October 22nd, all matches of the 9th round of the Premier League concluded.
To Manchester United fans' disappointment, Manchester City also secured a 3-0 victory against Burnley, maintaining their lead at the top of the table through goal difference advantage.
Tottenham seemed to have found their form, powerfully defeating Liverpool 4-1.
Son Heung-min scored another goal, surpassing Park Ji-sung's record of 20 goals to become the highest-scoring Asian player in Premier League history.
Another Korean player, Ki Sung-yueng, also returned from injury.
Although Swansea lost 1-2 to Leicester City, his goal tally reached 13.
Manchester United's next two matches were the League Cup Round of 16 against Swansea and the Premier League 10th round against Tottenham.
While these might be just two ordinary matches for European fans, they held significant meaning for Chinese and Korean fans.
Recent rise of Son Heung-min had let Korean fans show off extensively, randomly criticizing people online while acting arrogantly.
[Manchester United's youth training? Someone actually compares that kid to Park Ji-sung? They're completely different levels!]
[Forget Park Ji-sung, he can't even compare to Ki Sung-yueng. Last time they beat Swansea, it was only because Manchester United is strong - what does that have to do with that Chinese kid?]
[Ki Sung-yueng is our "Gerrard" - not just anyone qualifies to be compared with him.]
[This time against Tottenham, let Son Heung-min properly teach him how to play as a left winger!]
[Recently Chinese fans keep boasting, but after the Manchester United-Tottenham match, I bet they'll stop talking.]
[Tottenham managed to draw with Real Madrid - scoring 3 goals against Manchester United isn't too much to ask, right?]
[Hahaha, and tactically speaking, Pochettino seems better than Mourinho too.]
.....
Ever since South Korea eliminated two former champions, Italy and Spain, in the 2002 World Cup and ultimately achieved the "impressive result" of reaching the semifinals, they have considered themselves the best in Asia.
In daily life, they either look down on this country or belittle that one.
And players emerging from South Korea seem to share the same temperament, with incidents like stepping on trophies or engaging in inappropriate relationships frequently occurring.
At this time, Chinese football fans were also discussing this matter.
After all, the national team had often been insulted by them, but in competitive sports, lack of skill is the original sin
. Without sufficient strength, even refuting such insults is impossible.
Watching players from neighboring countries gradually make their way into the top five European leagues, they saw it with their own eyes and felt anxious in their hearts.
Now, finally, there was hope.
They witnessed Ling rising from the youth team to the first team in just a few months, with his performances getting better and better.
Naturally, they hoped Manchester United would win the match, and ideally, Ling's performance would outshine both Ki Sung-yueng and Son Heung-min.
That way, they could thoroughly shut up the South Korean fans, so they took to social media to express their thoughts.
[To be honest, given Ling's recent performances, I think he has a chance to score.]
[By the way, the LOL World Championship semifinals are about to start, RNG vs. SKT. I hope we can win too!]
[If we get double the joy, I'm going to mock the Koreans properly!]
[All-Chinese team, go for it!]
[Speaking of all-Chinese teams, maybe I'm a bit stubborn, but I think nationality and bloodline are quite important. If Ling were just of Chinese descent, I might not pay so much attention to him.]
[Absolutely! If he were of Chinese descent, I might only buy one of his jerseys. But if he's Chinese, I'd buy his jersey every season.]
[Speaking of which, I recently looked into it, and Ling actually meets FIFA's naturalization conditions.]
[Damn, if Ling changes his nationality to play for England in the World Cup, I'll criticize him every time I see him!]
[Right, even if he doesn't join the national team, he's still one of us.]
.....
According to FIFA's naturalization rules:
If a player is over 21 and has represented a country at any level (such as the youth team), they cannot change nationality to play for another country.
If a player is under 21, they can change the team they represent if they meet the following conditions:
First, they have not represented a country in an international A-level match.
The matches Ling previously played for the Olympic team were B-level matches.
Second, the player must have lived in the country for at least five years before turning 18.
Officials from the English Football Association were surprised to discover that Ling met every condition.
Combined with his outstanding performances in recent competitions, they decisively approached him.
After all, naturalizing a player doesn't require much cost, and if they can acquire a player with significant potential, it could yield substantial benefits.
In short, it was a no-loss deal.
....
At Carrington Training Ground, the Manchester United players had just finished their daily training when Mourinho called Ling to the sidelines.
Ling wiped the sweat from his forehead and asked curiously, "Coach, what's up?"
"The English Football Association is looking for you, probably about naturalization."
Mourinho's expression was complicated.
He wanted to say something but didn't know how to bring it up.
After a moment of silence, he finally couldn't resist saying, "When I was at Chelsea, Drogba once asked me whether I would play for France or Ivory Coast. Do you know how I answered?"
Ling shook his head.
Mourinho said meaningfully, "Follow your heart."
To be honest, he didn't want to see his player switch to another country just for the World Cup, as it went against his personal values.
Of course, if Ling insisted on doing so, he could only say that everyone has their own aspirations.
"Coach, what choice do you think I'll make?" Ling asked curiously.
Mourinho noticed that Ling's expression showed no hesitation, and the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. Instead of answering the question, he gave Ling a firm pat on the shoulder.
"I think you know what your choice is."
...
On the way to the meeting room, Ling recalled a video he had once seen.
It was from the 2006 World Cup in Germany, after the match between Ivory Coast and Sudan.
Drogba's shocking kneel and moving speech had stirred the world.
But Ling's mind was racing, torn between two worlds.
He thought of the Chinese fans.
He saw their desperate, passionate messages.
He was their only hope.
To reject them would feel like a betrayal, abandoning the country of his parents and the 1.4 billion people who saw him as their hero.
But then... he thought about reality.
He thought about the World Cup.
He had been reborn yes, but also reborn to be the best.
He wanted to create a better life, but he also craved the ultimate stage.
What was the point of being a world-class player if he could never play in a World Cup? China had not qualified since 2002, and the path there was bleak.
He could be the greatest Chinese player in history and never, not once, hear that famous anthem on the pitch.
He had lived in England for most of his young life.
He was a product of an English academy.
This was his footballing home.
He thought about the "Three Lions" on the shirt.
He thought about playing at Wembley.
He thought about lining up with Kane, with Rashford, with players who were challenging for the biggest trophies in the world.
Mourinho's words echoed.
"Follow your heart."
He respected Drogba... but Drogba's Ivory Coast had qualified for the World Cup.
They were a golden generation.
Ling's home country was not. He had to make a choice.
Not a choice of emotion, but a choice of ambition.
His heart, he realized, was on the biggest stage.
As for titles like "King of Football," or "Saint of Football"? He wasn't interested.
He was a footballer. He wanted to win.
His choice was made.
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