Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 530: The Free Kick God, Buffon Reduced to a Mere Spectator!

"The ball is in!"

"Incredible goal, unbelievable!"

"Lin Quan practically took on Italy's entire defense all by himself!"

In the CCTV broadcasting studio, the two commentators were practically singing Lin Quan's praises.

However, the viewers watching the game didn't feel that this praise was unwarranted because Lin Quan truly deserved it!

More than 80,000 fans at the Stade de France witnessed Lin Quan's stunning goal and were left in awe.

Such a goal only seems possible in heaven—how could one witness this on Earth?

Moments later, thunderous applause and cheers erupted, echoing across the stadium.

The tens of thousands of fans at the scene gave Lin Quan the most enthusiastic applause and cheers, even the Italian fans couldn't help but admire the goal.

"Well done!"

Del Bosque couldn't contain his excitement when he saw Lin Quan score. He ran up and down the sidelines like a madman, hugging anyone he could grab, regardless of whether they were part of the Spanish side or not.

In the stands, Guardiola was also wide-eyed in shock after witnessing Lin Quan's goal.

The goal reminded him of Messi's famous goal against Real Madrid, where Busquets' century-defining assist and Messi's incredible solo run through Madrid's defense became a classic moment etched in memory for years.

However, Lin Quan's goal was even more difficult because he had far less space to work with, and the Italian defense was better prepared.

But despite that, this kid still managed to score.

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Guardiola wouldn't have believed it.

"This kid's form peaked too early!"

Guardiola felt both proud and a little worried.

Lin Quan was in such good form that he was sure to attract more attention from the opposition in future games.

This concern weighed on Guardiola's mind—he feared that Lin Quan's form might drop if he became a key target for opposing teams.

Many people, including Guardiola, could clearly see how vital Lin Quan was to this Spanish team.

If his form dropped, Spain would face a much tougher challenge in their journey through the Euros.

While Guardiola was thinking about the long-term, Italy's coach Antonio Conte had a more immediate concern—how to stop Lin Quan.

If they couldn't limit his impact, Italy was bound to lose this match.

...

After Spain took the lead, their players grew in confidence. Not only did they play with more patience, but they also became more assured in their approach.

On the other hand, Italy seemed shaken by the goal they had just conceded.

When play resumed, many of their players were still dazed and hadn't fully regained their composure.

Some Italian players wanted to attack and equalize the score, while others felt they should focus on defense first and withstand Spain's attacking momentum.

The team's internal disagreement led to a sense of confusion in Italy's play.

Spain, of course, was not about to let such an opportunity slip away.

In the 42nd minute of the first half, Spain launched another fierce attack, once again targeting De Sciglio.

Taking advantage of the Italian players' nervous mindset, Lin Quan combined with overlapping right-back Juanfran to easily break through.

Lin Quan then passed the ball to Juanfran, who had made a quick run down the flank, while Lin Quan himself made a decisive run into the space between defenders.

As Giaccherini followed Juanfran, it was De Rossi who had to step in to cover Lin Quan.

But as soon as De Rossi moved over, Juanfran passed the ball back to Lin Quan. Lin Quan noticed Parolo shifting positions on the Italian defense and exploited the gap by passing the ball straight through the middle.

With De Rossi now out of position, Iniesta was left unmarked.

Lin Quan's pressure on the defense and Parolo's movement to cover allowed Iniesta a full second and a half to calmly assess the situation.

With Morata, Lin Quan, and David Silva all making forward runs, Italy's defense—though still well-organized—was beginning to show gaps due to Spain's three-pronged attack.

Iniesta quickly made his decision, but just as he was about to pass, he was tackled from behind by Pellè.

Pellè was aiming for the ball, hoping to catch Iniesta off-guard, but he missed the ball and ended up fouling the man instead.

After the foul, Pellè didn't argue and immediately reached out to help Iniesta up, acknowledging his mistake.

Despite Pellè's good attitude, the referee deemed the tackle dangerous and gave him a yellow card.

Iniesta grimaced as he rubbed his shin, which still hurt despite the shin guards.

If Pellè hadn't pulled back at the last second, Iniesta might have been injured even worse.

Spain's counter-attack was halted, but they earned a free kick about 38 meters from the goal.

It was a bit far to attempt a direct shot, so Iniesta, Lin Quan, and Fàbregas discussed their options.

"Should we try a set play and send Ramos and Piqué up to contest the header?"

Spain's squad wasn't particularly tall overall. Aside from the goalkeeper, only four players were over 1.80 meters tall, and Juanfran was barely over at 1.81 meters.

This meant there weren't many options for players who could contest aerial balls in the box—the best choices being the center-backs, Piqué and Ramos.

Morata was also decent in the air, but he was inconsistent, so the team didn't place much hope in him.

Lin Quan glanced at the Italian defenders. Chiellini was 1.87 meters, Bonucci 1.90, and even Barzagli, the shortest, was 1.86.

Including De Rossi (1.85), Parolo (1.84), and Pellè (1.94), Spain didn't stand much chance in the air.

"Why don't we just go for a direct shot? We don't have enough height, and they have a clear advantage. If we cross the ball into the box, we're just giving them possession."

After taking a look at Italy's lineup, Fàbregas and Iniesta nodded in agreement.

"Then you take the shot; this is beyond my range," Iniesta said, giving up the chance to take the kick.

Fàbregas nodded as well. "You've got that special S-curve free kick in your arsenal, right? I think you should give it a go."

With both players agreeing, Lin Quan didn't refuse.

He picked up the ball, stepped on the grass to steady it, and placed the ball down carefully.

Seeing Lin Quan take charge of the free kick, the crowd's anticipation soared.

While Lin Quan's name wasn't as famous as free-kick legends like Juninho or Roberto Carlos, no goalkeeper dared to underestimate his free kicks.

Italy's goalkeeper, Buffon, had already learned that the hard way.

As soon as Buffon saw Lin Quan step up to the ball, alarm bells rang in his mind.

From this distance, there weren't many ways to score.

A knuckleball? An S-curve free kick?

It was likely one of these two.

As one of the most experienced goalkeepers in football, Buffon had faced countless free-kick specialists.

After considering Lin Quan's possible choices, Buffon braced himself for the challenge.

Lin Quan set up the ball and stepped back several paces.

After retreating seven or eight steps, he glanced at the goal, took a deep breath, and began his run-up.

Here it comes!

Buffon widened his eyes, fully focused, not daring to take them off Lin Quan for even a second.

Italy's defensive wall watched Lin Quan's movements closely, ready to jump at any moment.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Lin Quan quickly reached the ball, and Buffon judged that he was going to shoot with his left foot.

Although Lin Quan wasn't ambidextrous, Buffon had studied his free kicks and found that Lin Quan usually took them with his right foot.

Why use his left foot this time?

Could it be a new technique?

Despite the many thoughts racing through his mind, Buffon's eyes never left Lin Quan, watching even the slightest movement in his tense thighs and swinging calves.

What he saw stunned him—Lin Quan's left thigh barely moved, and the shot seemed to rely almost entirely on his calf for power.

This technique would make it extremely difficult for the goalkeeper to predict the ball's trajectory and further limit their reaction time.

But wait, this movement... seemed familiar?

Bang!

A loud sound echoed as Lin Quan struck the ball with the outer part of his left foot, hitting the area near the valve of the ball.

The ball shot into the air with incredible speed and fierce spin.

Just one glance, and it was clear this was a powerful shot.

Many were amazed by how such a small player like Lin Quan could generate so much power for such a forceful strike.

The Spanish and Italian fans in the stands held their breath, the former praying to the heavens for the ball to go in and seal the game, while the latter prayed for the exact opposite.

As Buffon watched the ball's flight, that familiar feeling in his heart grew stronger.

He was sure now—this wasn't Lin Quan's usual free-kick style!

Despite his confusion, Buffon's reactions were still lightning fast.

As the ball soared over the wall and began to dip towards the top right corner of the goal, Buffon dove, his right hand extended to meet the ball's trajectory.

Seeing this, the Italian fans collectively breathed a sigh of relief.

Despite his age, Buffon was still the most reliable player in Italy's defense.

Seeing Buffon's fingers touch the ball, the Spanish fans were devastated.

Lin Quan's free kick had been of the highest quality—powerful, well-placed, with an exquisite curve and flight path.

But unfortunately, he was up against Italy's legendary goalkeeper, Buffon, the best in the world.

However, just as the Italian fans thought the danger had passed and the Spanish fans were losing hope, Buffon's fingers felt a tremendous force smash into his hand, violently knocking it aside.

What?!

This couldn't be real!

Buffon watched in disbelief as the ball, now slightly deflected, still headed towards the goal. His mind was in turmoil.

The long range, the precise angle, the intense spin, and the immense power—it all clicked in Buffon's mind, reminding him of someone who had retired 10 years ago.

A man who had once been known for treating free kicks like penalties, a man hailed as the greatest free-kick taker of all time: Sinisa Mihajlovic.

In that moment, Buffon realized exactly who Lin Quan had modeled his free kick after.

But it was too late; the ball had already crossed the goal line.

As the ball hit the back of the net, the referee immediately blew his whistle to signal the goal.

The score changed to 2-0, with Spain further extending their lead just before the end of the first half.

Italy had now been pushed to the brink!

Lin Quan's goal sent the entire stadium into a frenzy. The fans were completely captivated, chanting his name wildly.

The Spanish players, after witnessing this unbelievable goal, ran towards Lin Quan in a frenzy, with Morata even dropping to his knees in worship, showing his utmost admiration.

The goal was simply too stunning, and to score past Buffon—of all people—was an extraordinary feat!

Seeing Morata's gesture, the other players followed suit, bowing down to Lin Quan in admiration, even the older, more experienced veterans.

This scene left the fans in the stadium speechless.

"Wow, I didn't realize Lin the Prince had such a high status within the Spanish team."

"Judging by their reactions, they really do admire him!"

"Haha, if I had a teammate like him, I'd bow down too!"

That's a valid point. A team leader who consistently leads his team to victory would naturally earn the respect and admiration of his teammates.

On the sidelines, Del Bosque was overjoyed.

He noticed that since Lin Quan rejoined the team, winning games had become much easier, and he no longer had to worry about the outcome while sitting on the bench.

This was a stark contrast to how he felt during the group stage, when even with the lead, he never felt secure.

But now, with Lin Quan on the field, Del Bosque felt at ease.

While the Spanish coach was all smiles, Conte was not.

His brows furrowed in frustration. Italy's defense was strong, but their attacking options were limited.

With a one-goal deficit, there was still a chance to fight back.

But being two goals down made a comeback far more difficult.

For the moment, Conte didn't even know how to approach the second half.

(End of Chapter)

Friends, if you want to read chapters in advance, subscribe to my patreon.

You can also buy the book if you are only interested in reading the novel.