Chapter 1168 - 280: Jiangyou Mateo, Lu Yang’s Ball Kid (Congratulations to the Women’s National Team for Winning the Asian Championship!)

Frankly speaking, Naji’s current level is that of a starting center-back for a mid-tier team in the Five Major Leagues!

Definitely not someone an eleven-year-old kid can get past.

However, surprisingly, Zhang Linyan just pushed the football to the left, then charged to the right, pulling the ball away with her left foot.

A standing Marseille Turn!

Forcibly moving the ball that was heading left to the right!

With this move, it’s a real breakthrough!

After the bicycle kick, a right-left-right!

Two consecutive shifts in center of gravity, which caught Naji somewhat off guard.

Or rather, Zhang Linyan actually succeeded.

If it were players like Fernandez at Naji’s level, this move would definitely have gone past Naji.

But Zhang Linyan is too small.

Eleven years old!

Despite all the fancy footwork, she was still within Naji’s coverage range.

Naji exerted his right foot, extending his left foot sharply to the left.

Not only blocking Zhang Linyan, but also covering over a meter of space in front of her.

Long-legged freak!

Bullying!

Even Morici wanted to curse seeing this scene.

This is too much bullying of a child!

Is it great to have long legs?

"Naji did his best!" said Delarre, a dribbling expert, "That move left no room for maneuvering, and only like this could he stop this little girl."

"For adult players like us, the Marseille Turn just now would already have bypassed Naji, and there’d be nearly a second to handle the ball. Enough time to aim and shoot!"

Bernulin nodded: "That was the center-back’s extreme defense, very risky, but sometimes only such methods can block the opponent. This move, doesn’t it look like during our team training sessions, when Naji defends against Lu Yang?"

Everyone nodded.

Bam!

A crisp sound.

A football weakly rolled into the goal.

The San Remo players were stunned.

What’s happening?

But the next moment, the kids in red jerseys jumped up excitedly, cheering joyously: "Goal! It’s a goal!"

"Good job!"

"Zhang Linyan, go for it!"

Everyone then looked towards Naji and Zhang Linyan.

The football was no longer at Zhang Linyan’s feet.

Hiss hiss hiss!

Kaint observed the entire process, inhaling sharply.

This...

He felt that if he replaced himself with Naji just now, even without physical strength, he couldn’t have defended either.

Zhang Linyan’s Marseille Turn to the right, with Naji stretching his leg to block.

But after Zhang Linyan’s Marseille Turn, she suddenly used her heel to hit the ball and change direction, knocking the ball back to the left.

At this point, Naji entered a rigid period due to exerting fully, combined with the shift in center of gravity, rendering his body immobilized.

The more agile and prepared Zhang Linyan followed up with a powerful shot.

The ball went through Naji’s legs and headed for the goal.

Dumbfounded!

Naji was directly dumbfounded!

He got nutmegged by an eleven-year-old girl?

This...

Must be fake!

What about the so-called football desert?

Even Lu Yang widened his eyes.

No wonder she’s called Jiangyou Mateo, Zhang Linyan has such a good feel for the ball.

Key aspects are rich imagination, excellent body control, and explosive power.

A half Fried Meatball fake to the left, interrupting the skill move midway, switch to the opposite direction Marseille Turn. As soon as the move ended, she added another opposite direction heel flick to change direction, followed by a nutmeg shot.

What getting past the big guy?

Zhang Linyan didn’t even have her mind on scoring.

Her only target was the goal!

She is born for scoring.

This kid is a natural forward, regardless of her height and age!

Clap clap clap!

Led by Lu Yang, the San Remo players gave Zhang Linyan a warm round of applause.

Including the "humiliated" Naji.

Zhang Linyan reverted to her somewhat shy timid appearance.

After all, she’s still just a child.

"You should play, you’re very good!" Lu Yang gave Zhang Linyan a thumbs up, "Have you been to Camp Nou?"

Zhang Linyan shook her head: "No, but we have tickets for the finals, we can enter the stadium to watch the game. We’ll cheer for you!"

Lu Yang also shook his head: "Thank you. I meant, on the Camp Nou field, on the grass."

Zhang Linyan said: "Definitely not. But Coach Luo Cheng said that after the Champions League finals, he will take us to experience the stadium."

Speaking of this, the little girl couldn’t be happier.

Lu Yang smiled: "No need to wait that long. The day after tomorrow, I’ll take you on the field."

Zhang Linyan was full of questions.

But the San Remo players immediately reacted.

Lu Yang wants to make Zhang Linyan his escort for the Champions League final!

"That’s very difficult, right? The stadium must have already arranged everything." Morici said.

In fact, ball escorts are hardly ordinary people.

They’re all youth players from the team.

Many ’current stars taking photos with previous stars as kids’ are mostly because of this.

The Great British Imperial Star Kane was Beckham’s escort back in the day.

But escort spots for major games are fiercely competitive.

Often, they’re not just local team youngsters; many big clubs outside have spotted good prospects who will get these opportunities too.

Like for this Champions League final, the escorts include Barça youth players, as well as those who won in some big youth tournaments this year, and possibly some high-ranking officials or billionaire families wanting their children to experience such events.

Lu Yang wants to ask UEFA and Barça for a spot, it’s a very slim chance.