Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
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"Lance, did you ever think this day would come?"
"I did, but I didn't think it would be this soon."
"Yeah. Good luck!"
As Lance high-fived the substitute Dries Mertens and ran onto the field, Kevin De Bruyne couldn't help but feel a little emotional.
The younger brother he used to play with at KRC Genk had once dreamed of becoming teammates and fighting side-by-side.
He never expected this day to arrive so suddenly; they really had become National Team teammates.
At the same time, Kevin De Bruyne also felt an indescribable sense of urgency.
His younger brother seemed to be catching up and even surpassing him!
While Kevin De Bruyne was happy for him, he was also anxious for himself.
He hadn't made it at Chelsea and was forced to go on loan to VfL Wolfsburg, but this season he finally found his rhythm.
However!
Lance was gradually becoming a core player at Bayer Leverkusen!
In their last direct confrontation, he even led his team to defeat him!
Watching Lance overtake him, Kevin De Bruyne had been training like a madman recently, redoubling his efforts to make himself stronger.
I can't let Lance be left behind!
I also need to be stronger!
Côte d'Ivoire threw the ball in, and the game resumed. Kevin De Bruyne quickly shook his head to clear his mind and re-engaged in the match.
On the other side, Eden Hazard merely glanced in Lance's direction.
During the training sessions these past few days, Eden Hazard had witnessed Lance's capabilities, but he still couldn't believe that a 16-year-old kid could represent the Belgium National Team and have a chance to enter the World Cup.
It was a pity that he hadn't had the chance to challenge Lance one-on-one these past few days to test his true skill level.
This actual match was a good opportunity to observe Lance's quality.
"Let me see what's going on!"
"Alright, with Lance on the field, the Belgium team's formation has changed somewhat. The two strikers have been subtly adjusted from a parallel 4-4-2 to a 4-4-1-1, similar to Lance's Bayer Leverkusen."
"Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois; Defenders Toby Alderweireld, Thomas Vermaelen, Vincent Kompany, Nicolas Lombaerts; Midfielders Kevin De Bruyne, Marouane Fellaini, Axel Witsel, Eden Hazard; The forward line consists of the 16-year-old prodigy Lance, who just came on as a substitute, and Romelu Lukaku, who is playing furthest forward…"
"The game has been going on for nearly 60 minutes, and you can still feel the intensity of the Belgium team. Their dual defensive midfielder combination doesn't look like it has much organizational ability, but in reality, both wingers, Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, are players who can dribble and pass, so it's considered a dual attacking midfielder setup. It was just difficult to connect with Romelu Lukaku before, and Dries Mertens was restricted by the opposing defenders, making it hard for him to perform well. Côte d'Ivoire's defense is very strong, consisting of physically robust players. Let's see if Lance can adapt to this intensity…"
Lance indeed felt the pressure from the African team.
They were all strong, tough African brothers who immediately engaged in physical contests with Lance, almost pushing him 10 meters away.
The referee couldn't help but blow for a foul, which greatly frustrated Kolo Touré.
"I clearly didn't foul! This is unfair!"
"Stop pretending! You fouled!"
The Spanish referee was not at all polite.
Spaniards are still very careful about protecting technical players.
Lance also quickly composed himself, intending to take the game seriously.
Côte d'Ivoire's lineup should not be underestimated: Kolo Touré is a former Arsenal starting center-back, now Liverpool's starting center-back.
The defensive midfielder Yaya Touré is the absolute core of Manchester City's rise! A former FC Barcelona starting defensive midfielder!
There's also the old Bundesliga opponent, VfB Stuttgart defender Arthur Boka; Eintracht Frankfurt defender Dennis Diekmeier; Hannover 96 midfielder Didier Ya Konan…
Besides Didier Drogba, the forward line also includes Arsenal's Gervinho and former Chelsea main striker Salomon Kalou…
These are all quasi-first-class talents in Europe, no wonder Belgium is having such a hard time.
Lance drew a foul less than 1 minute after coming on, giving the Belgium team a free-kick opportunity in the attacking third.
Kevin De Bruyne stood over the ball to take the free-kick. Lance was in the box, forming a triangular attack with Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku.
Vincent Kompany and Thomas Vermaelen, the two center-backs, also came up to contest headers.
Beep—
At the referee's whistle, Kevin De Bruyne took the free kick.
Almost everyone rushed into the box, ready to compete for a header.
No one expected Kevin De Bruyne not to loft a high ball, but rather a half-height curved shot, falling with extreme spin towards the edge of the penalty area!
"Did he miskick that?"
The Belgium commentator was still wondering.
Other teammates were also slightly surprised; this was definitely not Kevin De Bruyne's usual standard.
Kevin De Bruyne's passing was his strong suit; even if he was having a bad day, he couldn't miskick it like that.
The Côte d'Ivoire defenders were not fools; they immediately saw that Kevin De Bruyne had played an unexpected ball, seemingly aiming for Romelu Lukaku, but actually targeting Lance!
They had all heard of Lance's name, heard that the Bundesliga new prodigy was very strong.
Kolo Touré and Yaya Touré, the two brothers, immediately abandoned their marking of Romelu Lukaku and turned to double-team Lance!
"Dangerous!"
Seeing Lance about to receive the ball, he was about to be double-teamed by the Touré brothers.
Eden Hazard panicked; he quickly rushed over to provide support.
Otherwise, if Lance lost the ball, with their own center-backs in the box, Côte d'Ivoire's counter-attack would be deadly accurate!
Didier Drogba had already started his run!
"This ball!!"
The Belgium coaching staff's hearts simultaneously tightened!
Marc Wilmots felt a chill down his spine.
Kevin De Bruyne was too reckless, putting so much pressure on his teammate right away?
At least let Lance get a feel for it, let him experience the atmosphere of the game more, before trying high-difficulty plays!
He hadn't even warmed up yet, and Lance was already facing such immense pressure?
Before he could think further, the football had already arrived in front of Lance. As he chest-trapped the ball, Kolo Touré had already come in with an "iron mountain lean" collision.
Eden Hazard had already given up, preparing to run back to defend.
Just as Lance was about to lose the ball, he calmly chested it down, intentionally turning his body during the trap to evade Yaya Touré's first wave of pressing, then gently nudged the ball up with his knee, bypassing Yaya Touré's second reaction.
The world-class defensive midfielder, Manchester City's core player Yaya Touré, was practically toyed with by Lance like a wooden post!
In the instant of the turn while juggling the ball, Lance also elegantly evaded Kolo Touré's charge!
It was even more graceful than an artist in a bullring!
In just 1 second, he trapped the ball, escaped, and shook off two world-class players!
"Laaaaaance——"
Accompanied by the excited, cracking voice of the Belgium commentator, Lance had already turned to face the goal and decisively took a shot!
— — — —
Template: Nagi Seishiro - S (Fusion Value 97%)
— — Skill: Perfect Ball Control
— — Skill: Hardcore Shot
— — Skill: Mirror Learning
Rage Value: 65%
— — — —
Before, the fusion value was only around 92%, but his National Team debut directly increased it by a full 5%!
Lance only realized this 1 minute after coming on!
But that's not important for now!
The spiritual flick over the Touré brothers just now had Lance completely hyped!
[Hardcore Shot: Difficulty Coefficient 94, Shot Goal Rate 94%]
A 94% chance of scoring is enough!
Bang—
A powerful shot with his right foot, directly aimed at Côte d'Ivoire's goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo!
Who is Sylvain Gbohouo?
Just a nobody, the goalkeeper for Séwé Sports in the Côte d'Ivoire domestic league.
If Manuel Neuer couldn't stop that shot, how could he stop it?
The ball was like a white rainbow piercing the sun, straight into the top corner!
"It's in!!! Lance scores his first National Team goal in the 1st minute of his National Team debut!"
"A super sub! The miraculous youngster."