That night, after the banquet ended, the players' families were escorted back to their hotels in arranged vehicles.
Although Ramos and his wife were reluctant to part, rules were rules.
Hierro and his staff had made it clear more than once. During the World Cup, every Spanish player had to stay in peak condition. There could be no mistakes.
There was no training the next morning, giving the players time to rest and recover.
In the afternoon, the team's massage staff worked on every player, relaxing muscles, reducing injury risk, and speeding up recovery.
Most of the squad stayed in the treatment room, watching the final quarterfinal of the tournament. It would also determine the bracket on their side. England, the Three Lions, against Argentina, the Pampas Eagles.
There is a well known saying in football.
"England is strong. Italy is weak."
It reflects a common illusion among fans.
At one point, Italy's results declined, leading some to think they were weak. But Italy soon proved themselves again in major tournaments.
At the same time, England, with its many star players and the influence of the Premier League, is often expected to perform well.
Yet in recent years, England have struggled to show their true level in major competitions.
They were eliminated by Iceland, failed to advance from the group stage, and left behind many regrets.
The famous midfield duo could not coexist. They needed Beckham's late winner just to qualify. Ashley Young lost his form. Joe Hart often became the backdrop to wonder goals. These scenes repeated again and again.
But this World Cup, England had reached the quarterfinals.
As the match began, Gerrard spoke with satisfaction.
"A 2-1 win over Tunisia. A 6-1 demolition of Panama. A 2-1 victory over Portugal. England have unleashed a storm of youth across the World Cup!"
As a legendary England player, he naturally wanted the team to succeed.
From the start, Argentina struggled, while England gained control through greater movement and energy.
Leo Lin quickly noticed something.
"Agüero is not starting?"
He turned to Busquets, who had heard something about it.
"Seems he had a disagreement with the coach."
Leo Lin shrugged. Argentina's striker today was Messi, and on the right wing was a young player, Pavón, someone he barely knew.
As the match unfolded, England took the initiative and pushed forward aggressively.
Soon, Kane flicked on a header, and Sterling finished to open the scoring.
It all looked effortless.
Before halftime, Trippier scored directly from a free kick to make it 2-0. The Spanish players felt Argentina were finished.
At the start of the second half, Messi took a shot that deflected off Maguire and into the net, making it 2-1.
Then in the 60th minute, Di María produced a brilliant solo run down the wing and scored to level the match at 2-2.
The angel had arrived.
Argentina's hope was alive again.
79th minute.
Liverpool captain Henderson suddenly drove forward through the middle, beating two players.
Leo Lin stood up instinctively, cheering for his captain in his heart.
Henderson then slipped a through ball forward. Harry Kane beat the offside line, entered the box, and scored, making it 3-2 and bringing his tournament tally to five.
89th minute.
Kane again.
He met Trippier's cross with a header and sealed the game at 4-2.
Kane scored twice, reaching six goals and moving into second place in the scoring chart, just two behind Leo Lin.
As the final whistle blew, the Spanish players watched in silence, while the commentary roared.
"The match is over!"
"The quarterfinals of the World Cup are complete!"
"With Argentina eliminated, both Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are out of the tournament!"
"It is a pity. These two have competed for so many years. By the next World Cup, neither will be at their peak."
"The twilight of the gods!"
"Messi and Ronaldo!"
"Eliminated!"
"And now the final four are confirmed!"
"England!"
"Spain!"
"France!"
"Uruguay!"
"In the semifinals, England will face Spain on one side!"
"France will face Uruguay on the other!"
"These four teams are just two steps away from the summit of the world!"
"The final chapter of this great era is about to begin!"
"Fans, remember. This is the World Cup!"
"To stand at the top is the dream of every professional player!"
"You rise above countless talents across the world, climbing step by step to the very peak!"
"When you lift the trophy, its golden light shines on your face!"
"The cheers of the entire world belong to you!"
"That is the greatest moment of a football career!"
...
Southgate, England's manager.
He took over during a difficult period, promoted young players, and quickly improved the team's results, earning the trust of the fans.
For England supporters, gaining their trust means gaining time.
They are deeply connected to the team. Once they believe in you, they will stay patient, even if results fluctuate.
Reaching the semifinals felt like a festival to them. It was beyond anything they expected before the tournament.
Southgate used his influence to assemble a group of ten England legends.
They arrived at the team hotel on July 12 at 4 p.m.
Reports suggested the move was aimed at one man.
Leo Lin.
Southgate planned to use the combined experience of these ten legends, along with his coaching staff, to design a system specifically to contain him.
Each of the ten carried a legendary name in England's football history.
...
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