Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
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"Belgium's 3-2 Last-Minute Winner Against Italy, Lance's Hat-Trick Saves the Day"
"Last-Minute Winner! Lance's Three Goals Secure Victory and Seize the Initiative in the Group!"
"Conte: In Theory, My Tactics Could Perfectly Restrict Belgium, But They Have Lance."
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Italy National Team head coach Conte expressed a sentiment that could be summed up as:
No matter how good we are, the enemy has a Gundam.
As a coach, there was nothing he could do. Running into Lance was simply bad luck.
But Italy now found themselves in an awkward position.
After defeating Ireland in the first round and losing to Belgium in the second, Italy had only three points.
Sweden and Belgium were tied on four points, but Sweden's 2-0 victory over Ireland gave them the superior goal difference and temporary first place in the group.
Belgium sat second.
Italy had unexpectedly fallen to third.
As for Ireland, nobody paid much attention to them.
In just a few days, Italy would face Sweden in a do-or-die match, while Belgium only had to deal with Ireland. Their chances of advancing looked excellent.
Lukaku said in an interview:
"Our goal is to finish top of the group! We'll definitely beat Ireland."
The entire Belgian squad was full of confidence.
After all, it was only Ireland.
Their biggest star was Southampton striker Shane Long.
There was also veteran Robbie Keane, who was playing in North America.
As for McCarthy, Walters, Brady, Hoolahan, McClean, and the rest...
...they were either playing for relegation-threatened Premier League clubs or drifting around the Championship.
With half the squad coming from second-tier football, why would Belgium's Golden Generation be afraid of them?
Back in Belgium, fans had already started popping champagne.
"Minimum target: the final."
"A semifinal would already be a great result."
"With Lance, we're invincible!"
"The Belgian Football Association finally did something right by bringing Lance into the national team."
"Hazard and De Bruyne need to step up too. They can't let Lance carry everything alone."
"A nineteen-year-old carrying the whole team. My heart aches for Lance."
In short, while Belgian fans were somewhat worried about the team's lack of cohesion, nobody thought Ireland would be a problem.
Inside the training camp, Lance noticed that his teammates had become a little too relaxed.
The moment training ended, they disappeared.
Nobody was willing to stay even one extra second.
Their punctuality rivaled office workers rushing to clock out after work.
Leading the charge was Belgium's biggest star, Eden Hazard.
"Bro, you're leaving way too early."
"Lance, aren't you leaving? Come get a massage."
"But..."
"It's fine. The coach said there's no problem. Besides, I found a burger stand near the resort. Their cheeseburgers are amazing."
"Hey! We're in the middle of a major tournament and you're eating that?"
"Just a little snack. It'll be fine."
Hazard looked completely unconcerned.
Lance didn't know what to say.
If it had been De Bruyne, he might have confronted him directly.
But his relationship with Hazard was closer to that of coworkers than close friends.
It wasn't really his place to criticize the man's choices.
If nothing unexpected happened, Hazard would spend the next few years cashing in on his world-class talent before earning a blockbuster move to Real Madrid.
After that, he would gradually fade from football's highest stage.
Many fans in the future would wonder why Hazard never pushed himself harder.
Why someone with the talent to challenge Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo for football's throne never reached those heights.
But after spending time with him, Lance understood.
Hazard simply enjoyed living in the moment.
He was already one of the best players in the world.
He earned one of the highest salaries in the Premier League.
He lived in a mansion, drove sports cars, and would never need to worry about money again.
As for the Ballon d'Or, being the world's best player, or chasing endless trophies...
Those things simply didn't matter much to him.
His personality was almost Zen-like.
And honestly, there was nothing wrong with that.
It was his choice.
Lance had no right to interfere.
"Brother, I still hope we can go further in this European Championship."
Before the tournament began, Lance had dreamed of winning the title and continuing to plunder Cristiano Ronaldo's luck.
But after seeing Belgium's defensive problems and the lack of chemistry in attack...
...he no longer dared to dream of becoming champions.
They had struggled against Italy.
How would they handle France, Portugal, or Germany?
A semifinal appearance already felt like Belgium's ceiling.
To even achieve that, everyone would need to work together.
"Lance..."
Hazard wasn't stupid. He understood immediately.
Looking slightly embarrassed, he scratched his head.
"Sorry. You're right."
"I should pay more attention."
"I'm not trying to interfere with your choices."
"I just want to win."
"I understand."
Hazard nodded.
"Don't worry. I'll help you."
He patted Lance on the shoulder.
Then, without mentioning burgers again, he quietly returned to the locker room for recovery treatment.
Watching Hazard leave, Lance suddenly heard footsteps behind him.
De Bruyne had appeared.
"That's just the kind of person he is. Don't take it personally."
"I know."
Nobody understood Hazard's future better than Lance.
"In the match against Ireland, I'll do my best to create chances for you."
De Bruyne also patted Lance on the shoulder.
If the frontline still couldn't develop chemistry...
...then the connection between Belgium's twin stars, De Bruyne and Lance, would have to carry the team.
Against Ireland, that should be enough.
Right?
Four days later.
Toulouse, France.
Stadium de Toulouse.
Looking up at the scoreboard, Lance nearly cursed.
"Shane Long scores with a header!"
"Ireland have equalized! It's 1-1!"
The commentator sounded stunned.
"In the first half, Lance put Belgium ahead with a magnificent Crescent Blade free kick."
"But in the seventy-ninth minute, Ireland capitalize on a set piece!"
"Chaos erupted inside the penalty area, and Shane Long headed home during the scramble!"
"Because this is the final group-stage round, all matches are being played simultaneously."
"Meanwhile, Italy and Sweden are locked at 0-0."
"Belgium's qualification is suddenly in danger!"
Nobody could believe it.
Were Belgium really struggling against Ireland too?
What exactly was wrong with this team?
If Ireland somehow scored another goal...
And if Italy and Sweden remained level...
Then Sweden and Italy would advance together.
Belgium would be eliminated with only four points, losing out to Italy on goal difference.
The final ten minutes became a nightmare.
Ireland launched wave after wave of attacks.
Belgium's defense was pushed to the limit.
Lance was even forced to rely on Cannavaro's defensive instincts, repeatedly dropping back into the penalty area to block shots.
The final stretch was pure torture.
Belgian fans watched in terror.
Every attack felt like it might end their tournament.
Finally, the referee blew the final whistle.
Lance stood there in a daze, exhausted by the relentless defensive battle.
At that moment, deafening cheers suddenly erupted from the stands.
"We've advanced!"
Assistant coach Henry waved his arms excitedly.
"Who would've thought we'd qualify like this?"
Even head coach Wilmots wore a bitter smile.
With that, Group E was settled.
Italy drew Sweden 0-0 and finished on four points.
Sweden finished on five points.
Belgium also finished on five points.
But Belgium's superior goal difference placed them at the top of the group.
Who would have thought that this struggling Belgian side would somehow advance as group winners?
If Belgium had dominated their opponents and cruised through the group stage, Wilmots would have had no worries.
But advancing by such a narrow margin...
How were they supposed to face the powerhouses waiting ahead?
According to the European Championship bracket, Belgium's Round of 16 opponent was now officially confirmed.
The runners-up of Group D.
Former World Cup champions.
Former European champions.
The masters of possession football.
A powerhouse that had dominated Europe for years.
Spain.
Watching the Belgian players hugging one another in celebration on the pitch, head coach Wilmots couldn't help breaking out in a cold sweat.