freenovelworld Chapter 732 U-17 World Cup Exhibition Match, the show is about to begin
Chapter 732 U-17 World Cup Exhibition Match, the show is about to begin
It didn't take long.
Night falls quietly, and the air is filled with the chill of early winter.
The street lights on both sides of the street had already been turned on, casting mottled shadows in the dim light.
The Swiss U-17 team had just returned from the competition, with excitement and fatigue still lingering on their faces.
Their footsteps made almost no sound on the soft carpet.
The luxury bus was parked quietly at the hotel entrance, its body emitting a soft metallic luster under the light, like a sleeping giant beast.
The interior of the car is spacious and comfortable, and the leather seats exude a faint leather fragrance.
The curtains were slightly opened, and the night outside the window came into view.
Beichuan sat by the window, his hands crossed on his knees, his eyes calmly gazing at the rapidly receding street scene outside.
His face appeared exceptionally calm under the dim light, but there was a barely perceptible trace of fatigue between his brows.
The other team members were either talking in low voices or resting with their eyes closed. The carriage was filled with a relaxed yet orderly atmosphere.
Their destination was a five-star hotel in the city center.
The hotel has a magnificent exterior, with a red carpet in front of the door. Waiters in neat uniforms respectfully open the car door for every player getting off the car.
The interior of the lobby is magnificent, with crystal chandeliers hanging high, illuminating the entire space.
The marble floor reflects warm light, and the air is filled with the faint scent of perfume and food.
The restaurant is located on the top floor, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows you can overlook the night view of the entire city.
The tablecloth was spotless white, and the silver cutlery shone softly in the candlelight.
The waiters skillfully served steaming hot dishes to everyone, the aroma was so fragrant that it whetted their appetite.
The team members sat together, laughing and chatting, celebrating today's victory.
Beichuan still sat silently in the corner, occasionally looking around, as if thinking about something.
At the same time, an unprecedented storm is brewing in the world of tennis.
In Tokyo, New York, London and other places under the night sky, countless tennis reporters are busy writing at their desks, and the sound of keyboard tapping can be heard one after another.
The homepage of the news website was dominated by breaking news, with eye-catching and shocking headlines:
——"Switzerland U-17 defeated the Free State with a strong victory!!"
——"Echizen Nanjiro reproduces his legendary tactics! A professional-level player temporarily breaks through to the master level!"
——"Beichuan, at the age of just a freshman in junior high school, has already reached the pinnacle of mastery!"
The reports quickly spread around the world, sparking a flurry of discussion on social media.
Fans had heated discussions on forums, Twitter, INS and other platforms. Some were excited, some were skeptical, and some began to delve into the tactics and details behind the event.
Switzerland's victory itself was shocking enough, but what really made the entire tennis world boil was the method that Nanjiro Echizen taught Ralf Reinhart during the match.
Ralph Reinhardt, who was already at the top professional level, actually displayed master-level strength, as if he had crossed a gap that was difficult for ordinary people to cross.
This scene not only amazed the audience, but also made many professional players feel uneasy.
They originally didn't care about youth competitions, thinking it was just children's games.
But now, a method from a youth team can make professional masters' strength soar, which undoubtedly breaks the boundaries of their understanding of tennis.
As a result, more and more professional players began to frantically collect information about Echizen Nanjiro, trying to find out the secret behind him.
They looked through every video of his ancient matches, analyzed every shot angle, and even tried to contact his opponents, just to get a glimpse.
Of course, many people also turned their attention to Beichuan.
Although Beichuan had received attention before, the label of "false master" always prevented him from gaining real recognition.
However, now, when people learned that he had become a true master player as a first-year junior high school student, the shock was beyond words.
How can such a young boy reach a level that even many adult professional players cannot reach? What kind of training method is hidden behind this?
Is there a shortcut?
Is there any unknown secret?
Countless people began trying to contact Beichuan, hoping to learn something from him.
Even just meeting him once can satisfy their inner curiosity and desire.
Although the HERO Tennis Club is extremely protective of him, this has instead aroused greater interest from the outside world.
……
That evening, the Swiss U-17 team returned to the Swiss training camp on a special plane.
The plane flew through the clouds, leaving a bright trail in the night sky.
Inside the cabin, everyone finally relaxed. Many had fallen into a deep sleep, with only a few still talking in low voices.
Beichuan did not sleep. He leaned back in his seat, looking at the deep night sky outside the window, but his thoughts had already flown far away.
After returning to training camp, he had a long discussion with Brand and the camp director.
Finally, a series of arrangements were settled.
The next morning, the sun shone on the training ground, and the dew on the grass leaves reflected colorful light.
The players gathered in the conference room one after another, with different expressions, but all with a hint of anticipation.
Beichuan stood in front, wearing a simple black training suit, his expression as calm as water.
His voice was not loud, but it was clear and powerful, penetrating the entire room.
"Although Christmas is just a few days away."
"Everyone is about to have a short vacation."
There was a slight commotion among the crowd, and some people smiled.
"But the U-17 World Cup finals are not far away."
“And before the main competition, there is a U-17 World Cup exhibition match.”
He paused, his eyes sweeping over the crowd. "As for which national teams will be participating, that's unknown."
"But I hope we still have to be prepared to be selected."
"If I'm selected, I won't play this time."
"You will need to do all the following competitions yourself."
Hearing this, everyone's expressions became serious.
“Also, don’t think that exhibition games are unimportant.”
"The winner of the exhibition match will receive a special privilege and a seven-day trip to Australia for the entire team."
"As for the privileges, it is the bye in the group stage."
He paused for a moment, a faint smile forming on his lips: "Originally, there was no such reward before."
"However, due to the extremely low enthusiasm of national teams for participating in the exhibition matches each year, and the withdrawal of the U-17 teams from Russia, the United Kingdom, and China this year, the number of participating teams is insufficient to form a full round."
“Hence the award.”
"Of course, this doesn't rule out the possibility that the International Tennis Association has received huge sponsorships and has nowhere to spend the money."
His words eased the atmosphere slightly, but were quickly replaced by seriousness again.
"Since we were away on tour during this period, many of the training camp events were not held as scheduled."
"So after the holidays, we're going to have a reshuffle."
His tone suddenly darkened: "Everyone, don't be too optimistic, because even I don't know which strong people this old man will recruit."
After saying this, he looked around the audience with a sharp gaze.
"Okay, that's it."
"Everyone can take a good rest now."
After saying that, he turned and left, his back straight and determined.
There was a brief silence in the room, and then the noise gradually returned to normal.
……
In fact, the long journey and continuous competitions during this period have made everyone feel mentally and physically tired.
This short holiday really gives them a chance to relax their body and mind.
It is worth mentioning that the relatives and families of junior high school students including Akutsu, Genichirō Sanada, Seiichi Yukimura, and Kazuya Tokugawa have been brought to Switzerland.
They settled in an apartment near the training camp and no longer had to travel long distances to visit as they did in the past.
This also makes the players feel more secure and at ease.
Time flies, and in the blink of an eye a month has passed.
During this period, the so-called "reshuffle" did not really shake the status of the Swiss U-17 team.
It’s not that the players Brand introduced are not strong enough, but that after experiencing high-intensity training and actual combat, the members of the Swiss team have grown at an astonishing rate, almost to an unbelievable level.
Each of them has significantly improved their football skills, and their physical fitness, reaction speed, and tactical awareness are far beyond the level of their peers.
Even experienced professional players find it difficult to face them.
At this moment, the Swiss U-17 team set out on their journey again, heading to the German home stadium.
The sky is blue, the sun is shining, and the air is filled with the scent of the coming spring.
As we all know, the U-17 World Cup is an annual competition.
Numerous tournaments and possible World Cup exhibitions are held each year.
The so-called exhibition match is a doubles match between high school and junior high school teams from various countries, with three groups of players competing in turn.
On the one hand, it is to showcase the country's tennis strength, and on the other hand, it is to attract the attention of sponsors and audiences.
Of course, this kind of exhibition match cannot be used as a reference for the main competition. After all, most national teams will have reservations.
But even so, this exhibition match is still of great significance - it marks the official start of this U-17 World Cup.
The reason why it was chosen to be held in Germany is that the previous champion was the German U-17 team.
It is an honor and a responsibility.