World First Church started from the 02 World Cup

Chapter 12 Fame in One Night

The post-match press conference was packed to capacity.

Chinese and foreign journalists carried cameras and microphones, their eyes filled with eagerness.

After all, it wouldn't be news if Brazil beat China 4-0, but it would be big news if China held Brazil to a 0-0 draw!

This match was also the biggest upset of the tournament since the defending champions France lost 0-1 to Senagar in the opening match.

They all wanted to be the first to know the behind-the-scenes story of this major upset.

Flashes of light illuminated every corner of the venue, filling the air with excitement and curiosity.

Scolari was the first to take the field.

The annoyance on his face had long since faded, replaced by composure and calmness.

When asked by reporters, he slowly said, "Although today's match ended in a draw, I still feel that we lost."

The room fell silent instantly, and reporters began to take notes.

Scolari continued, "The Chinese team's defensive tactics were excellent, dense and disciplined, compressing all our attacking space. Our players gave their all, but we were unable to break through their defense."

He paused, his gaze firm: "I must admit, the Chinese team's tactical setup was extremely professional and highly targeted. Their anticipation of our players' strengths and their adjustments to defensive positioning were impeccable. They even had two very good chances to break through our defense. This Chinese team deserves all the applause."

A reporter followed up, asking, "Compared to the first match, what do you think is the biggest change in the Chinese team today?"

Scolari smiled and said, "It's discipline, it's tactical execution. Every single one of them strictly follows the tactics without the slightest slackening. This kind of cohesion is something many strong teams don't possess."

Ronaldo, who accompanied Scolari to the press conference, also admitted: "We encountered a lot of difficulties today. My space in the attacking third was completely blocked. To be honest, I never expected our opponents to be so tough before the match."

The reporters nodded in agreement.

No wonder the Brazilian team underestimated their opponent.

The Chinese team played so well today, not only did the Brazilians not expect it, but no one in the world expected it!

Then, Milutinovic appeared on stage with Ye Xian.

Ye Xian, dressed in the national football team's coaching staff uniform, appeared calm, though his eyes still held a lingering excitement.

Clearly, the Chinese team celebrated enthusiastically once again after returning to the locker room.

As soon as Milutinovic sat down, a reporter asked, "Mr. Milutinovic, the Chinese team's tactics were very successful today. Could you tell us how they prepared for this match these past few days?"

Milutinovic pointed to Ye Xian beside him and smiled, saying, "Let my top assistant tell you himself later; this was all his idea. Simply put, this precious draw today doesn't belong to me, but to this young man beside me."

The entire audience erupted in uproar, and the flashbulbs instantly focused on Ye Xian.

Although judging from Herledon's interview and the situation on the sidelines today, one can guess some of the changes that have occurred.

But it's still a bit shocking that Milutinovic himself said it in public.

After all, Ye Xian was just a translator in everyone's eyes before...

Milutinovic continued, "Yes, from the tactical planning against Brazil to the detailed guidance in training, and then to the on-field command, Ye Xian was in charge throughout. I just did what I was supposed to do, which was to believe in him and support him."

He turned to look at Ye Xian, his eyes full of admiration: "Although he is young and lacks professional coaching experience, his tactical awareness and understanding of football far exceeded my expectations. This dense defensive tactic perfectly countered Brazil's attack."

A reporter asked, "Before the match, you dismissed Helidon, which caused a huge controversy. Was it because he didn't want to follow Ye Xian's tactical arrangements?"

Milutinovic spoke firmly and without hesitation:

"Yes, this is something I cannot tolerate. Discipline is always the most important thing for a team. Hlidon's behavior undermined team unity and disrupted training."

"As it turns out, expelling him from the national team did not weaken the team's fighting power; on the contrary, it made the whole team more united. Now everyone can strictly abide by tactical discipline, and everyone is working together towards the same goal."

"Today's results are the best proof!"

Milutinovic's words resonated deeply, winning the approval of many reporters present, with some Chinese journalists even applauding.

Then reporters started targeting Ye Xian:

"Ye Xian, you demonstrated excellent tactical skills in this match. Can you tell us where you learned them? As far as I know, you have never coached any team before."

Ye Xian smiled and nodded to the reporter, then began to explain.

He was well-prepared for such a question:

"The key to learning is continuous learning."

"I am a person who loves football, and I am fortunate to have joined Mr. Milutinovic's team, which allows me to learn advanced football tactics and training methods up close."

"This kind of exposure and learning through observation can probably lead to much faster growth than sitting in a classroom and listening to lectures. I'm very lucky, and I'm truly grateful to Mr. Milutinovic, Coach Jin, and Coach Chi!"

Ye Xianchong nodded to Milutinovic, who returned the gesture with a smile.

Emotional intelligence!

Milutinovic was very pleased with these words.

I knew I hadn't misjudged this kid!

Then Ye Xian continued:

"I don't know if you've heard of a coach named Mourinho, who is now the head coach of Portuguese giants Porto."

"He didn't have much of a professional player background when he was young. Later, he followed England coach Bobby Robson to Sporting Lisbon and Barcelona as a translator."

"Yes, he's also the team's translator, just like me. He learned a lot of advanced modern football theories from Robson and Van Gaal, which gradually made him an excellent coach."

"His experience inspired me. So I hope that under Mr. Milutinovic's guidance, I can also become a truly good coach!"

The reporters nodded in agreement.

At this time, although Mourinho was not particularly famous, he was still the head coach of Porto and had just led Porto to qualify for the UEFA Cup, so many people knew him.

It seems that going from translator to coach is really not a rare thing!

Finally, Ye Xian said in a humble yet firm tone:

"I just did what I was supposed to do."

"Today's hard-won draw belongs to every player who gave their all, to Coach Milutinovic's trust, and to the hundreds of millions of Chinese fans who support us."

"To be honest, we probably didn't even think we could actually get points against such a strong Brazilian team before the match."

"We just want to give it our all, to live up to our own expectations, and to live up to everyone's expectations!"

The press conference concluded with enthusiastic applause.

Fans who watched the press conference on TV turned from haters to fans, and even those who were indifferent to Ye Xian became fans.

Domestic sports forums, BBS, and chat rooms have been flooded with content about this draw and the press conference.

What had been a heated debate had now turned into overwhelming praise:

"My God! So this defensive tactic really was devised by Ye Xian? That's amazing!"

"Those who criticized Ye Xian before, come out and apologize! Now who dares to say that translators don't understand football? Ye Xian is the savior of the Chinese national football team!"

"I misunderstood Ye Xian before, I'm sorry! He's not an amateur, he's really skilled, much better than those ball bullies who just throw tantrums!"

"Milu has such great vision! He's willing to humble himself and trust a young man; that's what makes him a true world-class coach!"

"Helidon must be furious at home, right? If he were here, they might not have been able to hold onto the draw!"

"A draw? With his stamina and running ability, he's practically one man down on the field. I'll eat my hat if he doesn't get thrashed four times."

"And yet he still turned the tables. Thank goodness Ye Xian didn't use him, and thank goodness Milutinovic kicked Hlidon out of the national team!"

"Doesn't anyone think Ye Xian is handsome? He's so professional and composed, the way he directs from the sidelines is absolutely amazing! Does he have a girlfriend? I need an answer urgently!"

"..."

It can be said that Ye Xian's name spread throughout China overnight.

Even in every corner of the world, people are talking about this amazing translation.

Ye Xian achieved true overnight fame!