The live broadcast kept cutting back to the pitch, where Leo Lin was exchanging jerseys with Tchouaméni.
"Good game," Leo Lin said, giving Tchouaméni a pat on the shoulder.
"When I get the chance, I'll come visit you in Liverpool. I hope we can become good friends," Tchouaméni said. After being thoroughly outplayed by Leo Lin, he'd developed a genuine fondness for him.
Whenever he faced someone clearly stronger than himself, he couldn't help but feel admiration.
After the jersey swap, Leo Lin was heading back toward the players' tunnel when Denia hurried up beside him.
"Where's the jersey?"
Leo Lin smiled.
"I swapped it. Tchouaméni's got it."
Denia's heart sank instantly.
"My daughter's in college, and she's absolutely obsessed with you. I promised her last night I'd get your jersey from this match."
"Damn it… I was too late!"
Leo Lin wrapped an arm around Denia's shoulders and burst out laughing.
"It's fine!"
"I'll save the final's jersey for you."
Denia lit up immediately.
"Deal. You can't back out!"
"No regrets," Leo Lin said. "I'll even take your daughter out for a meal afterward."
Denia snapped back to his senses at once.
"You little punk…"
At the post-match press conference, Leo Lin attended alongside Denia. Reporters surged forward, firing questions almost exclusively at Leo Lin.
Sitting off to the side, Denia experienced Klopp-like tranquility for the first time. With Leo Lin there, no one paid him any attention at all.
"Lin, Xavi posted online saying you should be a starter for Spain's senior national team. What do you think about that?"
"Lin, Pep Guardiola's eldest daughter, Maria, posted a photo today on social media wearing your jersey to celebrate the win. Have the two of you been in contact?"
"Leo Lin, Liverpool have gone two wins and one loss in their last three league matches. Their winning streak is over, and they're now two points behind Manchester City in the live standings. Are you eager to return to Liverpool as soon as possible to help reclaim top spot?"
The questions came in a relentless wave, nearly drowning Leo Lin. All he could do was answer as best he could.
His signature high–emotional-intelligence non-answers went online once again.
He spoke at length, yet somehow said nothing at all.
"Xavi is a head coach who supports me being promoted. I'd rather hear something like that from Lopetegui."
"Maria? We're not in contact at the moment, but I think we will be in the future."
"I'm happy to see her celebrating in my jersey. Hopefully it doesn't affect Pep Guardiola's appetite at dinner."
"Two points behind Manchester City? I'll make it back in time for the top-of-the-table clash, and then we'll see what happens next."
Denia sat there as steady as a rock, not the slightest bit worried that Leo Lin might say something wrong.
A man who could spear an egg perfectly with a fork in a pile of food wouldn't mess up his meal—so how could he mess up his words?
After the match, when the team returned to their hotel, several Spanish legends arrived to visit and offer encouragement.
David Villa, Raúl, and others chatted with the young players, sharing their own experiences from finals.
"There's really nothing to be nervous about. England are strong, sure, but if you'd seen Lin play against Foden, Palmer, and the others in the youth leagues, you wouldn't feel even a hint of tension."
"They were all starters for England's U17 side, but against Lin… well, it's hard to describe."
David Villa sat down close to Leo Lin, with Raúl on the other side, sandwiching him in between like a hamburger.
"Lin, we all have complete confidence in you."
Leo Lin replied with a smile.
"And I have complete confidence in my teammates."
"We're a united team, and unity is the key to winning."
Hearing his answer, the Spanish legends nodded in even greater approval.
Leo Lin never tried to take all the spotlight for himself.
Even though social media and the legends' attention were largely focused on him, he always made a point of highlighting his teammates' contributions and support at critical moments.
All media outlets were locked onto the U17 World Cup final. Major platforms pinned reservation links for the match right at the top of their front pages.
In just one day, reservations had already surpassed ten million, steadily marching toward the hundred-million mark.
Sky Sports: "Multiple English Youth Academies Announce School-Wide Suspensions to Watch the U17 World Cup Final Together!"
Bild: "Several Spanish Schools Announce Organized Whole-School Viewings of the U17 World Cup Final!"
In England, in Spain, and across much of Europe, football was truly a part of life itself.
Attention surrounding the final had reached a fever pitch. Almost every online platform was buzzing with discussion about the match.
England versus Spain—a truly epic showdown. The winner would stand atop the U17 World Cup, crowned in glory!
At the same time, fans began focusing on the tournament's Best Player award.
Winning it meant becoming the very best among the world's most outstanding young talents.
The one and only.
Both sides were preparing intensely. England's entire tactical setup revolved around Leo Lin.
Head coach Greg repeatedly watched footage of Leo Lin's previous matches. The more he watched, the deeper his concern grew.
Foden and Palmer weren't very familiar with Leo Lin—after all, the last time they faced him, he'd wrapped things up in just twenty minutes.
"This guy is a real monster."
"An epic-level monster. I've never seen a seventeen-year-old so dominant in physical battles."
Palmer recalled the overwhelming impact he'd felt when defending Leo Lin one-on-one—an immense force that had knocked him straight off his feet.
"One-on-one, or even two-on-one, I don't think we have a chance."
"We'd need at least three or four players collapsing on him in a small area to stop Lin from using his abilities."
Palmer and Foden's comments sent England's preparations into an icy silence. Greg and his coaching staff worked day and night on targeted tactical plans, desperately searching for solutions.
Having made it to the final, no one was willing to hand the trophy over without a fight.
On the other side, Spain's preparations felt noticeably more relaxed.
In the tactical meeting room, everyone sat gathered together as Denia gave Leo Lin a pat on the shoulder.
"Only you have faced Foden and Palmer directly—along with their defender Doyle."
"Share your experience."
Leo Lin scratched the back of his head and thought for a moment.
"Um…"
"Everyone says Foden and Palmer are really good."
"But honestly, I didn't feel that much."
"I only played twenty minutes."
"Win a tackle, take them on, score a goal, clock out, and head off work."
Suddenly, Leo Lin looked up, his expression serious as he met his teammates' eyes.
"Thinking about it carefully, I think we're definitely going to win."
He smiled.
"Take it seriously. Don't underestimate them—and don't underestimate ourselves."
"And we will win!"
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser