The God of Football starts with passive skills

Chapter 77: Equaling the Legend! Mid-Season Champions! Football Faith and the Hundred-Year War! Victory Celebration, Let's Charge for the Championship!
If Dortmund's journey in August was bumpy, then their performance in September gradually improved.

In particular, the two matches before the two-week national team training camp serve as a dividing line.

A 0-5 home defeat to Real Madrid and a 5-4 victory over Bayern Munich.

Dortmund's overall trend has started to rise steadily.

It wasn't until late October and November that it began to decline slightly.

This is mainly reflected in their elimination from the German Cup and the draws against Bayer Leverkusen, Werder Bremen, and Hoffenheim.

But after entering December, Dortmund once again had a moment of glory.

After the Europa League group stage, they will host Nuremberg in the 15th round.

Just eight minutes into the game, Sven Bender assisted Großkreutz to score against Nuremberg.

In the 13th minute, Owomoyela assisted Wang Shuo to further extend the lead.

In the 36th minute, Wang Shuo assisted Götze to score.

In the second half, Hummels scored from a corner kick, sealing the score at 4-0!

But the most important thing about this game is not the result, but the process.

And then there's the progress the players have shown!
After Kyle's serious injury, Sven Bender began to shoulder the responsibility and became the team's main midfielder.

Dede's serious injury also led to Schmelzer returning to the starting lineup.

Sven Bender delivered a standout performance in this match.

His partnership with Sahin in the double pivot midfield helped the team maintain firm control of the midfield.

Götze also showed outstanding ability in the number 10 position in the attacking third.

Wang Shuo even felt that, given Götze's performance, he might actually replace Feulner as the team's main player in the second half of the season.

Throughout the entire 90 minutes of the match, Dortmund completely controlled the situation and the pace of the game.

It's different from when I was in Mainz.

Klopp uses a 4-2-3-1 formation at Dortmund, which gives him stronger control over the midfield.

Sven Bender was primarily responsible for defense, but Sahin had strong control of the midfield.

And Götze.

These two players are players that Mainz simply doesn't have.

In addition, there are Reus, Grosskreutz, and Kuba on the two flanks.

This makes Dortmund's overall strength far superior to Mainz's!

At this moment, Wang Shuo finally realized that Dortmund had been fully integrated and formed!

……

If a home victory against Nuremberg a week ago wasn't convincing enough, suggesting Nuremberg was too weak, then...

A week later, in the 16th round of the Bundesliga, Borussia Dortmund faced Wolfsburg away from home. The wolf-like Dortmund displayed their signature pack tactics from the very beginning.

Just five minutes into the game, Götze delivered a brilliant pass during a quick counter-attack.

Wang Shuo received the ball in the penalty area, dribbled past the Wolfsburg center-back, and fired a shot into the net, giving Dortmund the lead!

1 is better than 0!

Just three minutes later, another series of passes between players came after the ball was intercepted in the attacking third.

Götze passed the ball, Wang Shuo assisted, and Kuba broke into the penalty area and scored.

2 is better than 0!

In the 26th minute, almost the same pattern repeated itself. Wang Shuo controlled the ball outside the penalty area, turned, and made a brilliant pass. Reus cut inside behind the defense and scored another goal for the team.

3 is better than 0!

Wolfsburg is no pushover either.

Head coach Köstner went all out.

In the 35th minute, he substituted center forward Grafite for center-back Simunek.

This personnel change had an immediate effect.

Just one minute after coming on, Dzeko assisted Grafite to score a goal.

Wolfsburg managed to stem the tide.

However, after the break in the second half, Dortmund continued their relentless attack.

Wolfsburg was not to be outdone.

Both sides played a fast-paced, attacking game.

In the 63rd minute, Hummels made a long pass, and Wang Shuo made a rapid forward run, successfully beating the offside trap, receiving the ball and breaking into the penalty area to score a one-on-one goal.

4 is better than 1!

Scored twice!

Wolfsburg made another substitution, still focusing on strengthening their attack.

In the 74th minute, Wang Shuo dropped back, drawing out the center-back. Sahin played a long pass over the top to Reus, who broke into the left side of the penalty area and scored, completing his brace.

5 is better than 1!

This was also the last goal of the match.

Borussia Dortmund unleashed an attacking storm in the Bundesliga, defeating Wolfsburg 5-1 away!

They won 4-0 in the last round and 5-1 in this round.

They scored 9 goals in two rounds of matches.

Borussia Dortmund are playing like they've gone completely crazy!
The entire German football world was shaken.

In the past few years, hasn't Klopp's team had physical problems every November and December?
What is this so-called Klopp syndrome?
But after this round of competition, the focus of all the media was basically on Wang Shuo.

Because he scored 19 goals, equaling his goal tally at the halfway point of last season.

This completely refuted all the pre-season predictions that Wang Shuo would hit the rookie wall.

Borussia Dortmund legend Jan Koller expressed his admiration for Wang Shuo in an interview with the media.

"If I could run more than 12 kilometers in every game, I would definitely be able to score more goals, and I might even break all the goal-scoring records!"

This was, of course, a joke.

Jan Kohler is a center forward who is over 2 meters tall.

But this also reflects Jan Kohler's appreciation for Wang Shuo.

With an average of over 12 runs per game, Wang Shuo has become deeply integrated into Borussia Dortmund's entire offensive and defensive system.

More importantly, Wang Shuo's average running distance of 12 kilometers per game makes his performance very stable!

Football legend Franz Beckenbauer mentioned this in a television program.

As a legendary player and legendary coach, Beckenbauer has enough authority to interpret this matter.

He believes that the world of football has never lacked players who can run.

Players who run more than 12 kilometers per game are rare, but not nonexistent.

For example, Olic this season is actually quite similar to Wang Shuo.

There are also technically gifted players with exquisite footwork and great creativity.

For example, Ribery of Bayern Munich.

There are also players who are very fast, good at attacking, and have extremely strong individual abilities.

For example, Robben.

"But in my memory, there has never been a player like Wang Shuo."

"He was like an invincible warrior that everyone found incredible."

"He can do almost anything on the field!"

Beckenbauer believes that, given the rate of progress Wang Shuo has shown, perhaps in another year or two, or even faster, he will make the entire European football world tremble!
This is undoubtedly the highest praise that the Emperor of Football could give!

……

Since they had already qualified for the knockout stage of the Europa League, Klopp fielded a completely reserve team for the final Europa League group stage match in midweek in Tel Aviv, Israel.

As a result, they lost 0-1 to Hapoel Tel Aviv away from home.

But nobody cares about this game.

It was primarily used for training troops.

Upon returning to Germany, they immediately faced Freiburg in the 17th round of the Bundesliga.

Dortmund's tactics in this match were exactly the same as before.

They pressed forward and attacked right from the start.

Just 8 minutes later, Wang Shuo assisted Reus to score a goal.

In the 11th minute, Wang Shuo provided the assist again, and Götze scored Dortmund's second goal.

Dortmund's start was like Klopp's three punches to Freiburg, each one more powerful than the last, completely stunning Freiburg.

Everyone has noticed that Dortmund's four attacking players are becoming increasingly coordinated, putting pressure on the opponent's midfield and defense, and their attacks are becoming more and more threatening.

Especially the quick counter-attacks after intercepting the ball.

Often, it only takes two or three passes to immediately reach the attacking third and create a threat.

In the 21st minute, Sven Bender intercepted the ball, and Götze passed it to Kuba, who controlled the ball on the right wing and then passed it diagonally behind him.

Freiburg's two center-backs are desperately tracking back to defend.

They saw Kuba's pass and were all extremely anxious.

But Wang Shuo was faster than them.

Wearing a yellow and black jersey, Dortmund's number 9 was like a Porsche 911 on full throttle, breaking through the combined defense of two Volkswagen Jettas with lightning speed and rushing into Freiburg's penalty area.

Near the penalty spot, after catching up with Kuba's diagonal pass, he took a shot with the inside of his right foot without stopping the ball.

He accurately sent the ball into the right side of Freiburg's goal.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

Goal!!!!

"In the 21st minute, Wang Shuo scored again against Freiburg!"

"I simply can't believe he's surpassed his performance from last season!"

As Wang Shuo quickly turned and rushed off the field to celebrate, the entire Westfalenstadion erupted in cheers and jubilation.

More than 8 Borussia Dortmund fans rushed out of their seats, cheering and shouting wildly.

At that very moment, something suddenly happened in the south stand.

The drums thundered inside the stadium.

The die-hard fans in the south stand kept chanting Wang Shuo's name, while also holding up signs of different colors high in the stands.

Ultimately, more than 2 playing cards covered the entire south grandstand, forming a giant Tifo.

Yellow background with black text.

A huge Arabic numeral 20!

The broadcast director quickly switched the camera to capture the entire giant tifo in the South Stand.

"We've seen that Dortmund's South Stand fans have once again produced their latest creation."

"They formed a giant Arabic numeral 20 in Dortmund's colors!"

"This is to celebrate Wang Shuo scoring his 20th Bundesliga goal of the season!"

"Perhaps many fans don't know what this number represents."

"It not only surpassed Wang Shuo's 19 Bundesliga goals in the first half of last season, but also equaled a legendary historical record."

"That was in the 1968/69 season, when Bayern Munich's legendary striker Gerd Müller scored 20 goals in the first half of the Bundesliga season."

"Forty years later, Wang Shuo from Borussia Dortmund has equaled Gerd Müller's legendary record!"

……

The match ended with a score of 4-0.

In the second half, Dortmund scored a corner kick through Subotic.

In their last three matches, Borussia Dortmund have scored 13 goals, and the team is performing better and better.

In particular, the performances of young players such as Reus, Götze, Sven Bender, Großkreutz, and Schmelzer have been increasingly outstanding, allowing everyone to see the potential of this team.

As for Wang Shuo, almost no one would consider him a young player anymore.

When captain Weidenfeller led everyone to the South Stand to thank the crowd, the fans in the South Stand, once again guided by the drumbeats, raised high a tifo with a huge yellow background and black lettering spelling out the number 20.

Wang Shuo was standing right below the south stand this time, and he felt incredibly awestruck!

"It must have cost a lot of money to make a Tifo like this, right?"

As they left the south stand, Wang Shuo curiously asked his teammates around him.

That's over 25,000 people.

“Actually, it’s not that expensive,” Royce replied with a smile.

"Isn't it expensive?" Subotic was also curious.

Such a huge Tifo must look extremely expensive.

"Of course, it is expensive, but it's not expensive because of the money, but because of the organizational capabilities."

As a die-hard Dortmund fan and a native of Dortmund, Reus is obviously very knowledgeable about these matters.

"For example, this huge 20 is actually made up of more than 25,000 small cardboard sheets. There is a company that specializes in making these, and it costs about 10,000 euros."

Wang Shuo was somewhat surprised.

Is it possible to make such a grand display for only 1 euros?
“There are two or three hundred local fan groups in the South Stand. They can often just shout out a message and the fans will donate enthusiastically, and the money will be raised. So raising more than 10,000 euros is really not difficult at all.”

"I even know that the South Stand fan organization has a large sum of donations, maybe tens of thousands of euros, specifically for TIFO."

Upon hearing this, Subotic exclaimed in admiration, "I never imagined that the culture invented by the Italians would be carried forward and popularized by our Dortmund fans in Germany."

Everyone found it amusing.

These days, when it comes to stadium TIFO, the first place that comes to mind for everyone is Borussia Dortmund.

The reputation of Westfalenstadion as a formidable home ground is well-deserved.

"The amount of money invested in organizing a large-scale TIFO is actually not that much. The key is time, energy, and organizational ability. Just like this one, you need to make the cardboard cutouts at least three weeks in advance."

"And the factory will definitely have to work overtime to get it done."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuo suddenly had a very interesting idea.

Could these 20,000 to 30,000 small cardboard sheets have been custom-made in a Chinese factory and then exported to Germany?
You know what, this is really possible.

Small pieces of cardboard processed in Chinese factories were shipped across the ocean to Germany to celebrate the Chinese players...

This business model can be considered a closed loop!
The crowd huddled together, walking from one stand to another to express their gratitude.

Royce then proceeded to explain TIFO to Wang Shuo and the others.

"Besides time, what is truly tested is organizational ability, which is how to mobilize the fans and distribute these 25,000 cardboard signs to them so that they can all raise them at the same time."

"Actually, although this was a fan-initiated event, the club was very supportive. Not to mention anything else, those 2-plus cardboard cards must have required at least several large trucks to transport, right?"

"Loading, unloading, and distributing all need to be done in advance. Without the support of the club, the fans simply cannot do it."

"Just now, before the match started, there were many fan groups at each entrance of the South Stand making announcements and reminding all fans entering the stadium."

"Before the competition starts, they will start distributing small cardboard signs, and the area must be planned in advance."

Upon hearing this, Wang Shuo turned around and looked at the fans in the south stand, feeling a surge of emotion.

"There are some talented people in the fan group!"

It is truly remarkable that we were able to organize more than 25,000 fans scattered across two or three hundred fan groups.

"definitely."

Reus was also particularly proud.

"Many people think that the South Stand is a low-priced standing area, but in reality, many middle-class people, corporate executives, white-collar workers, and even local tycoons really enjoy watching the game from this stand."

"In a few days, during the Christmas event, you'll see that there are really a lot of talented people in the fan groups, and they come from all walks of life."

"It's not that they don't have money, it's not that they can't afford tickets for other stands, it's simply because they like the South Stand!"

Wang Shuo nodded repeatedly as he listened.

He didn't have a deep impression of Mainz.

Mainz is too small, and the fans are scattered throughout the city, so Wang Shuo didn't feel a strong connection with them.

Most importantly, the fan organization was really subpar.

But after arriving in Dortmund, Wang Shuo truly experienced firsthand how incredibly passionate the fans were, even in such a big city.

This fervor has nothing to do with money, nor with wealth or poverty.

As Reus said, you might see a very rich man standing next to a very poor man in the south stand every game, cheering together for Dortmund's goals.

At this point, is football still just football?

Wang Shuo has never played in a professional league in China, so he doesn't know if there are places in China with such a strong football culture.

But as far as he knew, it seemed there really wasn't.

……

The 17th round of the Bundesliga has finally come to an end.

Borussia Dortmund secured a resounding 4-0 victory over Freiburg at home.

Bayern Munich thrashed Hertha Berlin 5-2 at home.

Bayer Leverkusen narrowly defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 at home.

Hamburg defeated Werder Bremen 2-1 at home.

All the matches before the winter break have ended.

多特蒙德在17轮比赛里，以13胜3平1负的战绩，拿到了42分。

How valuable is this report card?

Bild provided the answer in its post-match report.

In Bundesliga history, the team with the highest points at the halfway point of the season is Bayern Munich under Magath in the 05/06 season.

他们在前17轮比赛里，拿到了14胜2平1负的骄人战绩，创造了44分。

This is also the highest historical record in Bundesliga history.

而多特蒙德拿下42分，正好超过了80/81赛季的汉堡，98/99赛季的拜仁，追平了65/66赛季的慕尼黑1860，并列成为德甲有史以来积分第二高的半程冠军。

It's safe to say that this is absolutely of high quality!

Especially their three-game winning streak in December was incredibly exhilarating.

With 39 goals scored and 15 conceded, this record is in no way inferior to Magath's Bayern Munich team's record of 35 goals scored and 12 conceded.

Almost all media outlets focused their attention on Wang Shuo, the top scorer.

More than 40 years have passed since Gerd Müller set a Bundesliga record of 20 goals in the first half of a season, and no player has been able to catch up with, let alone surpass, that record.

Last season, Wang Shuo and Ibisevic came very close to this record, but ultimately failed to catch up.

Now, Wang Shuo has finally caught up.

A historical record that had been sealed for more than 40 years was broken again, which immediately sparked heated discussions throughout the German football world.

Inevitably, everyone will compare Wang Shuo with Gerd Müller.

Both involve 20 goals, but the situations are actually quite different.

In the 68/69 season, Gerd Müller's 20 goals only brought Bayern Munich 35 points.

A key reason is that he scored in only 11 out of 17 games.

This includes one four-goal haul, one hat-trick, and four braces.

What about Wang Shuo?

His 20 goals were spread across 16 matches.

Except for the 14th round match against Hoffenheim, Wang Shuo has scored in all his matches.

Moreover, Wang Shuo contributed 10 assists in these 17 rounds of matches.

Gerd Müller only had 3.

"During this season, Dortmund was even criticized by the media for a long time for being addicted to Wang Shuo."

Bild believes that Wang Shuo is more well-rounded than a pure scorer like Gerd Müller.

"He even has the ability to single-handedly complete the entire attacking chain, from intercepting the ball to scoring a goal!"

As a German media outlet, Bild would naturally not denigrate Gerd Müller.

They believe this is a change brought about by the progress of the times and a tactical revolution.

This was also a move out of desperation for Dortmund.

When Klopp first arrived and began to integrate Dortmund, he relied more on Wang Shuo's individual ability to win games.

In contrast, Gerd Müller will receive more support at Bayern Munich, so he naturally won't need to do these things.

Besides Bild, authoritative media outlets such as Kicker and Süddeutsche Zeitung have all named Wang Shuo the best performing player in the first half of the Bundesliga season. His reputation has even surpassed that of Bayern Munich's Ribery and Robben.

The Süddeutsche Zeitung even issued a proposal to the German Football Association and German national team coach Joachim Löw.

“Wang Shuo has never played for the national team, which is very unbelievable.”

"We can't understand why, but this will be an opportunity for German football!"

The Süddeutsche Zeitung believes that the German Football Association and the national team should make an exception and call up Wang Shuo to play for Germany.

"This will be an exciting and joyous occasion for everyone!"

However, they were clearly unaware that the German Football Association had communicated with Wang Shuo multiple times over the past year, through Mainz and Dortmund, and even through sponsors Adidas and Porsche.

They promised that if Wang Shuo was willing to play for the German national team, he could apply for German citizenship in advance, and Löw also promised that he could participate in the 2010 South Africa World Cup.

Even Klopp and Heynckes called Wang Shuo, urging him to consider joining the German national team.

But Wang Shuo's stance has always been clear.

He will not play for the German national team!
Because becoming a German citizen would mean giving up his Chinese citizenship, which he simply could not accept.

Just as he had advised Subotic.

His parents, family, relatives and friends are all in China.

How could he possibly convince himself to play for another national team?
This news story was destined to remain unresolved.

……

The differences between Dortmund and Mainz are evident in every aspect.

Just like Christmas.

Wang Shuo was genuinely surprised by the sheer number of Christmas activities at Borussia Dortmund.

Just like Wang Shuo.

The day after the league was suspended, he and several teammates, including Reus, went to a hospital to visit a young fan who was seriously ill. It is said that the young fan had been a Dortmund fan since birth.

The first-team players operate separately.

Wang Shuo then received another assignment: to go to a primary school in the northeast of the city to participate in their Christmas activities.

"Our current situation is relatively good."

On the way to the primary school, goalkeeper Weidenfeller explained to Wang Shuo and others with a smile.

"Do you know? Four or five years ago, when our team was going through the most difficult time, we even had to work as escorts."

"Escort services?" Subotic was surprised.

Feulner exclaimed excitedly, "Is this the kind of escort I'm thinking of?"

Weidenfeller, of course, knew what the lecherous Feulner meant by "three escorts," and nodded with a smile.

"Pretty much, just not selling myself."

"Holy crap, that's awesome!" Feulner said with envy.

Everyone immediately collapsed to the ground.

Of course, everyone knows that this guy is actually joking.

"The club was really poor at the time. They sold the stadium's naming rights, sold the stadium itself, and were still heavily in debt. They couldn't even pay salaries."

"So, you're going to become escorts?" Foyle was still thinking about the word "escort."

“Our club established a company specifically for organizing business activities, and it still exists today. The person in charge is that Plath.”

Everyone knows who Plath is.

Wang Shuo had met him a few times, and it was said that he was the one who organized this Christmas dinner.

"Doesn't our Westfalenstadion have venues available for rent to host events like Christmas, corporate celebrations, fan birthdays, or weddings?"

Wang Shuo and the others nodded in agreement.

"If they rent our stadium to hold an event, they only need to pay an extra fee to invite our players to attend."

Isn't this just like entertainment stars making appearances at events?
The key is probably to attract more businesses and individuals to hold events at Westfalenstadion.

Are the appearance fees high?

When Foyle asked the question, everyone burst into laughter again.

This kid's thought process is truly bizarre.

As players, everyone's first reaction upon hearing this was resistance.

After all, players, especially those from Borussia Dortmund, are generally respected and have a high social status.

But the first thing that came to mind for this person surnamed Fu was the appearance fee.

"Actually, it's very rare. The highest was Metzelder, which was only about 15000 euros at the time. So we all said that he went to Real Madrid because he didn't want to participate in these kinds of activities anymore."

"And you? How much is your appearance fee?" Feulner asked another question that piqued everyone's curiosity but also made them laugh.

“I only have 7500 euros,” Weidenfeller said, seemingly unconcerned.

That matter is all in the past.

"Is there any business?"

When Feulner asked that question, Wang Shuo couldn't help but want to punch him.

But I'm genuinely curious.

Weidenfeller himself found it funny, "Of course, many players don't accept such activities, but we were really struggling at the time, and the fees were much lower than those of high-end hotels, so business was pretty good."

"I remember there was a Christmas event for fans organized by the club, which had more than a thousand people in attendance at its peak, and each person paid 60 euros."

6 million euros!
Wang Shuo began to understand why Borussia Dortmund was so frugal these days, carefully calculating every penny.

Because they were truly poor!

And they're desperately poor!
"Look out the window, this is Borsihi Square."

Following Weidenfeller's gesture, Wang Shuo looked out the window and saw a large roundabout formed by six roads converging in different directions, with an open space in the middle.

"Is this where our club celebrated after winning the championship?"

"Yes, after each victory, we would start from Westfalenstadion and parade around the city all the way to Borsichplatz."

At this point, Weidenfeller's face darkened.

"But the last time we came here to celebrate was back in 02."

Seven or eight years may not be a long time for fans.

But for professional players, it's equivalent to half of their career, or even more.

Wang Shuo sensed Weidenfeller's change in mood and immediately smiled confidently, "As long as we all work together, I believe we will definitely be able to come here to celebrate in May!"

Borussia Dortmund currently holds the mid-season championship with 42 points.

Bayer Leverkusen, who are in second place, only have 35 points.

A seven-point lead is no small matter for Dortmund.

Therefore, Wang Shuo spoke with great confidence.

Inside the car, several players, including Subotic, Weidenfeller, and Feulner, also strongly agreed.

"By the way, why did we choose Borsihi Square as the venue for our championship celebration?" Subotic asked curiously.

Looking out the car window, what's called a plaza is actually just an open space, and not very big at that.

There's nothing particularly special about it.

Weidenfeller smiled. "It's very simple. In 1909, Dortmund was founded in Borsichplatz. Back then, there were no roads or roundabouts here; it was just a football field for people to play football."

Wang Shuo and the others then realized what was going on.

No wonder that after each championship victory, the team and fans would travel all the way from the Westfalenstadion in the southwest to Borsichplatz in the northeast to celebrate.

After exiting the roundabout from the due north direction, immediately pull over to the side of the road and park.

They're here!

The school is somewhat old and doesn't have anything particularly special about it.

“This is the primary school that Marcos Mihalek attended,” Weidenfeller explained.

Wang Shuo noticed this legend while visiting the Dortmund history museum.

Marcos Mihalek, one of the most influential legends in Borussia Dortmund's history, was born near Borsigplatz, remained loyal to the club for 31 years, and died in 1985.

“In the early days, many of our Dortmund players came from the surrounding areas, but after a hundred years of development, things have changed and few schools remain. However, we still come here every Christmas.”

The school and students seem to have gotten used to Dortmund's arrival.

They had already prepared various activities.

The club also thoughtfully prepared many gifts for these young fans.

The gifts weren't actually expensive, but Wang Shuo felt that the activity was very meaningful.

As before, he couldn't understand why the more than 2 fans in the Dortmund South Stand were so die-hard.

But now, looking at the elementary school students in front of him wearing Borussia Dortmund jerseys, he suddenly realized what was going on.

It is through the influence of growing up that they have come to love football and Borussia Dortmund!

Isn't that what Reus is like?
After an afternoon of interaction, Wang Shuo never expected that he would become the elementary school students' favorite player.

Moreover, almost everyone is very familiar with him.

I've even seen several players wearing the number 9 jersey.

This made him very happy.

He never refused any request from the children for autographs or photos.

On the way back, Wang Shuo recalled some of the things Coach Gao had said earlier.

Perhaps this is the biggest difference between Chinese football and European football.

Over the course of a century, they have grown from a community and a street into a prestigious club known to football fans worldwide.

Over the past century, for the surrounding communities and for the fans of the city, Borussia Dortmund has become more than just a football club; it is a cultural heritage and even a kind of faith!
Yes, faith!

Wang Shuo recalls that in the early days, Borussia Dortmund actually had many football clubs.

Why did the bumblebee stand out and become the symbol of the entire city?

Because they are playing against their arch-rivals Schalke 04's Ruhr derby in Gelsenkirchen!
This is no longer just a contest between two football teams.

It was more like a "war" between two cities.

Wang Shuo thought of the El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​and the Manchester derby between Manchester United and Liverpool...

He suddenly felt that it was quite normal for Chinese football to be lagging behind.

In Europe, especially in the developed Western Europe, over a century, through the inheritance and accumulation of generations, countless teams like Borussia Dortmund have become part of the culture and faith of their cities!

In China, however, a football culture and tradition that covers streets, communities, and the entire city has never been established.

This is not anyone's responsibility, nor can it be built up overnight.

After all, who has had the time and ability to develop football in the past century?
……

After finishing the 17th round of the Bundesliga on December 19th, Borussia Dortmund began their busy Christmas preparations.

It wasn't until the 22nd that things finally came to an end.

On this day, the club booked a high-end Italian restaurant in the Holmbruch district, west of Lükelnburg, and held a grand Christmas celebration banquet.

Unlike previous team dinners, this time players were allowed to bring their female companions.

Not only will the first-team players attend, but Watzke and Zorc, as well as head coach Klopp and the coaching staff, will all be present.

And they all brought female companions with them.

German media also received the news and staked out the restaurant early on.

Both sides had a tacit understanding.

They wouldn't go inside and disrupt the team's dinner, and the players and their female companions were naturally all dressed up carefully.

No one might believe it if I told you.

Even Klopp wore a suit and tie.

The only thing that hasn't changed is his thick beard.

Klopp was clearly overjoyed to have won the mid-season championship again. When he appeared in front of the media with his wife, he even showed off their affection by kissing her, allowing the reporters to take plenty of pictures.

Does it seem a little unfamiliar?

Wang Shuo stood at the door, watching Klopp and his wife show their affection, feeling utterly bewildered.

Subotic also felt particularly overwhelmed and nodded repeatedly.

"Hey, King."

"Hello, Jürgen."

Klopp and his wife came to Wang Shuo's side. After meeting him, Uncle Beard carefully looked Wang Shuo over.

"Wow, you definitely didn't put together this outfit yourself today. You don't have this kind of taste."

Damn old slut!
Would you die if you didn't give me a hard time?

Klopp laughed heartily when he saw Wang Shuo get his comeuppance.

“Where’s Lena?” Klopp’s wife, Ula Sandlock, asked.

"I had to go to Düsseldorf for some urgent business and I'm on my way back. I'll be there later."

“I really liked some of the items she sold at the charity market, and I bought several of them.”

"Thank you."

The charity market is also an annual Christmas event in Dortmund.

As the name suggests, it involves players or their girlfriends donating personal items to be sold in the Westfalenstadion fan shop, with all proceeds going to charity.

This is an annual event held by Borussia Dortmund, and the players actively participate, while the fans also enjoy it very much.

Wang Shuo donated a lot of things.

Because in the past period, Adidas alone has sent him countless pairs of sneakers, clothes and other items.

There are also various other brands, so many that my home is almost overflowing.

This is especially true for Lina Gerke.

Many fashion brands send her things, hoping she will wear their clothes, jewelry, or other fashion items to help them increase their brand awareness.

How outrageous is it?
The small villa that Wang Shuo rented was so big that it couldn't fit a whole room.

This can be considered a happy kind of trouble.

So this time, he and Lina Gerke really donated a lot.

Among them, Lina Gerke's items are the most popular with female fans.

When everyone entered, they found the atmosphere inside was already very lively.

Everyone was chatting enthusiastically.

Everyone was quite surprised to see Wang Shuo come alone.

Everyone was eagerly anticipating Lina Gerke's appearance.

"Wang, look, all these people are in pairs. Even Götze, Reus, and Grosskreutz brought female companions for the first time. I heard that Götze even found one at the last minute."

When Feulner said this, everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Götze wanted to jump up and beat him up.

Although the two had a conflict of positions, Feulner's personality was really great, and he got along with everyone.

"Now, you're all alone, so tell me..."

"Lina!" Subotic was the first to cheer.

He had barely shouted it out when his girlfriend, a world champion, punched him.

But the other players also joined in the commotion, all shouting, "Lina!"

Wang Shuo also found it amusing.

The dinner party began with speeches from Watzke and Zorc.

Both club executives expressed their satisfaction with the team's performance this season and conveyed President Laubar's congratulations.

Klopp was the third to speak.

He gave high praise to the team's performance in the first half of the season, saying, "But our team also faces very big challenges!"

"As far as I know, Bayern Munich is watching us closely. They think we will be affected by the so-called Klopp syndrome in the second half of the season and will definitely collapse."

"And then there's Leverkusen, and other competitors; they're all waiting for us to make a mistake!"

As Klopp said this, he reached up and adjusted his glasses, telling the players with great certainty.

"I assure you, they will not get their way!"

"My colleagues and I will do our best to help everyone!"

"I believe that as long as we all work together and unite as one, we will definitely be able to overcome all difficulties!"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone burst into enthusiastic applause.

This restaurant is famous for its Italian cuisine, and Dortmund's menu includes some of the restaurant's most famous signature dishes such as fish fillets and pasta, but there is also a very special pie with a Bundesliga champion splatter pattern.

It was clearly a custom order placed with the restaurant by the club.

It also represents the club's expectations for the players.

"I'm sorry, I'm late!"

As everyone was enjoying their meal, a melodious, warbling voice drifted from the direction of the restaurant entrance.

Everyone at the dinner table looked up.

In that instant, the air seemed to freeze.

The once noisy restaurant became completely silent in a very short time.

Lina Gerke appeared before everyone with a smile, making everyone's eyes light up.

Her neat, golden, center-parted hair accentuated her delicate and pretty face, with a high, straight nose and slightly curved eyes when she smiled, making her look both approachable and confident.

She wore a soft white turtleneck sweater with a loose and slouchy neckline and cuffs, which looked very relaxed yet added a lot of fashionable layers.

She wore a brown mini skirt and knee-high boots, which accentuated her signature long, slender legs.

Her warm and comforting smile, combined with her sophisticated yet casual outfit, exuded confidence and elegance, making her the center of attention the moment she appeared.

"Feel sorry."

Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Lina Gerke calmly walked to Wang Shuo's side, took his outstretched hand, and sat down in the empty seat next to him.

Everyone then regained their senses.

She truly deserves to be called Germany's number one beauty!

The crowd at the scene was filled with amazement.

"What were you two talking about just now?" Lina Gerke asked Subotic and Lisa Ritz across from her with a natural and open manner.

Wang Shuo and Subotic are the closest, and the two couples often eat together, so they are naturally the most familiar with each other.

“We were just complaining that the King didn’t bring you along,” Lisa Ritz laughed.

Lina Gerke smiled and reached out to hug Wang Shuo's arm, leaning her whole body against him. "He had told me before, but something came up and I went to Düsseldorf, so I was late when I got back."

After saying that, she leaned over and kissed Wang Shuo hard on the cheek, saying, "I'm sorry."

He was clearly apologizing for causing Wang Shuo to be teased by his teammates.

Wang Shuo smiled and patted her hand, "It's okay."

"Lina, if you really don't come, I reckon Wang will be snatched away by those female reporters outside soon," Feulner joked.

Everyone found it funny.

But Wang Shuo is indeed very popular right now and is in high demand.

Lina Gerke was very cooperative, holding Wang Shuo even tighter, as if to say: He is my most important treasure.

"If he really gets kidnapped, I'll do everything in my power to get him back!"

Everyone was stunned for a moment, and then they all started to jeer.

What does it feel like to be publicly professed your love by Germany's number one goddess?
No one present had ever had this kind of experience.

Then look at Wang Shuo, with that smug expression. Any man would want to punch him.

However, everyone present immediately confirmed some of the previous rumors.

According to Subotic and Feulner, it was Lina Gerke who actively pursued Wang Shuo.

They even had to ask for Wang Shuo's phone number several times before they finally got it.

They were initially skeptical, thinking that the two guys were deliberately exaggerating Wang Shuo's appeal.

Now, Lina Gerke is proving them right with her actions: it's true!
It was Wang Shuo who actively pursued her!
Even now that we've won each other over, she's still the one taking the initiative.

This made all the men present feel a pang of envy.

I admire you!

Wang Shuo is not only good at playing football, but also has a knack for wooing girls.

Absolutely!
(End of this chapter)