"Alright, guys, today is a team-building day. Don't think about anything else. The only thing you need to do is enjoy the barbecue."
On the morning of July 17, Hierro announced the team-building event. Before the World Cup final, he wanted every player to properly unwind.
Fresh smoked ham and all kinds of cured ham shipped in from Spain were ready to go, and the staff all pitched in to prepare a barbecue feast for the Spanish players.
The players had been looking forward to it, and the barbecue officially began at 4:00 PM.
To keep everyone in match condition, the players were not allowed to drink alcohol or any other beverages. The only drink they were allowed was one coconut each.
Even so, the aroma of grilled at was enough to make the Spanish players dig in with gusto. Everyone enjoyed the barbecue in the open-air venue, having the ti of their lives.
Plate after plate of grilled at was brought out. Leo Lin picked up a skewer and was just about to bite into it when he suddenly heard Thiago and Diego Costa arguing across from him.
"If you ask , Griezmann is still the strongest player in this French team. He runs the whole midfield. He can link play, join the attack, defend, and score."
Diego Costa believed Griezmann was the core of this French team, while Thiago thought it was Pogba.
"You can never overlook Pogba. He's playing better every match. His link-up play and organization in midfield, plus all those passes, are seriously dangerous."
Leo Lin shrugged. He did not really care. Just as he was about to taste the barbecue, Diego Costa suddenly asked him.
"Leo, who do you think it is?"
Leo Lin swallowed and had no choice but to lower the skewer for the mont.
"I think it's Giroud."
The mont he said that, Diego Costa and Thiago burst out laughing. But Leo Lin genuinely thought it was Giroud.
He did not mind being laughed at. He eagerly picked up the skewer again and was just about to take a bite when Busquets ca over too.
He and Saúl were arguing about who the real defensive core of the French team was. One said Kanté, the other said Varane.
"It has to be Kanté. His performances have been incredible."
"Lin, tell I'm right." Busquets patted Leo Lin, nearly knocking the skewer right out of his hand just as it was about to reach his mouth.
Leo Lin nodded with a smile. "Right. Everything you said is right."
The skewer was right in front of him, yet it felt impossibly far away.
After finally brushing off Busquets, Thiago, Diego Costa, and the rest of his teammates, Leo Lin was ready this ti.
He swallowed, raised the skewer, and was just about to bite down when his armpit was suddenly attacked.
Caught off guard, Leo Lin dropped the skewer onto the ground.
"What the hell!"
"What the hell!!"
"What the hell are you doing!!!"
Leo Lin whipped his head around, looking like he wanted to eat Sergio Ramos alive for poking him.
"Leo, drink the coconut."
"This coconut is ripe."
Leo Lin was speechless. "What do you an, the coconut is ripe!"
"I swear, I'm losing my mind!"
"I dropped the skewer. I've wronged the chef!"
"If I don't eat now, everything's going to burn!"
"Let have one bite of barbecue!"
"Just one bite!!!"
Even while eating barbecue, the Spanish players still could not stop discussing their final opponent, France.
...
At that very mont, on ESPN's pre-match prediction show, a host of legends had been invited to take part.
French legends Zidane and Makélélé sat on one side, while Spain's Casillas and Golden Boy Torres sat on the other.
Gullit sat at the very edge, leaning behind Ronaldo.
"Gullit, what are you doing? Don't hide behind !"
Gullit whispered, "Keep your voice down. I'm afraid that if they start fighting later, I'll get blood splashed all over ."
Ronaldo leaned back slightly and said, "You think you're the only one scared? Look where Gerrard is hiding."
"Damn it, I bought this suit especially for covering the World Cup. They'd better not get it dirty."
With the legendary duos from both sides present, the tension in the room was fierce.
This was the World Cup final. Everyone wanted their own country to lift the World Cup trophy and stand at the very top of the world.
"We can look at France's dominance in this World Cup so far." Zidane spoke with absolute confidence. Clearly, he had co fully prepared, determined to thoroughly defeat Casillas and Torres on this pre-match prediction show.
"There is one terrifying statistic about France that many people may have overlooked."
"So far in this World Cup, across all these matches, France have only trailed for a total of nine minutes and twelve seconds."
"In all their gas combined, that is the total amount of ti France have spent behind on the scoreboard."
After Zidane finished, even so fans and legends who had not noticed that statistic could not help but gasp.
After all, that number was frightening. It was more than enough to show just how dominant France had been on the pitch.
Casillas waved it off from the side and did not argue, because what Zidane said was true. There really was no way to refute it.
But he would support his national team unconditionally, no matter what.
In plain terms, he was about to play dirty.
That shaless streak in Casillas ca out. He crossed one leg over the other and leaned back in his chair.
"So what?"
"I could also say Spain haven't lost a single knockout match in this World Cup so far."
Makélélé's face darkened.
"Nonsense!"
"If you'd lost a knockout match, how would you have made it to the World Cup final? That's complete nonsense!"
Beside him, Golden Boy Torres clenched his fist.
"Who are you calling nonsense? What, you want to fight?"
The atmosphere instantly turned hostile. Gerrard, who was nearby, spoke up carefully.
"Um, this is a live broadcast."
"Gentlen, please watch what you say. Please."
Zidane opened the data he had prepared. He wanted to build as much montum as possible for France.
"Empty words prove nothing. I have so statistics here that I believe many fans will find very interesting."
"As a Defensive Midfielder, Kanté currently has the most Tackles of any Midfielder from any national team in this World Cup."
"Six starts, an average of 85 minutes per ga, 361 total passes, and a pass completion rate as high as 88%. He averages 2.14 Tackles, 2.86 Interceptions, and 1.43 Clearances per ga. He is a pure human ball-winning machine!"
"Matuidi has made four appearances and three starts, averaging 67 minutes per ga. His pass completion rate is 83%, and he contributes 2.8 Tackles and 1.6 Interceptions per ga!"
"Pogba has made five appearances and five starts, basically playing the full match each ti. He has 308 total passes, an 80% pass completion rate, 2.17 Tackles per ga, one Interception per ga, and two Clearances per ga!"
"Griezmann has started six matches, averaging 82 minutes per ga. He has made 233 passes with a 75% pass completion rate, while also scoring three goals and providing two assists."
"With these four players, France's midfield has Interceptions and ball-winning, as well as creativity and control. I don't know what Spain's midfield can use to compare. Are they relying on Lin alone?"
Casillas laughed.
"Lin has made five appearances in the World Cup so far this season. Five appearances, five starts, averaging 89 minutes per ga."
"He has made 352 passes, almost the sa total as Kanté, who has appeared six tis. His completion rate is 90%, the highest among all Midfielders in the World Cup."
"He averages 2.09 Tackles, 2.71 Interceptions, and 2.2 Clearances per ga. Combined, that is the highest total among all Midfielders in the entire World Cup!"
"He has scored nine goals, leading the World Cup Golden Boot race alone, the highest tally of any player in this tournant!"
"He creates 6.1 chances per ga and 2.9 clear-cut chances per ga, and has provided five assists in total, the best of any player in this World Cup!"
"One man has scored nine goals and provided five assists. He has directly created fourteen goals by himself!"
"Sorry, what were Griezmann's goals and assists again?"
After Casillas finished, he straightened his back. Beside him, Torres gave Zidane and Makélélé a friendly wave, though of his five fingers, only the middle one was raised.
"So, you want to compare stats?" Casillas looked completely fearless.
"Co on, bring all four of your guys to the table."
"Tie them together and let them compare."
"All I need to put down is Lin. That is the ace that ends the ga!"
...
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