Chapter 319: Chapter 76: Tying the Legend, Half-Season Champions, Football Faith, and the Hundred Years’ War

As a legendary player and a legendary head coach, Beckenbauer had more than enough authority to comment on the matter.

He believed that, throughout history, the world of football has never lacked players who could run.

Players who averaged over 12 kilometers per match were rare, but they existed.

For example, Olic this season was actually quite close to Wang Shuo’s numbers.

There was also no shortage of technical players with delicate footwork and abundant creativity.

For example, someone like Bayern’s Ribery.

Nor was there a lack of players who were incredibly fast, skilled at charging forward, and possessed exceptional individual ability.

For example, Robben.

"But in all my memory, there has never been a player quite like Wang Shuo."

"He’s like an unbelievable, all-powerful warrior."

"He can do almost anything on the pitch!"

Beckenbauer believed that, given the speed of Wang Shuo’s improvement, he would make the entire European Football Scene tremble in another year or two—perhaps even sooner!

This was, without a doubt, the highest praise the Football Emperor could offer!

「...」

Since they had already secured advancement from their group in the UEFA Europa League, Klopp fielded a full lineup of substitutes for the final group stage match mid-week, traveling to Tel Aviv in Israel.

They ended up losing 0-1 away to Tel Aviv Hapolel.

But nobody really cared about that match.

It was mainly an opportunity to give the reserves some practice.

Upon returning to Germany, they immediately faced the 17th round of the Bundesliga, a home game against Freiburg.

Dortmund’s tactics for this match were exactly the same as before.

They pressed forward and attacked right from the kickoff.

A mere 8 minutes in, Wang Shuo assisted Reus for a goal.

In the 11th minute, another assist from Wang Shuo allowed Götze to score Dortmund’s second goal.

Dortmund’s opening was like a relentless one-two-three punch from Klopp, with each blow harder than the last, leaving Freiburg completely stunned.

Everyone could see that the chemistry between Dortmund’s front four was improving. Not only could they pressure the opponent’s midfield and defense, but their attacks were also becoming increasingly dangerous.

This was especially true of their fast breaks after winning back possession.

Often, with just two or three passes, the ball would immediately be upfield, creating a threat.

Then, in the 21st minute, Sven Bender made a tackle. Götze distributed the ball to Kuba, who controlled it on the right flank before sending a diagonal pass behind the defensive line.

Freiburg’s two center-backs were scrambling back desperately.

They saw Kuba’s pass and were filled with panic.

But Wang Shuo was faster.

The Dortmund number 9, clad in his yellow and black jersey, was like a Porsche 911 flooring it. He burst through the joint defense of two Volkswagen Jettas at lightning speed and charged into Freiburg’s penalty area.

Near the penalty spot, he caught up to Kuba’s diagonal pass and, without taking a touch, hit a first-time shot with the inside of his right foot.

He precisely sent the ball into the right side of Freiburg’s goal.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!"

"IT’S IN!!!!"

"In the 21st minute, Wang Shuo has once again broken through Freiburg’s goal!"

"I can’t believe it! He’s surpassed his own performance from last season!"

As Wang Shuo quickly turned and ran off the pitch to celebrate, the entire Westfalen Stadium erupted in cheers.

Over 80,000 Dortmund fans leaped from their seats, roaring and screaming themselves hoarse.

At that very moment, something suddenly happened in the South Stand.

The sound of drums thundered through the stadium.

The die-hard fans in the South Stand continuously chanted Wang Shuo’s name while simultaneously raising colored cards high in the air. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

In the end, over 20,000 cards covered the entire South Stand, forming a massive tifo.

Black on a yellow background.

The huge Arabic numeral: 20!

The director of the Bundesliga broadcast quickly switched cameras, capturing the entire massive tifo from the South Stand in a single shot.

"We can see that Dortmund’s South Stand fans have once again unveiled their latest creation."

"They’ve used Dortmund’s colors to form a giant Arabic numeral 20!"

"This is to celebrate Wang Shuo scoring his 20th Bundesliga goal of the season!"

"Perhaps many fans don’t know what this number represents."

"Not only has Wang Shuo surpassed his own record of 19 goals in the first half of the last Bundesliga season, but he has also tied a legendary historical record."

"That is the record set in the 1968/69 season, when Bayern’s legendary center-forward, Gerd Müller, scored 20 goals in the first half of the Bundesliga season."

"Now, 40 years later, Dortmund’s own Wang Shuo has tied that legendary record set by Gerd Müller!"

「...」

The match ultimately ended 4-0.

In the second half, Dortmund scored from a corner kick, courtesy of Subotic.

In their last three matches, Dortmund had scored 13 goals, and the team’s performance was getting better and better.

The performances of young players like Reus, Götze, Sven Bender, Grosskreutz, and Schmelzer, in particular, were increasingly outstanding, showing everyone the team’s potential.

As for Wang Shuo, almost no one considered him a young player anymore.

When captain Weidenfeller led everyone to the South Stand to thank the fans, the supporters there, directed by the beat of the drums, once again raised the massive tifo of the number 20 in black on yellow.

This time, Wang Shuo stood right below the South Stand, feeling completely blown away.

"It must cost a lot of money to make a tifo like that, right?"

Wang Shuo asked his teammates curiously as they were leaving the South Stand.

That was over 25,000 people, after all.

"Actually, it’s not that expensive," Reus replied with a smile.