There is such a team in the world football world that has never missed the finals of the 17th World Cup; it has only lost 3 of the 13 qualifiers on its continent; there are four shining stars on their yellow shirts; there are a large number of talented players in history; there are as many people who hate her as they like her, but no one dares to underestimate her because it is seeking death; for a period, this team was almost synonymous with football, yes, her name is Brazil.

However, no matter how beautiful the history is, no matter how brilliant the past results are, it cannot save Brazil's football. Brazil in 2001 felt a bit unfavorable. In history, they only lost three games in the South American qualifiers in total, which is an amazing record in international football. However, in the 2001 South American qualifiers, Brazil lost 6 of 18 games in one breath, which is also a very amazing record for Brazil's football. But the even more amazing record continues: In the two-year qualifiers, Brazil used four head coaches: Luxenbergin

The get out of class was dismissed for the poor Olympic record and poor dealing with relationships with the media and tax evasion. Although his successor Candinho performed well, Candinho refused to become the head coach of the Brazilian team because he was unwilling to "betray" his friend Luxenberg. Leon, who followed, was even more unlucky, but he was dismissed at the Japanese airport because of his poor record in the Federation Cup. Finally, Scolari, who was in power with an iron fist, finally led Brazil to defeat Venezuela 3-0 in the last round and entered the Japan-Korea World Cup. And during the long qualifiers, there were as many players entering and leaving the Brazilian national team!

The main lineup is unstable, the tactical style is unclear, the head coach is frequently changed, losing to more than half of the opponents... Sometimes, even the Brazilian people lose confidence and no longer hold any hope. Such a dark qualifier is something that Brazil has never seen in history!

Fortunately, Brazil finally qualified from the South American division. Otherwise, after losing the orange Netherlands and then losing the yellow Brazil, the World Cup of Japan and South Korea would be unimaginable.

I thought that after qualifying, the Brazilian national team could finally prepare for the World Cup wholeheartedly, but unexpectedly, because of the selection of Romario (Romario de Souza Faria), almost the entire Brazil and head coach Scolari turned their faces. However, in the end, Scolari still announced the news that Brazil's team's closing goal to Romario, although when he announced the news, hundreds of Romario supporters were protesting and demonstrating. As the player with the highest goal rate in Brazil, Romario's failure also gave another 34-year-old veteran spectator in the World Cup, and the other was Robert Baggio of Italy.

But no matter how the media and fans make a fuss, or even if the Brazilian president personally talks about his relationship, Scolari still insists on his own opinion, for the sake of a genius he likes, 19-year-old Kaka, whose full name is Ricardo Izecson Santos Leeni, plays for the Sao Paulo club in Brazil.

Kaka is working very hard to integrate into this big family, and it looks good. He can even ask Carlos for toothpaste. Although the outside world is making a fuss about Romario, the national team is still calm. Everyone knows that Kaka defeated Romario and was selected for the national team. However, when Kaka first joined the national team, Roberto Carlos patted him and said, "Don't worry, we can't hear the sound outside here!" He made an action of covering his ears, and his funny expression made Kaka laugh.

Speaking of which, Carlos is really an interesting person. He is short and has a weird appearance, but he keeps his smile on his face all day long. He has a good relationship with almost all the players. In the national team, he is a pistachio and a lively treasure. This reminds Kaka of Anke in the dawn, but Anke is much taller than Carlos, but the funny talent does not depend on height.

However, don't think that people who laugh all day long are easy to bully. I'm afraid all Carlos' opponents will think this way. Look at his left thigh with a 62 cm circumference, look at his amazing speed of 10 seconds 50 in 10 meters, and look at the free kick he scored at the 1997 French Four Nations Invitational Tournament... Will anyone still doubt his lethality?

At least Kaka doesn't. He saw Carlos's eyes before running up during free kick training. His eyes, which usually smiled like a crescent moon, were extremely firm and murderous at this time. Then after a "Carlos-style" run-up, when his left foot hit the football hard, and the ball was exaggeratedly bypassing the wooden wall but hit the goal post, Carlos smiled at Kaka on the side and shook his head. Kaka was thinking, fortunately, he and I were teammates, so we didn't have to line up to guard against his free kick wall during the game.

There is a devilish power in his 168cm and 70kg body, but this does not prevent Kaka from becoming good friends with him.

"God!" Carlos shouted slightly exaggeratedly, "Why are you handsome?" He held his bald head, looking very jealous. Kaka just smiled, he didn't know what he should say when facing this big brother.

But Carlos immediately returned to his original state, and he blinked his eyes cunningly: "Yes, you have the position of the second coach in the team!"

"Second?" Kaka was a little confused.

"Of course it's me! Hehe!" Carlos smiled, "By the way, you can't let Ronaldo know, otherwise he should come to you for a crime and ask you to give him the second place, hoho!"

Thinking of Ronaldinho's appearance, Kaka finally couldn't help laughing.

"By the way, that's the expression!" Carlos pointed at Kaka and said, "Remember your current expression and face everything you are about to face with a smile. Don't care what others say, don't treat yourself as a newcomer. Young man, football is actually very simple..."

Carlos pulled his left foot and the football flew into the goal bypassing the wooden wall.

Another person who made Kaka pay attention to it as soon as he came in was Ronaldo, who became famous at a young age and was famous in international football, but in the past two years, it seemed that the average Brazilian team's number one killer had disappeared.

In Brazil, the idol of all Brazilians is Pele, but in the eyes of many Brazilian children and young people nowadays, Ronaldo is also the object of worship, and Kaka is no exception. He is recognized by the entire Brazilian as a peerless genius.

Kaka's first feeling when he met Ronaldo in the national team was that "he has gained weight". This is understandable. He has not played well in the past two years. He has been sitting and recuperating and restoring training. His weight will definitely increase. However, Carlos solemnly reminded Kaka not to mention the word "weight" in front of Ronaldo, otherwise he will turn against you immediately.

However, during the training process, Kaka found that Ronaldo was training himself and he was losing weight! By the start of the World Cup, his weight had already lost 4.3 kilograms! This number is amazing for people familiar with Ronnie, because he hates people discussing weight in front of him the most. In order to lose weight, he can even turn against Inter Milan head coach Hectoe Cuper. But Kaka really saw Ronnie losing weight!

"Incredible, is it?" Cafu looked at Ronaldo, sweating profusely and said to Kaka beside him, "But if you see his tears at the Olympic Stadium in Rome that day, you will understand." Cafu said softly, "Think about the final of the French World Cup that year... you should understand his mood. Two times, each time the championship trophy was in front of him, but he fell on the finish line..."

When talking about Ronaldo, Carlos also lacked his usual hippie smile: "I have been unable to play football for two years. Almost 95% of people in the world think that he cannot return to the arena. What he needs now is to prove himself. Losing weight is the first step, he needs face. Don't look at him who hates others talking about weight in front of him. In fact, for the sake of the World Cup, you can do anything. So I said, don't doubt his ability, never doubt it, especially now he has the hope of victory like a hungry wolf." Finally, Carlos said in his usual tone: "Does it be time to give advice to the defenders of the world? The aliens are back on Earth!"

In Kaka's eyes, the World Cup is more like an extremely wonderful dream. After only playing in the Brazilian domestic league for a year, he was recruited into the Brazilian national team and participated in the World Cup! This is what countless players dream of, and Kaka has become a lucky one. But simply saying that he is lucky is too unfair. His speed and technology are more mature under the tempering of professional football. A "genius in Brazil has only produced one in thirty years". Who else can he choose if he doesn't choose?

The game against Costa Rica is the second game of the group stage. With the Brazilian victory set, Kaka, wearing the No. 23 jersey, was finally sent on the court by head coach Scolari to start his World Cup debut.

"Kaka, get ready to play!" When he heard Scolari say this to him, he didn't react. After Scolari repeated it again, he hurriedly stood up and took off his coat to warm up. He was doing warm-up moves on the sidelines, and the Brazilian team had already secured the victory 5:2. He knew that he went up just to feel the atmosphere of the World Cup, and don't expect too much. Seeing his teammates running on the court, he suddenly remembered Zhang Jun, the good friend in China.

The fourth referee checked Kaka's leg guard plate and shoe nails, and then raised the electronic display: On No. 23!

On June 13, 2002, Brazil's Costa Rica team had 26 minutes and 25 seconds in the second half. This should be the moment that Kaka was remembered forever. As a member of the Brazilian national team, he stepped onto the World Cup for the first time! The cheers of tens of thousands of fans made his eardrums hurt. It was completely different from the usual feeling of being at the Morumbi Stadium. The beauty that was indescribable lies in his heart.

"Kaka hugged Rivaldo, who was substituted, and stepped onto the court."

"Zhang Jun, I'm waiting for you here!"

"Kaka is on stage!" Yang Pan shouted in front of the TV, which made many people roll his eyes. Isn't it just a young boy from Brazil? Is it worth being so excited? Could it be that he still knows you?

Zhang Jun was wondering when he could take this step and step on the turf of the World Cup. It seemed very far away, but when they said goodbye last spring, who would have thought that Kaka would wear Brazil's yellow robe and appear on the World Cup field?

"Ronaldo! The ball is in! This is his eighth goal in this World Cup! 2:0! Brazil has almost put the World Cup in his arms! Rivaldo's missed, and Ronaldo's low shot once again pierced through the ten fingers of the best goalkeeper Oliver Kahn!"

"Referee Collina sounded the whistle to the end of the game! Brazil held the World Cup for the fifth time! They wrote history and won five championships in Brazil!"

After receiving the gold medal, Captain Cafu walked up to the front table and was led to the square table where the gold cup was placed. FIFA President Blatt picked up the gold cup and waited to hand it over to its owner. Cafu shook the tall and thin table, as if worried about whether it was stable, because the organizer told him that he would accept the gold cup on it.

After confirming that the stage is stable, Kafu climbed onto the "pool" and then bent down to take over the golden Hercules Cup from Blatt! He raised the Golden Cup high amid the cheers of the fans of the audience!

Below the audience are countless pairs of worshipful eyes and raised arms. Among the 2002 paper cranes flying all over the sky and countless colored bars, Brazil used this special way of receiving the prize to prove to people: Brazil has returned to the top of world football!

Kaka took over Hercules Golden Cup from his teammates, and every member of the Brazilian team had the opportunity to get close to this dream that had been fighting for for four years. The Golden Cup emitted dazzling lights under the stadium lights and flashes, making Kaka feel as if he was in a dream. It was incredible!

The people who supported Germany in the small hotel sighed, while the fans of Brazil were excited. Yang Pan supported Italy, but Italy did not even make the quarterfinals. Kaka was in Brazil, so he turned to support Brazil in sadness.

"Okay! Zhang Jun, Kaka has won the World Cup! That kid... is so enviable!" Yang Pan clapped and said to Zhang Jun beside him.

"Yes! World Champion..." Zhang Jun murmured, that trophy is the dream of almost all players, and now it is in Kaka's hands. Looking at Kaka's excited smile, Zhang Jun said in his heart: "It's 3:0, he has played a hat trick and has opened the gap again. Li Yongle, have you seen it?"

Li Yongle stood in the back row of the audience. All the places where he could watch the football near the school were crowded, so he had to run to this mall to watch. The TV in the home appliance area of ​​the mall was full of people, but fortunately there was a little bit of it. With his height, he could not affect his viewing from behind.

Brazil cheered high on Hercules Cup, putting the most orthodox end to this World Cup, which started with subversion - the team that has won the most championships in history added another star to its chest.

All the World Cup games have ended and the one-month drama has ended, but in Li Yongle's opinion, another good show has just begun. Whether it is Zhang Jun or Yang Pan, they will think so, right? Li Yongle thinks so.

Dortmund, Germany.

Yokohama in Japan is the first battlefield, and this is the second battlefield. At least that's what Anke thinks.

The small bar where he works is crowded since the start of the finals. After the game, there are still people who want to squeeze in. An Ke is exhausted, but he can still watch the TV broadcast. Kahn's several saves left a deep impression on him. Unfortunately, this goalkeeper who just won the "Lev Yashin Award" took off when he shouldn't have to. When Ronaldo put the ball in, An Ke seemed to hear the sound of countless beer glasses smashing in Germany.

When the bald referee Collina blew the final whistle, there was only the sound from the TV in the real bar. The big men who were still excited before the game started biting their collars and scarves with their mouths, desperately preventing themselves from crying, but tears still flowed out irresistibly. There was no shouting, no noise, or even sighing, and everyone was crying silently. No one drank the beer, and An Ke also stood foolishly in front of the TV, watching Kahn sitting alone in front of the doorpost, looking at the cheering Brazilians lonely. Whether it was his opponent Ronaldo or the referee Corlina's comfort, he could not blink. In the huge Yokohama International Arena, his back was so desolate...

I have had this feeling, right? An Ke asked himself in his heart, what was it like to watch his opponent celebrate victory in front of him?

Kahn must want to cry, right? But he just pursed his lips and had no expression. He was the captain, he was the pillar, and he was the last dignity of German football, so he could not cry. He had to show his strong side, to the whole world, to Germany, and to himself. He finally stood up and led Germany to the runner-up podium, and was the first to receive the silver medal. Despite this, he still did not have a smile when facing Blatt and Bailey.

An Ke remembered that when he was in his first year of high school, he seemed to be like this after the defeat. He felt so uncomfortable that he could not express it in public.

Brazil is the team where his friend Kaka is, and Kahn is his idol. He can't tell what he feels right now...

June 31, 2002, Yokohama, International Arena, Japan.

Kaka tasted the sweetest happiness in his life, while another group of people looked at his happiness with different moods.

PS: That’s all about football on campus. Recently, some people said that "We Are Champions" was not as detailed as before when describing the game, and it felt like a dime. I think it’s necessary to say a few words:

"We Are Champions" will be written from 2001 to 2010. In nine years, professional leagues, European events, World Cup, Olympics, Asian Cup, Federation Cup, and various friendly matches and confrontations, you can think of how many games there are in total. If I were written like "Do you care about playing football", I would probably be exhausted. And I can't guarantee that every game is written differently, wonderfully, and have a look.

Therefore, I will only write some exciting, important and key games in detail. The University League is just a springboard for Zhang Jun and his team to Europe. The only opponent in it is Li Yongle, and there is not much writing. I can't write two or three chapters in every game, right? Many people say that the writing is like a streamlined account. I think this may be the feeling after watching "Do you care about playing football?", which is also an aspect of my concern, because from such a detailed game description to such a brief game report, there is a very likely change in this style, but there is no way, it is necessary. Just like Zhang Jun and his team's growth, my writing must also go through such a process.

Of course, I try to write every game very exciting in such a large-scale match like the World Cup. However, I will not write every game in detail in every game, and even less than one-third of it is written in detail. The career of a professional player is long, not every game is classic, nor is it Zhang Jun will play a hat trick in every game, and it is even more impossible for every game to be constantly twists and turns, and I don’t know the result until the last minute.

There will be many competitions in the future, which may make many people unhappy, but for the sake of the whole novel, I must persist.
Chapter completed!