Since the qualifiers for the 1957 World Cup, China, a big country with a population of nearly one-quarter of the world, has begun a dream of pursuing for forty-four years. A country with the most populous cannot prove itself in a world number one sport, which is something that some people can't figure out.

Wang Dawei, Zhang Linxiang, Kong Wenbin, Zhao Yishang, Schlapner, Li Jisheng... Each name is associated with this dream. New Zealand and Saudi Arabia's counterfeit ball, 5.19 incident, black three minutes, Jinzhou does not believe in tears... These old photos of history are the journey of China's forty-four years of striking the World Cup. Along the way, suffering and thorns have never been short of, but flowers and beautiful scenery have never appeared. Along the way, generations of Chinese footballers have shed blood, sweat, and tears, but they have not seen the dawn. Along the way, many people have become cold, their tears have dried up, and they have fallen down and never rise again. Many people have joined in, regardless of the wind and rain, and are determined.

I saw the low national flag on the stands again and again, and the fans were crying. I fell again and again, but I looked up but saw only a darkness. I realized that sometimes dreams can be so cruel.

Along the way, there were always a group of people rushing in front. The thorns under their feet cut through the soles of their feet. The dark night was not clear. The bumpy road made them fall again and again. They fell. Then a group of people took the flag and rushed in front. They fell. Another group of people picked up the flag, charged, and kept...

In 2001, there was another group of people carrying flags and continuing this dream.

It's been four years of reincarnation, and it's been forty-four years...

In the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, because Japan and South Korea jointly organized, China's Asian opponents were missing two at once, leaving only Saudi Arabia and Iran. When the group draws in the top ten games, another draw was drawn: China, as the second seed team, will definitely avoid one of Iran and Saudi Arabia. But the results of the grouping were indeed avoided. Saudi Arabia and Iran were assigned to Group A and fought each other. Under such a good situation, the only question left is whether the Chinese national team led by Milu can change the decline in previous years and break out of Group B to create a bloody road to Japan and South Korea.

Even when facing a weak team, the Chinese people are worried because the Chinese team has always had the "fine tradition" of "scrowding in the gutter". In addition, the Chinese team's performance in the qualifier group stage was unsatisfactory, and they actually lost to North Korea, which has not participated in international competitions for a long time in Shanghai's Four Nations Invitational! This is unforgivable in the eyes of the Chinese people. In addition, the "bombardment" incident in the qualifiers, all these things make the already pessimistic Chinese people even more pessimistic.

On August 25, 2001, the Chinese team played against the UAE, the first opponent in the top ten match at the Wulihe Stadium in Shenyang. Just 3 minutes into the game, the Chinese team gave fans a huge surprise. The Chinese team No. 10 Haidong broke into the penalty area and made a cross. No. 20 Yang Guang flew a shot in front of the point. The midfielder No. 18 Li Peng, who followed up in the middle, easily pushed the ball into the empty goal!

The ball went in! 1:0!

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

Then, the Chinese team began a brilliant journey in the top ten games.

On August 25, he defeated the UAE 3:0 at home.

On August 31, he defeated Oman 2:0 away.

On September 7, he faced his strongest opponent in the group away. He tied the score in the last minute when he was one goal behind in the first half and scored a perfect point 1:1.

On September 15, he defeated the Central Asian wolf Uzbekistan 2:0 at home.

On September 27, he defeated the UAE 1:0 away.

So far, the Chinese team has 13 points and is already at the top of the list and has basically qualified. But fans across the country are still waiting for a day of official crowning. On October 7, 2001, China returned to home from the UAE. This day, it is natural for the Chinese team selected by the fans to enter the World Cup.

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

The tiring military training has finally ended. The National Day holiday is so empty-handed that it makes people do nothing. Zhang Jun, Yang Pan and Sophie run to the center of Hefei every day. There is no need to buy anything. It is mainly to kill time. I am a newcomer and train for another month. I don’t know what fun places are nearby. In addition, I call the brothers in the dormitory to play football. The situation of qualifying in China is very good. Recently, there are many more people playing football. Although it is on holiday, there will be no venue if I go late.

On October 7th, everyone stayed in the cafeteria after dinner, and no matter where there was a TV, it was crowded. Zhang Jun and the others had the foresight and came to the cafeteria one hour in advance to wait, avoiding the trouble of not being able to see the shadows and hear the sounds behind the vast sea of ​​people.

After the game started, everyone's emotions were quickly mobilized. The Chinese team kept applauding when they attacked. If the Chinese team made a mistake, they would slam the table and curse. If Oman made a foul, they would keep booing. Except for not being able to carry the banner and run around, everything was the same as the scene.

Zhang Jun felt this way. In this game, there were 1 billion fans in the stands of Wulihe, Shenyang. With such a huge number of fans in a game, only the Chinese team in the world can do it. Although he was angry at him and mourned his misfortune, as a Chinese, is it reasonable for Chinese fans to not support the Chinese team? So no matter how many words cursed Chinese football, the Chinese team has never lacked fans when it comes to a critical battle like the top ten games!

The game was a bit dull. Perhaps the huge psychological pressure was to qualify, which made the Chinese national football team unable to let go. Moreover, Oman used practical actions to prove what they said before the game: "We are not here to serve as a foil for other people's banquets!" They are here to disrupt the situation.

The game lasted 30 minutes, and the score was still 0:0. At this time, pessimism quietly returned to the hearts of the fans watching the game. There were too many examples of Chinese team losing streaks at critical moments. Seeing the international players on the court making mistakes and failed attacks, the fans also began to feel uneasy. Zhang Jun could already hear someone sighing and saying no. He felt a sharp pain in his arm. He turned his head and saw that Sophie, who had been holding his arm, pinching her. She stared at the TV screen, but her hands were tightly pinching Zhang Jun's arm, and her lips were biting pale.

The Chinese team lost another chance to score. Fans in the stands of Wulihe Stadium have begun to sing "My Motherland" to cheer up the Chinese team.

"The five-star red flag flutters in the wind! How loud the song of victory is! Singing our beloved motherland! From now on, we will be prosperous and strong!..."

Yang Pan was quite excited. He cursed whenever the Chinese team made a mistake. Relatively speaking, Zhang Jun just watched quietly, with only his hands tightly.

Zhang Jun clearly remembered that time. In the 35th minute, the Chinese team sent a ball from the left, and Ma Tian knocked back to Li Yi. Li Yi kicked the ball to the right side of Oman team. Li Peng headed the ball, and Haidong, who was ambushing the front of the Oman team's small penalty area, headed the ball again. No. 11 Yu Weimin and No. 20 Yang Guang formed a double ghost slap in front of the goal, and Yu Weimin took the lead and shot the ball in!

1:0!

The ball has entered!

At that moment, in the Wuli River in Shenyang, in a campus in Hefei, Anhui, in Beijing, in Shanghai...All parts of the country, just like a volcanic eruption that had been silent for a long time, everyone jumped up, waved their arms, and shouted loudly.

"I'm in!"

"Quick up!"

"We won!"

"Quick up! Quit!"

...

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

For the rest of the time, Oman counterattacked with all his might, but the leading Chinese team performed very calmly until the final whistle sounded, and they did not give Oman a chance.

After three whistles, Wulihe became a sea of ​​carnival, and fans, reporters, players, coaches... flocked in. The team members raised the national flag to greet the fans of the venue. The people in the cafeteria were also excited. Zhang Jun still did not scream as much as others. He just sat on a chair and continued to watch the TV broadcast. He had to taste the joy after the victory to make it more interesting.

When Zhang Jun saw the three-day veterans of the national team, Fan Qiang, the centre-back No. 5, squatting on the ground and covering his face and crying, his eyes were a little wet. A thirty-year-old man cried in front of the camera in front of the national audience, just crying with joy? He defeated Abu Dhabi in 1993, and the drizzling Jinzhou in 1997, lost penalty kicks, fatal mistakes... Eight years! How many eight years can a professional player be? How many thirty years old can a person be? From the league's best scorer to the three-day veterans in the national team, he has experienced more than others and felt deeply, so he sobbed in public! Is there anything more shocking than a big man who has experienced vicissitudes of crying?

Since childhood, football has brought me the most happiness. Today, during the great days when China qualifies, Zhang Jun deeply felt the cruel side of football. Fan Qiang was still lucky. At the end of his career, he could still realize his dreams in the World Cup. But how many people are as lucky as him on the road to China's impact? For a dream of the World Cup, how many people have changed from a rampant boy to a white-haired old man, and today has come to this day. But among those who initially impacted and witnessed the impact, how many people can see this day with their own eyes? What about seeing Fan Qiang's tears?

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

Marshal He Long, who was the main player in sports when the founding of New China, once said: "If the three major balls do not break out of Asia, I will die with my eyes open!" Basketball and volleyball have all gone out one after another, but football is standing still. Today he can finally rest in peace.

In another four years, will those people stand on this green field and continue this dream? The football will not stop rotating for a day, and the dream will not wake up all day.
Chapter completed!