"To be honest, our performance in the first half was so bad that I even wondered if I skipped four years and came directly from the last World Cup to this World Cup... Colombia is not weak, but we are also
You shouldn’t be beaten by them without being able to fight back!”
In the Spanish locker room, captain Juan Ramirez is lecturing the team.
The other Spanish players all lowered their heads, not daring to get into trouble at this time.
But Ramirez didn't want to see them like this, so he yelled: "Look up! Look at me!"
He pointed to his eyes with the index and middle fingers of his right hand.
Every Spanish player looked up and saw his angry eyes.
"Don't act like you've lost the game! Let's wait until we get home from China and do that! Cheer up now! There are still forty-five minutes left in the game."
Ramirez held out five fingers on one hand and four fingers on the other hand.
"We were only behind by one goal, and 45 minutes was enough for us to equalize the score and come back to win!"
Then Ramirez's tone softened slightly: "In the past four years, I have been in pain all the time. I often still dream about our disastrous defeat four years ago. I have trained hard during these four years and maintained good health.
We must adjust our daily routine and diet, and try not to let ourselves fall into the whirlpool of injuries... Everything we do is to regain what we have lost in front of the whole world four years later - dignity!"
At the end of the sentence, he still couldn't hold it back and his voice rose again.
And with his roar, the Spanish players standing in front of him began to breathe heavily.
Many of them can't forget how they were ridiculed by media and fans around the world after their humiliating group exit four years ago.
The captain's words hit their hearts accurately.
There is no reason, no excuse, and no way out.
This World Cup is their only chance.
※※※
Ramirez made a fierce tackle to tackle Andro Zapata's ball.
Zapata, who was shoveled to the ground, screamed and fell to the ground.
He hopes that this voice will attract the attention of the referee.
But the referee's whistle did not sound.
"Ramirez! Nice tackle! Very clean, no foul!"
Ramirez ignored Zapata, who was lying on the ground wailing. He got up and moved the ball forward.
Then he sent a long pass before other Colombian players could get to him!
The football was passed to Mario Salado in front.
There’s also an advance amount!
Salado doesn't need to slow down, just hold down the accelerator button and catch up with the football before moving the ball forward!
In this way, he reached the Colombian penalty area.
Facing the Colombian captain and center back Riva Moreno, who came up to defend, Salado tried to move inside and move laterally.
After deceiving Riva Moreno, he took a step forward and then slammed the football to the left with the inside of his right foot!
At the same time, he twisted around and inserted into the penalty area!
The 37-year-old Moreno is obviously slow to turn around. If this were the Madrid Pirates, it would not be fatal, because Danny Drew next to him would immediately come up to fill the position.
But now in the Colombian national team, Moreno does not have Drew, a top central defender, beside him!
By the time Moreno turned around, Salado had already caught up with the football and swung his left foot!
A low kick!
The football stuck to the turf, passed the Colombian goalkeeper's feet, and entered the net!
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOL! Salado! Salado! Mario Salado!
He equalized the score!" Spanish commentator Sanchez roared.
Spain did not perform well in the first half, and when Colombia took the lead, he was under great pressure.
The scene four years ago even lingered in front of his eyes.
It's like reliving an old dream, but it's just a nightmare...
During the halftime break, his colleagues in the back studio also fiercely criticized the national team's performance in the first half, thinking that they seemed to have not woken up and did not seem to have entered the rhythm of the game.
However, after the start of the second half, Sanchez was inspired by the spirit shown by the Spanish team.
It's like two completely different teams.
Sure enough, it only took them fourteen minutes in the second half to equalize the score.
"Excluding injury time, there is still half an hour left in the game. We still have time to score one more goal! Win this game and respond to the world with victory!"
Ramirez has been holding his breath for the past four years. As a commentator in Spain, why hasn't Sanchez been holding his breath?
Even in the past four years, Spanish teams have completely monopolized the Champions League championship, with the three giants taking turns taking the title.
But Sanchez still feels that the club is the club and the national team is the national team. The success of the club cannot be equated with the success of the national team. After all, there are many foreign players in the club...
These foreign players can help the club conquer the European arena, but they cannot help the Spanish national team restore its reputation.
The face lost by Spanish football in the World Cup must be recovered by the national team in the World Cup.
※※※
"Spain actually succeeded in reversing the situation!"
"What are you talking about? It's normal for them to win against Colombia, right? After all, their strength is there..."
"Did you not watch the game? Spain played very poorly in the first half. I still thought they were going to replicate the tragedy of four years ago..."
The England players, who had finished their game before the match between Spain and Colombia, discussed the match in Spain in a relaxed tone.
This is because they easily defeated Jamaica 3-0 in their first group match.
If you score three goals without allowing your opponent to score, this is called a "complete victory."
Whether it was the score or the scene, England's performance was perfect.
The game has only ended for three hours, and the English media and fans have already regarded this team as the favorite to win the championship online.
England's players who have performed so well will naturally feel a bit superior when looking at the stumbling performance of their opponents in the same group, Spain.
But not all England players are so optimistic.
"Spain has a tendency to get better as they play. If we take our game against them lightly, I'm afraid we won't be able to keep first place in the group." Jay-Yin Adams said to Pete Williams.
Pete Williams nodded and said: "I will talk to Scott and ask him to remind everyone in the team. But if Spain also plays well in the next game, I think everyone's view of them will change."
"That's true..." Jayin Adams agreed.
Everyone is not a fool. If Spain performs well in the second game, can the English players still underestimate the opponent?
You must know that the biggest suspense of this group is not who can qualify, but who takes first place in the group.
England must strive to be first in the group, because only in this way can they avoid Argentina.
After entering the quarter-finals, the first place player in Group C will face the second place player in Group D.
The situation in Group D is actually very simple, that is, except for Argentina, the other three teams compete for second place in a group.
Argentina is definitely number one, no doubt about it.
The remaining qualifying spot will be between Tunisia, Serbia and Saudi Arabia.
No matter which of these three teams enters the top 16, for England, it will be a "lottery ticket that can earn five million."
※※※
"It's been three days since the World Cup started. All the first-round games of the first three groups have been played. Basically, the stronger teams won. Especially the seeded teams, they won all. Next is the highlight of the day that attracts the most attention.
Argentina vs. Saudi Arabia!”
"Before this World Cup, Argentina led by Melli was the favorite to win the championship and attracted much attention. Although they were eliminated by Manchester United in the Champions League, Melli still led the Madrid Kings to win the league championship, and he himself was also in excellent form.
.In addition to him, Farias's outstanding performance at the end of the season is also a major benefit for Argentina..."
Along with the commentator's introduction, Argentina's players appeared on the TV broadcast.
They walked to the players' tunnel one after another, waiting to play.
When Mellie Banega appeared in the tunnel wearing the captain's armband, the close-up camera immediately pushed up and locked him firmly.
Melly, who has grown a beard, looks older than his actual age, which also makes him look mature.
After all, he is no longer the "young eagle" he was back then, he is the captain of this team.
In the close-up shot, Melli high-fives, pats shoulders, and touches heads with his teammates who are waiting in the tunnel one by one, as if he is the boss of this team.
Then the players from Saudi Arabia also appeared in the tunnel.
When they passed by Melli, almost everyone would keep their eyes on the Argentine captain for a few seconds.
They looked timidly, with admiration and anxiety in their eyes.
It wasn't until later that someone plucked up the courage to go up and shake Merry's hand.
Melli also accepted all greetings from opponent players.
Seeing this scene, the Argentine commentator was extremely proud: "This is the superstar in today's football, the idol of countless players, the 'Eagle King' Mellie Banega, who can even conquer his opponents!"
※※※
"What the fuck?"
In front of the TV, many Chinese team players were dumbfounded and vomited sweet things.
The commentator on the TV was shouting in a complex tone of excitement and shock:
"competition is over!
The game is over! The biggest upset since the opening of this World Cup has occurred! The powerful Argentina lost to Saudi Arabia 1:2! The second victory of an Asian team turned out to be won by Argentina!"