The God of Football Starts With Passive Skills-Chapter 154 - 52: Half-season Champions! A Blunder with the Golden Boy Award? Tell Me, Is There Anything He Can’t Do?
"I’m sure your future won’t be with Mainz, and it definitely won’t be in Germany!"
The Bundesliga had fallen to fourth in Europe, and some even joked that it was a "4.5 league," putting it on par with Ligue 1.
Once Wang Shuo made a name for himself in Germany, he would surely leave like the other stars, heading for a bigger stage to spread his wings and truly shine.
Subotic had no doubt about this.
"It’s still too early to talk about that!" Wang Shuo said with a small smile.
As he grew more familiar with the European football scene, and with all the advantages brought by the Ball God System, Wang Shuo began to form a clear plan for his own career.
’So what if I win the European Golden Boy Award?’
’Van der Vaart won the European Golden Boy Award back in the day, didn’t he? The very first one, in fact. He was constantly linked with giants like Barça and Real Madrid, but what happened in the end?’
’He ended up at Hamburg for 5 million euros!’
’It was his performance at Hamburg that finally earned him a move to Real Madrid.’
It was precisely because of the Ball God System that Wang Shuo was all the more certain he didn’t need to rush.
He was only eighteen.
The most important thing right now was to make sure every step he took was a solid one.
’Forget everything else. What if I go to Bayern now and can’t get any playing time?’
’Without matches, what good is the Ball God System?’
’Local talents like Podolski and Tony Kroos couldn’t get consistent playing time. What makes me think I’d be guaranteed a starting spot at Bayern?’
’How could I compete with legendary stars like Luca Tony and Klose?’
Of course, it was still too early to talk about all this.
At least for now, Wang Shuo wouldn’t have to consider leaving Mainz until the season was over.
With that thought, Wang Shuo cleared his mind and began to regulate his Breathing.
Before long, he fell into a deep sleep.
Subotic, lying in the other bed, was incredibly envious.
Clearly Wang Shuo was under more pressure, yet he fell asleep so easily.
’And then there’s me...’
’This isn’t working. I’d better go ask the team doctor for some sleeping pills.’
...
「On December 12th, Matchday 17 of the Bundesliga, Mainz played away against Bochum.」
The team, currently in the relegation zone, put up a ferocious fight at their home stadium.
Marcel Koller’s home formation was a 4-4-2, using three defensive midfielders, which was effectively a 4-3-1-2.
Foyelner was shut down on the left, and Schürrle couldn’t break through the defense on the right.
Mainz’s only real threat came from the center, but Wang Shuo was being heavily marked. On top of that, Hainauer was having a poor game.
It looked like his stamina was giving out.
In the 33rd minute, Hainauer received a yellow card for a defensive foul.
Seeing the pressure on Hainauer mounting, Wang Shuo started dropping back more often to help relieve him.
At the same time, this would pull Bochum’s defensive line out of position.
Just two minutes later, Wang Shuo dropped back, drawing out a Bochum center-back before passing the ball to Lővér.
"Andrei!" Wang Shuo passed the ball backward but pointed forward.
He was calling out Schürrle’s first name.
Lővér, making a late run, saw Wang Shuo’s gesture as he received the ball. However, he didn’t immediately spot Schürrle in the distance, let alone make the pass.
The hesitation cost them a perfect passing opportunity.
Wang Shuo was a little frustrated.
’I pointed so clearly. How could he not make that pass?’
He glanced to his front right and saw that Schürrle was not offside.
’There’s still a chance!’
"Give me the ball!"
Wang Shuo dropped back even deeper, demanding the ball from Lővér.
He now intended to do Hainauer’s job as well.
Lővér immediately passed him the ball.
With his back to the defender, Wang Shuo paused before receiving the ball, shielded it with his body for a moment, then suddenly strode forward. After taking Lővér’s pass, he controlled it with the inside of his left foot, turned smoothly, and immediately hit a low, driving long pass with his right foot.
The entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water.
Wang Shuo’s movements were already a step ahead, and the turn and long pass were so perfectly connected that the opponent didn’t even have time to react.
The pass perfectly pierced through the middle of Bochum’s defense.
In that instant, the Bochum fans in the stands were stunned.
’Holy crap, was that a long pass?’
’Am I seeing things?’
’That long pass was just too slick!’
Marcel Koller shot up from the home team’s bench.
’Shit, this guy’s a forward?’
’And he can pass like that?’
’Tell me, is there anything he can’t do?’
Klopp was just as surprised, but he was already rushing out of the technical area, overcome with excitement, and roaring at the top of his lungs.
"GO ON!"
Schürrle sprinted at top speed, getting ahead of everyone to catch up to Wang Shuo’s pass. He took it into the penalty area and scored in the one-on-one.
1-0!
The 30,000-plus Bochum fans in the stands were utterly stunned.
Klopp was so excited he was shadowboxing non-stop on the sideline.
Zeliko Buvac laughed heartily and used both hands to part his flowing long hair.
"That turn and long pass from Wang Shuo had a bit of my old flair!"
All the fans watching the Bundesliga broadcast on TV were dumbfounded.
Even the commentator was floored.
"Ladies and gentlemen, what did we just witness?"
"A striker, a prolific goalscorer, just dropped deep to link up with his teammate, turned his man, and sent a perfect long ball for an assist."
"Is this real?"
"Are strikers getting in on the assist competition now?"
