The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 74 Fame in France

Everyone looked towards Chatham with a puzzled look.

Hajibegic was also a little confused.

This was the first time he had seen Chatham make such a fuss.

However, after arriving at the training ground, Chatham calmed down a little. He didn't say much to others, just asked them to continue training, and then called Gaio aside.

"Did you get a call from the national team?"

Chatham was so surprised just now because he received emails and faxes from the national team, and the club had already received the notification.

The player himself must have received the notice.

"Well, I've had a conversation with Mr. Blanco, and he asked me to report to Clairefontaine on the 2nd." Gaio nodded in response.

"Good, good, good, you kid are good, very good!" Chatham's face flushed with excitement. He didn't know how to describe his feelings. He had a lot to say, but the only word that came out of his mouth was "good".

He is even more excited now than when he was first selected for the national team.

He knew his own limit, which was far inferior to Gaio's.

Chatham and Gaio both came from the suburbs of Paris, Fontaine-aux-Oiseaux, also known as the bird fountain town.

Located in the northern suburbs of Paris, in the 93rd department of Greater Paris, adjacent to Saint-Denis and about 30 kilometers from the Stade de France.

The town is surrounded by tributaries of the Marne River, with graffiti on the river banks and old industrial areas intertwined with immigrant communities.

Niaoquan Town has a population of less than 50,000, 40% of whom are North African immigrants, 20% are Eastern European workers, and the remaining 40% are local French blue-collar workers.

The Gaio family lived in Bird Spring Town in their early years. As Pierre's career developed, they moved to the city of Paris.

In this small town, football is a daily routine for all children.

But he is the only top star to emerge from Niaoquan Town.

There are only a few players who can even enter the professional league.

right now,

Chatham sees a different future—Gaio!
Bird Spring Town is a miniature bonsai of French immigrant society—poverty and talent, violence and redemption, colonial history and football dreams collide violently here.

Every step Gaio takes will step on France’s old wounds and new dreams.

He will become the football totem of Bird Spring Town.

Chatham said "OK" several times before finally saying, "Keep performing and try to get selected for the European Cup roster."

"Ok!"

This is also Gaio's goal.

"Go ahead, train hard and prepare for the home game against Laval in two days. Come on. You will become a legend in Bastia!"

Chatham never thought that a 17-year-old player could be associated with the word legend.

Now, Gaio has done it.

When Gaio returned to the team, Fan Shang hurried over to ask him, "Why did Chatham look for you when he was in such a state?"

Gaio knew that his selection for the national team would soon be exposed by the media. Don't underestimate the power of these media.

So there was no hiding it, "He told me that the national team sent an email to the team, asking me to report to the national team on the 2nd."

"what?!"

Gaio said calmly something that made Fan Shang completely unable to calm down.

"national team?!!"

Fan Shang couldn't help but scream.

All the teammates in training heard Fan Shang's voice. Rothen was the first to ask, "What national team?"

Fan Shang still looked incredulous.

He shouted to all his teammates, "Oh my God, Gaio will be reporting to the national team at the beginning of next month!!!"

Wow!

This news completely detonated the entire training ground.

"Joined the first team?"

"You were promoted to the first team straight away after just joining the U21 team. Gaio, you're incredible!"

"Really?! This is too dreamy!"

"Geo, you're amazing!"

Everyone stopped training and gathered together to celebrate Gaio's selection into the national team.

In their view, Gaio's experience was like a dream, a life trajectory they could never imagine.

You know, just a few months ago, Gaio was even in a youth prison!

Outside the training ground.

Hajibegic also learned the news. He looked at Gaio on the field and a smile appeared on his face.

Does this count as him training a French international? Back when Bastia was still in Ligue 1, they had produced some fringe international players, but with their relegation to Ligue 2 and even the French national team, there were no more.

Now in the whole of Bastia, only Rothen has experience in the French national team's first team.

In addition, Toni, who scored a goal in the last game, was selected for the French U19 team.

There is also the team's midfielder Sadio Diallo, who was selected for the Guinea national team this year.

This is the situation of the entire Bastia international team.

But Gaio was obviously the most unique one!
This is the French national team!

The media moved quickly.

The relevant news report was immediately published in the evening paper of that day.

L'Equipe, "Gaio's life turnaround: from youth prison to inclusion in the latest French national team squad"

Le Parisien, "At 17, worth 30 million: Gaio, the treasure that makes Ligue 1 tremble"

Le Figaro, "Blanc's only second-tier French player - Gaio, who was once favored by Zidane"

Liberation, "France's latest squad: Blanc chooses a troubled teenager"

As such.

Many fans even heard of Gaio for the first time, while many people had already remembered this name through various media reports.

However, this time is different from previous reports.

This time it was Gaio who made it into the national team!

This means that Gaio is no longer just a talented player representing Bastia, but a player who is likely to represent France.

This level of attention is incomparable to what it was before.

Blanco's decision put Gaio in the spotlight.

Someone objected.

"This is an insult to discipline! A robber wearing a blue robe? Look, I respect rehabilitation, but the national team is not a reformatory!

Look at his defensive contribution – he only regained the ball 0.3 times per game, which would be a disaster at the national team’s first-team level!
Blanco is playing with fire!

If Gaio isn't on the field, it would be a waste of the spot!"

"Gaio is so successful in Ligue 2 because the defenders in Ligue 2 turn around like freight trucks!
The opposing defenders on the national team will show him what top defense is. Just wait to be knocked out of the sideline!

Worth 30 million?
At least 28 million are due to the potential bubble brought about by age!"

Some Rennes fans also jeered, "Gaio wearing a blue robe? Stealing a jersey is much easier than winning it!"

The fact that Gaio was imprisoned for robbery has become a stain on him at this stage.

The past incidents of beating Russian players at Chelsea were also dug up.

Criticized by many people.

But there are also people who support it.

Zidane was the first French celebrity to speak out for Gaio.

He said: "When I was 21 years old and was selected for the national team for the first time, Jacquet was also accused of nepotism.

But then what?

We won the World Cup.

Gaio's weakness?
In 1998, I wasn't as fast as Okocha, but did I need speed for that header in the final? What was needed was heart and brains."

“Modern football needs differentiated weapons.

Gaio's changes of rhythm and small-scale ball control can break the balance at critical moments.

Don’t forget, Messi was also criticized as being ‘too thin’ when he was in the youth team – genius always finds a way to survive.”

"I've seen too many 'good kids' ruin their careers in nightclubs, but a guy who just crawled out of prison cherishes his second chance more than anyone else.

If football can't give hope to those who are lost, what's the difference between us and judges?"

"Give him time and he will give us all an answer."

Legendary footballer Henry also said, "When I was 17, I was still playing in the Monaco youth academy, and Gaio had already scored 9 goals and 1 assist in 6 games in Ligue 2! The data doesn't lie - his dribbling success rate even exceeds that of many Ligue 1 wingers.

Yes, he needs to adapt to higher intensity confrontation, but when I was at Arsenal, Wenger also said that my body was like a bamboo pole.

Give this kid time and he'll silence the doubters."

Bastia fans also expressed their support for Gaio.

"Is his £30 million price tag inflated? Look at his expected goals of 1.38 per game and his 6.5 fouls per game in Ligue 2, proving opponents can only stop him with fouls. If I were Blanc, I'd take a gamble: a left-footed winger who can create chances in tight spaces is the best option for breaking down an opponent's defensive system."

"Those who say Gaio has no speed, he doesn't need to sprint like other wingers, his change of direction can tear through the defense. Don't forget, when Zidane was young he was also criticized for being 'slow as a tractor'!"

There are different opinions.

This also makes Gaio's next game - Bastia's home game against Laval, an absolute focus of the French Ligue 2.

The attention even exceeds that of most Ligue 1 matches!
Gaio, famous.
(End of this chapter)