today, on August 7th in Beijing, on this cold summer night.

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It was late at night, and the crowd gradually dispersed. But there were still some unwilling Chinese fans gathered in front of the Workers' Stadium and the Kunlun Hotel where the Japanese team was staying, shouting anti-Japanese slogans and burning the Japanese flag, which caused a small commotion. But Luo Wenqiang, the full-time vice chairman of the Chinese Football Association, was no longer in the mood or able to take care of those things.

After the crowd dispersed, he sat alone on the cement steps of the Workers' Stadium stands, facing a mess, silently speechless. If we compare it with the photo of Wang Junsheng slumped in a chair in 1999, we will definitely come to such a conclusion: the two have many differences, but they surprisingly unanimously chose a posture that could not stretch their bodies to solidify, because their moods could not stretch.

Luo Wenqiang has always been shown to the public as a strong man, a tough guy, and an iron-fisted chairman, but Li Yan, who was wandering around, accidentally stumbled upon this scene. He didn't expect that such a person, who could remain calm in the face of humiliation in front of the fans, would also have such a weak and embarrassed side. He suddenly remembered Luo Wenqiang's predecessor, Wang Junsheng. A person who was also quite controversial during his tenure, a person who was much criticized. But after stepping down and doing business, he was rehabilitated for creating the Chinese football professional league. I wonder if Luo Wenqiang will have such treatment many years later?

It's really hard to say. Wang Junsheng at least brought professional reform to the stagnant Chinese football, although his Haigeng spring training and 10,000-meter physical training every day were criticized. But what can Luo Wenqiang leave behind in the end?

Before the final, Li Yan had an accidental encounter with Wang Junsheng in the water bar of the training bureau. At that time, he seemed to have drunk some wine, and said to Li Yan with high spirits: "We must regard the Asian Cup as a national war, a national war! We must win this battle!" Four years ago, it was Wang Junsheng who insisted on winning the hosting rights of the Asian Cup. At that time, he was already on the verge of stepping down and was still very unconvinced. He really wanted to use his home advantage to win a victory for Chinese football.

This time, he even filled out a check for three million yuan with a signature pen, intending to use it to reward the Chinese team after winning the championship. But now no one knows where that check is, maybe Wang Junsheng, who was in a fit of anger, tore it up on the spot with wine, or burned it, or handed it over to the finance department. But what does it matter? The Asian Cup is over, and the Chinese team is not the champion.

At the same time, the Chinese players, who had flown to their homes from the Kunlun Hotel like magpies, were already pondering on the road: how much bonus will there be this time?

This Asian Cup, which was held after the European Cup and Copa América, was like chicken ribs. For Chinese football, only three things are worth remembering.

1. Velappan rudely grabbed the microphone and cursed at the press conference.

2. Premier League main player, returned-overseas star Wang Hui publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with head coach Ali Han for not being able to play the main force in the national team.

3. The Japanese team hand "wins" (rape).

Except for the above three, the rest is "nothing".

In the end, we still did not witness the birth of a new Asian overlord at home as the advertisement said. The Japanese successfully defended their title.

Now, looking back at the hopeful start, people can't help but think of a sentence: "I dreamed that my lover would drive the Seven-Colored Auspicious Clouds to save me, but I guessed the beginning, but I didn't guess the ending."

"One day, the Asian Cup will become a cloud passing over us. It existed, but it had no weight." This is the feeling of a senior commentator of *Football* newspaper. Although as an opponent in the industry, Li Yan still admitted that what he said was right and reasonable.

The Asian Cup is like a cloud in the sky that day...