Four years ago, when the Chinese Olympic team set off for Madrid to participate in the Olympic Games, when they were transiting in Dubai, they happened to meet the Chinese women's football girls who were also transiting to Paris to prepare for the Olympics.
It was a chance encounter. We greeted each other at the airport, cheered each other on, and then parted ways.
This scene was filmed into a short video, posted online, and became quite popular.
But this time the boys of the Olympic team should not expect to meet the women's football team halfway.
On the one hand, they don’t need to transfer somewhere at all to get from Shanhai to Los Angeles, there are direct flights.
On the other hand, the routes of the women's football team and the Olympic team are different. The women's football team departs from China ten days earlier than the Olympic team. They first go to Europe for a warm-up tour and use competition as training. Then they go directly from Europe to Los Angeles to participate in the Olympic Games.
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The two teams, one heading east and the other heading west, couldn't get together at all.
Even if they reach the Olympics, it will be difficult for the two teams to meet.
They don't even live in the same city.
Most of the events in the Olympic Games are held in Los Angeles, but for football, a sport with relatively high venue requirements, Los Angeles obviously cannot accommodate sixteen men's Olympic teams and twelve women's football teams competing at the same time.
So the football matches must be moved elsewhere.
Just like the Madrid Olympics four years ago, the Chinese Olympic team stayed and competed in Valencia.
It's the same this time. Although the Olympic Games are in Los Angeles, the Chinese Olympic team will move to San Francisco, where all their group games will be held.
The Chinese women's football team's matches and accommodation are in Seattle.
According to the schedule, if the Olympic team and women's football team want to return to Los Angeles, they will have to play until the semi-finals, which is the semi-finals.
At the same time, because the Olympic football competition starts earlier than the Olympic opening ceremony, it is impossible for both men's and women's football teams to participate in the Olympic opening ceremony.
This can be considered a tradition of the football program.
Although the players participated in the Olympics, they were unable to attend the opening ceremony, which I have to say is a pity.
Although it is unlikely that the men's and women's football teams will meet, Hu Lai and Li Qingqing can still meet in the United States.
Because before the Olympic Games, their common sponsor Feifan Sports Brand will provide them with privately customized Olympic boots.
Before the league ended last season, Feifan Company specially sent people to Madrid, Spain, to collect the foot movement data of the two of them, and then brought them back to the US headquarters for analysis, design and production.
The products produced are now finally ready for use.
Before the Olympic Games, Feifan Company invited Hu Lai and Li Qingqing to Los Angeles to attend a press conference for the launch of new equipment specially held for them.
After putting on new shoes, he showed off his skills to satisfy the media reporters, celebrities, and ordinary fans invited to the scene.
This is also currently known to be the only chance for Hu Lai and Li Qingqing to meet during the Olympics.
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Hu Lai and Li Qingqing held their own exclusive sneakers in their hands, with smiles on their faces, facing the camera, allowing reporters to take photos.
The sneakers specially designed by Feifan Company for the two of them are "couple models".
The sneakers in Hu Lai's hands are red and black, and there is a dark golden dragon pattern circling on the shoe body. On the tongue of the sneakers, there is the same dark golden dragon head, which looks very domineering.
The sneakers in Li Qingqing's hands are a combination of turquoise and pink, very girly and fresh. There are dark phoenix feather patterns on the shoes. The tongue is not a simple phoenix head, but a phoenix crown pattern.
Hu Lai's sneakers come from Feifan's "Shooter" series. This series of sneakers does not pursue extreme lightness and speed, but emphasizes the stability of several key contact parts when touching the ball, which can help players control the ball.
The ball is shot more accurately.
Therefore, the "shooter" series of sneakers are mainly used by centers.
Hu Lai is not a fast player, so he naturally wore a "shooter" before. Now Feifan Company has customized a private "shooter" based on his foot shape and sports data, which will be more suitable for him.
What Li Qingqing has in hand is another series of Feifan's "Free Man". This one is more comprehensive, has both speed and ball control, and is also very supportive, ensuring the player's body stability and ball control during high-speed movements.
Accurate. Very suitable for an all-around player like Li Qingqing.
After the new product display, Hu Lai and Li Qingqing put on their shoes again and showed off their skills on the court.
If this event was held for Hu Lai or Li Qingqing alone, then this link would basically be a ball game.
Now that there are two people, the interaction should also be emphasized when showing off the skills.
So one person throwing the ball turned into two people passing the ball to each other.
This was not difficult for Hu Lai and Li Qingqing, and it even reminded them of their usual sparring.
The reporters present saw the two people passing the football around with smiles on their faces. For some reason, they suddenly felt their throats were so sweet and they felt full for no apparent reason...
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After feeding the reporters dog food, Hu Lai and Li Qingqing sat down to be interviewed by the media reporters.
A reporter asked: "Just now, people from Feifan Company said that they hope you can wear exclusive boots and achieve good results in this Olympics. So, what are your expectations for participating in this Olympics in terms of results?"
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Hu Lai and Li Qingqing looked at each other, and it was Li Qingqing who said first: "I hope I can at least reach the semifinals."
In the last Olympic Games, Li Qingqing led the Chinese women's football team and won a bronze medal. This was also the best result of the Chinese women's football team in various world competitions after entering the 21st century. This best result was later replaced by the bronze medal in last year's Women's World Cup.
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So if you reach the semifinals, you may get a medal.
To be a little more modest, this result is completely acceptable for women's football.
"What about Hu Lai?" The reporter asked Hu Lai.
Hu Lai said: "I also hope to reach the semifinals."
Different from Li Qingqing's calm reaction when he said this target, the reporters present still let out a low cry after hearing Hu Lai's words.
Although the outside world has many assumptions about the goals of the Chinese Olympic team for this Olympics, and there are also some optimistic people shouting the slogan of "getting medals", the official Chinese Olympic team has always avoided talking about it.
Now this is the first time that reporters have heard goals related to "getting medals" from relevant personnel of the Olympic team!
So is this an “official announcement” in some sense?
The reporters realized that they seemed to have encountered "big news" and became excited.
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"Hu Lai said it himself, the goal of the Olympic team is to reach the semi-finals!"
"What? Hu Lai wants to win a medal?"
"Pass this on, Hu Lai said he won't return to China until he gets the Olympic gold medal!"
"Have you heard? Hu Lai said that after winning the Olympic gold medal, he will return to China and run naked!"
"Holy shit, are all the professional players having so much fun nowadays?"
"Why do you only have medals in your eyes? Hasn't anyone noticed that according to the schedule, if Hu Lai and Li Qingqing want to meet in Los Angeles, they must both reach the semi-finals? So why do you think they both said the goal is four
powerful?"
"Good guy, so this is a public feeding of dog food?"
…
Under the news that Hu Lai and Li Qingqing attended the Fei Falcon new shoe launch conference, countless Chinese fans left such enthusiastic messages.
"Oh, Hu Lai's mouth is too fast!"
Ran Jiachang, the leader of the Olympic team, sighed after seeing the news report.
"Although I think Hu Lai probably just agreed with Li Qingqing, it's not a big deal if he finds out." Head coach Mai Zhaocheng said with a smile.
Before this, the Olympic team had never publicly announced what their goals were. Although the players knew it, there were no relevant reports in the media.
After all, goals are used to boost the team's fighting spirit, and there is no point in shouting about it.
If you fail to do so, you will easily be considered as "talking big".
According to Ran Jiachang's idea, wait until the Olympic team really achieves the highest goal, and then say to the outside world that the team has been working hard for this goal. This does not require taking any risks. If we fail to achieve it, then there will be no one
I know the Olympic team once had such a bold delusion...
But now because of a business event, Hu Lai has exposed the team's goals.
If this is not done... Ran Jiachang thinks about it, he and the Olympic team may become synonymous with "overestimating one's capabilities".
Mai Zhaocheng didn't see it that way: "Think in a positive direction, Lao Ran. Let this matter become a pressure test for our team. Besides, we have already shown our strength in the domestic invitational tournament, and now we are being
People know this goal, but it actually has little impact on us. After the invitational tournament, aren’t there more and more optimistic voices in the media and on the Internet?”
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"Hu Lai, are you afraid of putting pressure on your teammates when you say this?"
Li Qingqing asked on WeChat.
The good time together was short-lived, as she and Hu Lai have returned to their respective teams.
The butterfly effect triggered by this gathering was that everyone noticed the goals of the Olympic team.
"What kind of pressure can there be? I can't bear this pressure. Then won't the pressure on our local World Cup be even greater in the future? Some of these players will definitely enter the national team in the future. Let's treat it as a preview now!" Hu Lai said nonchalantly.
replied.
Of course he would not admit that he was only thinking about reuniting with Li Qingqing in Los Angeles, completely unaware that saying so would reveal the team's highest goal.
Li Qingqing thought for a while and felt that what Hu Lai said made sense. Learning to face pressure is a required course for professional players. Besides, compared with the World Cup, the pressure of the Olympics is much less.
She made a grin and said, "Come on then, see you in Los Angeles!"