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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 107 / 12089.2%WebWeb+AI#107Chapter 107 World Cup PreviewChapter 107 World Cup PreviewSleeping soundly through the night, Kaka felt completely refreshed the moment he opened his eyes again. The exhaustion and hidden injuries accumulated over an entire season had been completely purged, and his body felt as if it had suddenly become several pounds lighter.After the first comprehensive physical therapy session had completely flushed out the impurities in his body, using physical therapy once more left him feeling a bit sticky, but there was no longer any of that foul-smelling black sludge oozing out.Getting up to take a wonderful bath in the bathroom, Kaka returned to the living room, sat down, and his mind stirred slightly."System, open the personal data panel!"[Received!][Player: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Kaka)]Nationality: BrazilAge: 24 (1982)Preferred Foot: Right footSpeed: 94Shooting: 91Passing: 91Dribbling: 95Defense: 75Physical: 95Football IQ: 93Status: Healthy!Available Points: 145]"Perfect!"Overnight, those ankle injuries, meniscus wear, and muscle fatigue issues on his body had completely vanished. His physical stats had returned to their absolute peak of 95, and his current self was even somewhat stronger than after the first enhancement.The skill enhancements for "Beckham's Full Moon Blade" and "Quaresma's Outside-of-the-Boot Shot" were still in the adaptation phase, requiring half a month to completely integrate with him. By then, both his free-kick technique and shooting ability would be further improved.The only pity was that Quaresma's preferred foot was also his right. If his outside-of-the-boot technique had been a left-footed technique, perhaps he could have killed two birds with one stone, acquiring the outside-of-the-boot shot while also unlocking the ambidextrous achievement along the way.Unfortunately, he hadn't thought of this aspect when buying the skills, so he could only wait until his next consumption to consider exploiting loopholes in the system.Just like the first special enhancement, during the skill integration period, his football skills were locked and could only be unlocked after complete and successful integration. For the next period, Kaka lived a secluded lifestyle.After telling his old man and agent Gaetata that he was going into seclusion to condition his body, Kaka went to the Milan recuperation facility he used to frequent. While waiting for the system skills to complete integration, he took the time to study the situation of the current World Cup.The World Cup match groupings had already been finalized last December. A total of thirty-two teams were divided into eight groups, with the Brazil National Football Team placed in Group F alongside Croatia, Australia, and Japan.Croatia at this time was not yet the World Cup runner-up team led by Modric in later generations. Although the midfield maestro was already beginning to make a name for himself in the national team, he was still far from his peak strength. At this point, Croatia's core was Niko Kovac, and their star quality was not great. Overall, the team's strength did not pose a threat to the Brazil National Football Team.Among the other two teams, Japan was a genuine stepping stone. Japan at this time was not yet the later Asian powerhouse; in terms of combat power, they might be at the bottom of the group. Australia's strength was relatively stronger, but limitedly so.Group F, where the Brazil National Football Team was located, was actually a setup of one superpower and multiple weak teams. Brazil led in strength by a clear margin, while the other three teams fought for the sole remaining qualification spot. Viewed this way, the team advancing from the group stage was completely without any problem.As for the true Group of Death in this World Cup, they were actually Group C and Group E.After the Group C draw results came out, it was universally recognized as the most fiercely competitive group of this World Cup. The two traditional giants, Argentina and the Netherlands, fought fiercely. The Netherlands performed exceptionally well in the qualifiers, with stars like Robben, Van Nistelrooy, Van Persie, Sneijder, and Van der Vaart all possessing online strength. Furthermore, the Argentina National Football Team had reached the final of the Confederations Cup, and their strength was equally not to be underestimated.Besides that, Serbia and Montenegro suppressed Spain in the World Cup qualifiers to advance as the group leader, demonstrating their strength. Meanwhile, under the leadership of Drogba, Côte d'Ivoire belonged to Africa's "new force," and their strength was likewise not to be underestimated.As for the other Group of Death, Group E, before the tournament officially began, almost everyone thought that the strength stratification of the teams in this group was extremely obvious. Composed of Italy, Czech Republic, Ghana, and the United States National Team, the strength advantages of Italy and the Czech Republic were basically blindingly obvious.Unfortunately, when the group stage reached the second round, Ghana and the United States went on a rampage, while Italy and the Czech Republic both dropped the ball. They forcefully turned a clear group stage into a battle royale. Speaking of the level of intensity, Group E actually fit the title of "Group of Death" even better than Group C.Meanwhile, the France National Football Team, which had eliminated the Brazil National Football Team in the original timeline, was placed in Group G together with Switzerland, South Korea, and Togo, facing zero pressure to advance.The teams Kaka focused on for this World Cup were the France National Football Team that directly eliminated the Brazil National Football Team, as well as the three powerhouse teams that entered the semi-finals: Germany, Italy, and Portugal.The strength of the France National Football Team went without saying: they easily dispatched Spain 3:1 in the Round of 16, eliminated the tournament favorites, the Brazil National Football Team, in the quarter-finals, resolved the Golden Generation of Portugal in the semi-finals, and drew 1:1 with Italy in regular time during the final, only losing 5:3 in the penalty shootout.Led by top stars such as Zidane, Vieira, Makelele, and Henry, the Sword of France possessed strength not to be underestimated. Although Zidane had reached retirement age, he used his master-class dribbling and midfield coordination to forge France's midfield into a steel jungle that made all powerhouses shudder in fear. Had it not been for his clash with Marco Materazzi in the final that got him sent off with a red card, the France National Football Team would actually have been very likely to win the championship of this World Cup.Besides that, there was not too much to worry about regarding the Germany National Football Team. At this time, the Germany National Football Team was experiencing a generational gap; although the veteran players were strong, they were clearly insufficient to sustain the firepower throughout the entire World Cup, and the younger generation had not fully matured yet. Relying on people like Michael Ballack, Klose, and others, Kaka still had some confidence if the Brazil National Football Team faced them.As for the ultimate World Cup champion, the Italy National Football Team...Buffon, Fabio Cannavaro, Nesta, Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Francesco Totti, Alberto Gilardino, Filippo Inzaghi, Del Piero...Just hearing these names was enough to make ordinary teams give a wide berth, coupled with the head coach Marcello Lippi, known as the "Silver Fox"...This Italy possessed the strongest steel defense, top-tier tactical discipline, and formidable fighting spirit of this World Cup. With the shattered state of the Brazil National Football Team's stars and the head coach's muddled tactical operations in the original timeline, Kaka truly did not have much confidence in defeating them.Football was a sport of eleven players; it was impossible for him to truly rely solely on himself to lead the team to the pinnacle. Even though his dribbling and shooting abilities had reached the pinnacle, he was still a human being. Being human meant his two feet had to step on the pitch and run, and as long as his feet hit the ground, if his teammates were not in form, others would definitely find a way to defend against him.If diplomacy fails, resort to force; if the soft approach doesn't work, use the hard one!If the state of the Brazil players was still the same as in the original timeline, Kaka felt he could already foresee the ending of lying on the pitch wailing, with system points flowing away endlessly.Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 107 / 12089.2%Ch. 107 / 12089.2%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 108 / 12090%WebWeb+AI#108Chapter 108 Brazil's Hidden DangersChapter 108: Brazil's Hidden TroublesThe World Cup roster of the Brazil National Football Team was only gradually finalized around May because the League had not yet ended, and players such as Kaka, Ronaldinho, and Cafu were still fighting in the Champions League arena. As the head coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira naturally had to monitor the players' health and competitive form before finalizing the final lineup.On May 3, Carlos Alberto Parreira announced the confirmed 11-man roster, with 12 spots still pending at that time. Ironclad starters like Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, and Adriano were definitely called up in the first batch. Later, at the Rio de Janeiro press conference on May 15, Carlos Alberto Parreira officially announced the complete 23-man roster.Goalkeepers: Dida, Júlio César, Ceni.Defenders: Cafu, Cicinho, Lúcio, Juan, Roberto Carlos, Gilberto, Cris, Luisão.Midfielders: Edmílson, Emerson, Gilberto Silva, Junior, Zé Roberto, Kaka, Ricardinho.Forwards: Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Adriano, Robinho, Fred.Although the starting goalkeeper of the previous World Cup, Rafael Márquez, and defender Roque Junior missed out due to injuries, the paper data of the Brazil National Football Team's roster was still very luxurious.Especially the attacking line, solely in terms of reputation and influence, was peerless in the football world.The rising world's number one player Kaka, quasi-world's number one player Ronaldinho, former world's number one player Ronaldo, and the King of Meazza Stadium Adriano... As soon as this attacking lineup came out, it gave Brazil fans infinite daydreams, and five-star Brazil logically became the absolute favorite to win this World Cup.But insiders know their own affairs; this lineup looked truly luxurious, but the corresponding hidden troubles were not small at all.The primary ones were age, injury, and physical stamina issues.Both starting fullbacks had already passed their peak periods. Roberto Carlos was 33 years old; although he still had some demeanor of the world's best left-back, the decline in his strength was inevitable. Old Cafu was already 36 years old, and this season he had been constantly plagued by knee injuries.As the defensive pillars of the team, the two old fellows naturally had hidden troubles regarding their age and stamina. Coupled with the fact that Cafu had fought alongside the team in the Champions League final, his physical reserves were worrying.In the midfield position, the only guarantee of attacking power was Kaka alone. Unless Carlos Alberto Parreira was willing to pull Ronaldinho back to participate in organization and coordination, once the team's midfield encountered a team with a formidable midfield like France, it would inevitably be suppressed. Defensive midfielder Emerson and Zé Roberto were even worse—one was plagued by injuries and the other was a winger playing out of position—and their effectiveness in midfield strangulation and defensive protection would most likely be unsatisfactory.In addition, the hidden troubles on the attacking line were obviously even more worrisome compared to the defensive issues.Ronaldo's form continued to be sluggish this season. He suffered from injuries at Real Madrid, and due to physical problems, taking hormone medication led to obesity and bloating. Along with continuous injuries, his own strength was severely damaged. Moreover, because he was booed by fans in both the club and the national team, Ronaldo's mentality was also a problem.Ronaldinho, on the other hand, was heavily consumed by the long season. As Barça's core this season, he led the team to defend the La Liga title and advanced all the way to the semi-finals in the Champions League, consuming massive stamina. At the end of the season, when accepting media interviews and asked about his expectations for the national team, Ronaldinho expressed his fatigue more than once.Another forward core, Adriano, although performing brilliantly in the first half of the season with excellent personal data, experienced huge fluctuations in form in the second half of the season. He fell into a long-term technical and psychological crisis, and even experienced a goal drought lasting up to 56 days, making his form extremely unstable.At the same time, Kaka, the true core most concerned by Brazil fans, also had worrying physical stamina and body condition.At this time, the Brazil National Football Team looked thriving, but in reality, it was like cooking oil on a raging fire, currently at a bottleneck period of declining from its peak.The stars within the team had fluctuating forms, injuries and stamina reserves were fraught with hidden troubles, and the team's locker room was full of conflicts. Head coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's "governing by doing nothing" style could not deter big-name players with strong personalities like Ronaldo and Adriano. Moreover, because of Ronaldo's unstable form, the anti-Ronaldo faction and pro-Ronaldo faction within the team were severely polarized.Although this conflict had not completely erupted at this time, it already showed faint signs.During the period when Kaka was waiting for the system skill fusion to complete, he received calls from Carlos Alberto Parreira several times in a row. This mild-tempered head coach obviously realized the problems within the team, and every time he called Kaka, they would chat for a long time before hanging up, with every word expressing the hope that Kaka's arrival could ease the internal conflicts of the team.Kaka was quite speechless about this.Carlos Alberto Parreira was a good guy, belonging to the scholarly generals among football coaches. Among the many Brazilian coaches famous for their passionate or even fiery tempers, he was indeed a quite unique existence.His team-management philosophy was to replace scolding with encouragement, but the premise for this situation to be effective was that the team could keep winning, or at least win most of the time, while the players in the team also had to be reasonable.But unfortunately, in this World Cup, Brazil stumbled all the way, and Ronaldo, Adriano, and Emerson were all players who were not easy to get along with. The veteran coach's football philosophy was obviously somewhat inadequate.It was a fact that Ronaldo's form had suffered a cliff-like decline. Due to injuries and declining physical functions, his running in the frontcourt significantly decreased, and he could only wait for teammates to accurately deliver the ball to his feet before starting an attack. Moreover, because he lost his explosiveness, even if he received the ball, it was difficult for him to shake off those excellent defenders. Most of the time, he hurriedly shot wide or was dispossessed, which was also the reason why he was booed by fans at Real Madrid.But Ronaldo's pride as the world's number one player did not allow him to admit cowardice or defeat. Veterans in the team like Cafu and Roberto Carlos also firmly supported their old brother. Therefore, even if his form was not good, Carlos Alberto Parreira did not dare to simply put Ronaldo on the bench like that.But not everyone was willing to pass or set up the ball for Ronaldo, especially new-generation stars like Adriano who eagerly wanted to prove their status in the national team, who were extremely dissatisfied with Ronaldo's presence and inefficiency.Honestly speaking, he was not willing to work hard to set up the ball for Ronaldo in this period either, because unless the pass was fed completely to his mouth facing an open goal, given Ronaldo's current form, it was extremely easy to waste the team's chances.Moreover, if the frontcourt players did not run, the teammates cooperating with him would feel very miserable, especially since Kaka liked to cause trouble in the middle most, but what Ronaldo liked to do most was to camp out in the middle.But this was precisely the reason why Kaka felt speechless. Facing this situation, as the person with the highest say in the team, Carlos Alberto Parreira's best approach was to directly choose a side to back, rather than remaining neutral and trying to appease everyone.Supporting Ronaldo or not supporting Ronaldo was not about making a difference in attitude, but making choices and trade-offs in tactics. If Ronaldo was truly awesome, putting him on the field was justifiable, but if his form was extremely poor, then he needed to be promptly replaced with someone capable. As for the fans' criticism?As long as you lead the team to win the championship, there will naturally be scholars to argue in your defense!Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 108 / 12090%Ch. 108 / 12090%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 109 / 12090.8%WebWeb+AI#109Chapter 109 National Team ReportChapter 109 National Team ReportingBut obviously Carlos Alberto Parreira lacked this decisiveness.Kaka had hinted to him several times during their calls, but the veteran manager was still unable to make up his mind. Moreover, Kaka couldn't directly suggest benching Ronaldo, because if word got out, the Brazil National Football Team would probably explode in an instant.Although Kaka was confident that Cafu and Ronaldinho would stand by his side, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, and others would definitely stir up a huge fuss. In that case, it was better to just make do and play like this.Staying in Milan for physical therapy while acting like a good boy, occasionally answering calls to listen to the veteran manager vent, fifteen days passed in a flash, and Kaka's skill fusion was finally complete."System, view personal panel!"[Received!][Player: Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite (Kaka)]Nationality: BrazilAge: 24 (1982)Preferred Foot: Right footSpeed: 94Shooting: 92Passing: 92Dribbling: 95Defense: 75Physical: 95Football IQ: 93Status: Healthy!Skills: Beckham's curving free kick (Fused), Ricardo Quaresma's outside-of-the-foot shot (Fused)Available Points: 145]..."The shooting attribute increased by one point, and the passing attribute also increased by one point?"Kaka looked at the data panel in pleasant surprise. The increase in the shooting attribute was within his expectations; after all, both the curving free kick and the outside-of-the-foot shot were enhancements to his shooting ability. However, he didn't expect his passing ability to increase as well. It seemed that these skills worth 50 points were not just partial attribute boosts, but also provided a macroscopic enhancement overall.With an excited mood, Kaka hurried back to the private training ground at his residence to try it out. The right-foot outside-of-the-foot shot practically fulfilled all his fantasies—it was truly both handsome and flashy. The curving free kick was also very nice, though the pressure on his left foot was indeed a bit high. After kicking a dozen or so in a row on the training ground, his brand-new left ankle clearly began to feel uncomfortable.Fortunately, there was no wear and tear or injury, just the normal feedback of the tendons under pressure. But these were all secondary; the boost in strength was what satisfied Kaka the most.With the curving free kick, his free-kick skill could be considered to have entered the inner sanctum, and the outside-of-the-foot shot further made up for the final shortcoming of his right foot.When the time came, there would be no need to desperately cut inside when blasting down the right flank. Once he shook off an angle, he could just unleash a shot, which would definitely catch the defenders off guard.Blissfully experiencing his new skills, Kaka finally set off for Germany.By this time, it was already June 8th. The Brazil National Football Team's first group match would kick off in Berlin, Germany on June 13th against the Croatia national team. Prior to this, Carlos Alberto Parreira had made two consecutive phone calls urging Kaka to report for team training, while also using his status as the Ballon d'Or winner and European Golden Shoe holder to suppress a group of troublemakers who were about to rebel.Because the team had already flown from the Weggis training camp in Switzerland to Falkenstein in Frankfurt on June 4th to continue training, and would only head to Berlin on June 11th, Kaka had to take a plane with his team to the Falkenstein training base first to participate in the team's final closed-door training session.During the time he was absent from the training camp, online discussions about his whereabouts were once in an uproar. Some said Kaka was injured in the Champions League final and recuperating in Milan; some said Kaka was putting on big-shot airs and failing to participate in team training in a timely manner; others said Kaka was neglecting his proper business to attend commercial events, disregarding the team's condition.Fortunately, Bosco and Carlos Alberto Parreira spoke out one after another to clarify, strictly stating that Kaka's body was severely overdrawn during the long season, coupled with some minor injuries suffered in the Champions League final, which was why he stayed in Milan to rest and recuperate. They repeatedly assured that Kaka would not miss the group matches and would rush to the team early for joint training, thus saving Brother Kaka from being flamed to pieces by the fans.Do not think that world-class stars never get attacked. Popularity brings trouble, especially with Kaka's rise, which inevitably sparked discussions about who was the number one star of Brazil in this World Cup. Ronaldo's fans certainly wouldn't give up this opportunity to suppress Kaka.Even though the old man and Carlos Alberto Parreira explained things in time, as Kaka dragged his reporting date all the way to the 8th—with only five days left before the official kickoff—Brazilian fans still had doubts about his professional attitude and physical condition.Therefore, when Kaka made an appearance in Berlin, as soon as he stepped out of the airport, he was surrounded airtight by resourceful media."Kaka, Kaka, can you talk about your physical condition? Have you fully recovered your health, and will the injuries affect this World Cup?"This was a friendlier one, who might even be a fan of Kaka, and the questions were merely concerned with his health and form."Kaka, Kaka, is your delayed reporting time due to a conflict with Ronaldo? Do you think you can already replace him to become the number one star of the Brazil National Football Team?"This was someone who loved watching the drama and specially rushed over to fan the flames."Kaka, please answer directly, why didn't you participate in the team training camp? Is this a big-shot behavior? You must know that Ronaldo reported to the team on May 22nd, and you are half a month later than him."This was obviously a fan of Ronaldo, running over purely to vent.Kaka was surrounded at the airport and couldn't take an inch forward. Security guards tried desperately but couldn't disperse this group of gossip-addled reporters. It seemed that he wouldn't be able to leave today without saying a few words. Kaka had no choice but to stop, take off his headphones, and turn around to face the media directly."First of all, I want to clarify, my media friends, the reason for my absence has already been explained to the fans through my agent and the head manager. Those who don't know can check relevant reports; I won't give too much explanation here.""To the friends who care about my physical health and match form, I sincerely say thank you. Please rest assured, I have fully recovered to my peak state, and injuries will not affect my performance in this World Cup. Please wait and see.""As for what this friend said about the matter between Ronaldo and me, I want to make a solemn statement: Ronaldo is a senior, and Ronnie and I are also very good friends. There is no conflict between us. As for the issue of the leadership of the Brazil National Football Team... I remember Cafu is the captain, which has already been announced. My purpose in participating in this World Cup is to add another star to my beloved national team jersey, and all other trivial matters are ranked behind this matter.""So now... can everyone step aside? May God bless you."The media did not get a headline-grabbing explosive point. Although not very satisfied, they could only clear the path, and Kaka quickly followed his team away from the airport.Returning to the Kempinski Hotel Falkenstein where the team was staying, the entire Brazil National Football Team and logistics support team were all here. Before setting off from Milan, Kaka had bought dozens of watches. After arriving at the hotel, he arranged for his team personnel to distribute them one by one as an apology for reporting the latest.Kaka was a spokesperson for Bulgari, so buying watches from his own brand basically didn't cost much money. Plus, Bulgari watches weren't that expensive either; the watches given to the players were valued at just over 10,000, and those for the logistics staff were only a few thousand euros. However, this was enough to drastically change the attitude of those who harbored dissatisfaction toward Kaka for coming so late.Who wouldn't love a generous and penitent good boy?After all, Kaka didn't intentionally miss it; his body really was injured... right?Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 109 / 12090.8%Ch. 109 / 12090.8%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 110 / 12091.7%WebWeb+AI#110Chapter 110 Group Stage BeginsChapter 110: Group Stage BeginsAfter Kaka arrived at the Frankfurt training base, the Brazil National Football Team squad was officially complete, and the team had split up for group training for two days. In these short two days, Kaka had already sensed quite a few problems within the team.First was Adriano.This guy was clearly unhappy with being placed in the substitute lineup by Carlos Alberto Parreira. During the scrimmage, his movements were quite aggressive, obviously playing with a fiery temper and out of spite. His actions on the pitch were quite rough, and he even had a brief verbal dispute with Emerson.In addition, Ronaldo's form was truly terrible; his performance in the training match could even be described as disaster-level. He didn't run on the pitch and was disconnected from the team as a whole. After Kaka played the first half with the starting lineup, he felt uncomfortable all over.The mostly stationary, waiting-for-the-ball style of play completely blocked Kaka's breakthrough channels in the middle, forcing him to shift that position toward the wings. However, once he successfully broke through on the wing, Ronaldo would eagerly raise his hand asking for the ball, yet his conversion rate for shots was extremely poor. To maintain team atmosphere, Kaka had no choice but to pass, making him feel extremely stifled while playing.The disparity in on-field performance turned into obvious factional confrontation back in the locker room. Veterans in the team like Roberto Carlos, Rogério Ceni, Gilberto, and Emerson were hardcore supporters of Ronaldo. Having achieved great feats alongside Ronaldo in the past, these people naturally wanted to maintain Ronaldo's authority within the team and were extremely dissatisfied with challenges to Ronaldo's status from people like Adriano.On the other side, Adriano, Robinho, Fred, and others formed the forward faction, or the anti-Ronaldo faction.They were dissatisfied that Carlos Alberto Parreira let Ronaldo, who was in poor form, start, thereby squeezing their own playing time. Furthermore, they believed that Ronaldo's slow-motion style of football severely dragged down the team's attacking tempo. Adriano, who directly competed with Ronaldo for the position and was substituted for him, displayed his dissatisfaction entirely on his face.But besides these two factions, right before departing for Berlin, Kaka was startled to discover that a group of players seemed to have gathered around him as well, forming a third faction independent of the other two that did not exist in the original timeline!In the original timeline, Kaka belonged to the anti-Ronaldo faction. Due to his own professional attitude and religious beliefs, he strongly opposed Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and others smoking, drinking, lacking self-discipline, and dragging down the team's professional attitude, and he had even directly criticized the team's atmosphere in public.But on this timeline, because Kaka defended the Champions League title, won the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year, and delivered earth-shattering offensive performances this season, he had conquered many players across the top five European Leagues. These players were now tightly united around Kaka, vaguely forming a suppressing momentum against the other two factions.Cafu and Dida were Kaka's club teammates. These two old guys should have belonged to Ronaldo's faction, but now they chose to follow Kaka. In addition, Zé Roberto, Lúcio, Edmílson, Gilberto Silva, Ronaldinho, and others were either Kaka's good friends or had played against Kaka multiple times on the pitch, fully recognizing Kaka's strength. Coupled with his charismatic appeal of giving out watches as soon as he arrived, they were quite convinced by Kaka's leadership.Kaka was somewhat speechless about this, but he did not show any resistance. Wherever there are people, there is human complexity; even a four-person dormitory would have varying degrees of closeness, let alone the World Cup stage which was directly related to hard cash.The impact of performances on the World Cup stage on a player's market value was unprecedented. Haven't you seen how James Rodríguez, who was only beginning to show his edge back then, amazed everyone at the World Cup and subsequently became a global sensation, not only earning the title of J-Rod, but also joining the La Liga powerhouse Real Madrid for a high price after the World Cup concluded!A performance at the World Cup could truly make a player soar into the sky; of course, if the performance was complete trash, it could also plunge a player into the mud.Under such circumstances, a boss wanted to choose reliable subordinates, and those who knew they couldn't be a boss would naturally unite tightly around the boss they recognized. This was human nature.And amidst this abstract atmosphere, the entire Brazil National Football Team boarded a charter plane and flew to Berlin.The group stage had already kicked off on June 10. The first day didn't feature any major upsets: in Group A, Germany defeated Costa Rica 4-2, Ecuador blitzed Poland 2-0; in Group B, England narrowly defeated Paraguay 1-0.But in the Group C match on June 11, there was an upset: Serbia and Montenegro overturned the Netherlands 1-0 at the Zentralstadion Leipzig, which gave a moderate shock to the other teams in the same group. One could only say it truly lived up to the "Group of Death" unanimously recognized by the media before the tournament, treating fans to a big one right as it started.The next day, an upset match also occurred in Group D. The "Golden Generation" of Portugal was surprisingly defeated 1-0 by Angola at the RheinEnergieStadion in Cologne, making fans' jaws drop in astonishment.On June 13, the Group F matches began. After resting for two days, the Brazil National Football Team officially ushered in their first World Cup group match against the Croatia national football team.At this time, Croatia was still in the dark period before its rise. That future shepherd boy who became a legend in both the national team and clubs was still just an unvalued little substitute.Their manager Niko Kranjčar treated the World Cup as a vanity fair to fish for family capital, establishing his own son, Niko Kranjčar, as the team's core, but without considering at all whether his son's strength could support the heavy responsibility of being the team's orchestrating core.In addition, although the team's forwards Dado Pršo and Ivan Klasnić performed commendably at club level, neither of them was a forward player who could act as the spearhead, and their own finishing ability was clearly still insufficient to match the level of the World Cup stage.Perhaps the only commendable aspect of this team was the unremitting fighting spirit of the Croats.Not only manager Carlos Alberto Parreira, but many players of the Brazil National Football Team did not take the weak Croatia national football team seriously at all. With the magical quartet of Ronaldo, Kaka, Ronaldinho, and Adriano, neither the players nor the fans believed that such a Croatia could pose a threat to their luxurious lineup.But as Kaka seemed to have anticipated, the Brazil National Football Team won this World Cup opener very reluctantly, and reportedly even received an "ugly" evaluation after the match.The match started on time, and Carlos Alberto Parreira deployed the 4-4-2 formation commonly used in training matches.Dida guarded the goal. On the defensive line, Cafu guarded the right flank as team captain, Lúcio and Juan guarded the center, and Roberto Carlos guarded the left flank.Emerson, Zé Roberto, Kaka, and Ronaldinho partnered in midfield.That's right, Carlos Alberto Parreira still disregarded Ronaldinho's demands and moved his position backward. Emerson and Zé Roberto swept and defended from deep to protect the positions behind Kaka and Ronaldinho, while Kaka and Ronaldinho formed a double attacking midfielder setup.Coupled with Adriano and Ronaldo on the frontline, this lineup looked maxed out in terms of aggressiveness, even overflowing a bit.Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 110 / 12091.7%Ch. 110 / 12091.7%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 111 / 12092.5%WebWeb+AI#111Chapter 111 The World Cup, bro?Chapter 111: World Cup, Big Bro?On the Croatia national football team side, facing the Brazil National Football Team's seemingly luxurious attacking frontline, head coach Niko Kranjčar showed no signs of backing down, and with a wave of his hand, he deployed a formation that Kaka was very familiar with—an attacking 3-4-1-2 formation!This lineup was extremely similar to the 4-3-1-2 formation frequently used by Carlo Ancelotti at the club level, relying mainly on central control and forward breakthroughs for offense, while selectively abandoning flank attacks.In terms of players:Goalkeeper: PletikosaDefenders: Šimić, Robert Kovac, ŠimunićMidfielders: Srna, Tudor, Niko Kovač, Babić, Niko KranjčarForwards: Pršo, KlasnićAside from Šimić being an AC Milan player, the rest of the players were unknown, and the team's star power was dim, completely overshadowed by the star-studded Brazil National Football Team.With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.There were a great many fans watching in the stands, and the fans of the Brazil National Football Team did not hesitate to send warm cheers to the home team. Adriano kicked off the ball, and Kaka received it and stepped on it. After waiting for a moment, neither Adriano nor Ronaldo had any thoughts of making a quick forward run, so he could only pass the ball back.The ball was passed back and forth between Emerson and Zé Roberto's feet, and the formation of the Brazil National Football Team slowly pressed forward.The defensive system of the Croats was very well-refined. Crowded with troops in the central axis, it basically countered a depthless butcher squad like the Brazil National Football Team. Ronaldinho and Kaka were surrounded by four players just as they entered the deep half of Croatia, and Emerson and Zé Roberto were also harassed by the opponent's forwards.This defensive method could indeed restrict the vast majority of teams lacking depth, and even had some restrictive effects on the Brazil National Football Team, but Ronaldinho and Kaka were not among them, because they could break through this defensive lineup solely relying on their own dribbling and breakthroughs.In the 4th minute of the match, Roberto Carlos rushed forward to receive a pass from Zé Roberto, dribbled all the way to the edge of the penalty area, and delivered a horizontal pass. After receiving the ball, Ronaldinho shook off the defense of Tudor with a through ball, and Ronaldo leaned against Croatia's central defender Robert Kovac to receive and shoot. The ball was touched by Robert Kovac before he kicked it, and ultimately missed the goalpost by a wide margin.The Brazil National Football Team won a corner kick.Ronaldinho took the corner kick, curling it toward the far post of the goal. Adriano failed to reach the header, but Šimunić quick-wittedly kicked the ball out of the penalty area. Roberto Carlos strode up in the middle and unleashed a ferocious right-footed shot, sending the ball high over the crossbar.Sighs came from the fans in the stands. Kaka frowned and glanced at Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos; the two old guys' attacks were a bit casual, but the match had just begun, so it was harmless.Croatia took the goal kick, passing consecutively at the feet of the midfielders. Ronaldo and Adriano stayed in the opponent's deep territory without dropping back, leaving Kaka and Ronaldinho with no choice but to step up quickly to participate in the press, but the numerical disadvantage was indeed difficult to smooth over.Attacking midfielder Niko Kranjčar, after consecutively passing with teammates to shake off Emerson, delivered an over-the-top long pass. Klasnić was inadequately prepared after trapping the ball and hastily shot before Juan could tackle, allowing Dida to easily block the ball.The Brazil National Football Team immediately launched a counterattack. Dida threw the ball to Roberto Carlos on the left flank, who quickly dribbled forward. After being besieged by opposing players, he passed the ball to Ronaldinho, who had dropped back to support. Ronaldinho delivered a direct through ball to the middle without stopping, and Kaka had already begun sprinting."Klasnić's finishing is still a bit lacking. If this ball were—Lúcio was pulled away by a teammate, Klasnić faced Juan one-on-one and could completely take another step to create a better angle before choosing to shoot. Let us look at the counterattack of the Brazil National Football Team.""Roberto Carlos is very fast, and the former world's number one left-back still has it in him, but Croatia has hoarded heavy troops in the middle. The defensive formation of Srna, Tudor, and defender Šimić is well-maintained, so Roberto Carlos can only pass. Ronaldinho... pass to Kaka! Oh! Ronaldo should have made a horizontal run to clear the central breakthrough channel for Kaka!"Kaka dribbled and accelerated from the center circle. Croatia captain Niko Kovač hurriedly came up to try to slow him down. Kaka forcefully kicked the ball with his right foot, and it rapidly rolled past Niko Kovač's right side. He instinctively stretched out a foot to intercept but failed, while Kaka strode past his left side.The Croats tracked back very quickly. Tudor, Babić, Niko Kranjčar, and even Pršo were running wildly behind Kaka in pursuit. Kaka was already accustomed to this situation in the League, and after breaking through Niko Kovač, he did not slow down at all; instead, his speed increased once more, charging wildly along the middle like a bolt of lightning.Then he saw Ronaldo at the edge of the central arc pinned in place like a wooden stake, raising his right hand high to signal for the ball. Adriano did run to the left to pull away, but unfortunately, Šimunić, who was responsible for marking him, did not leave the middle too far, locking his gaze more on the rapidly approaching Kaka.With the central breakthrough route blocked, cutting horizontally to the left or right would inevitably lead to being caught up by defensive opponents. With no other choice, Kaka delivered a pass with the outside of his right foot while on the move.It has to be said that Ronaldo's technique was truly excellent. Under the tight marking of Robert Kovac, he precisely trapped the ball with his heel, and with a drag-back turn, he shook open an angle for a shot. However, with other paths blocked off, Kaka's pass was completely anticipated by the opponents, so just as Ronaldo lifted his foot, Šimić had already poked the ball away a step earlier."Šimić intercepts directly! Croatia counterattack!"The tables turned. Following a long pass from Tudor to find Babić, the defensive line of the Brazil National Football Team, which had pressed up completely due to Kaka's counterattack, suddenly felt as if facing a formidable enemy.Babić did not dwell on the ball; upon receiving it, he took a step and quickly passed it to the rushing Niko Kranjčar. Although Niko Kranjčar was someone with connections, his footwork still had some foundation. A direct through ball directly penetrated the middle of the Brazil National Football Team, and Klasnić beat the offside trap to receive the ball, shaking open a shooting angle and unleashing a ferocious shot from a tight angle.Dida threw himself to the ground with a speed completely inconsistent with his age, swatting the ball out of the baseline by a hair's breadth.Kaka, who had been running back in defense, stopped his footsteps and gave his old teammate a big thumbs-up with some relief.Croatia's corner kick brushed past the goalpost and went out of the baseline, and possession returned to the hands of the Brazil National Football Team.After a twenty-minute head-to-head attacking battle at the start, both teams tacitly slowed down their attacking pace, and then Kaka felt the suffocating rhythm identical to that of the training matches from those two days.In the 27th minute of the match, Ronaldinho broke through on the left flank and delivered a cross. Adriano failed to reach the landing point, and the ball slid directly past the goal. Ronaldo at the far post arrived belatedly, separated by several meters, and could only sigh at the sight of the ball.In the 31st minute of the match, Kaka continuously broke through Niko Kovač and Tudor in the middle. After dribbling horizontally to attract defenders to block, he sent a through ball. Ronaldo, facing a near one-on-one situation, shot without stopping the ball, only to be parried away by goalkeeper Pletikosa.In the 42nd minute of the match, Kaka, attempting to create something again in the middle, was surrounded by heavy troops. Ronaldo unexpectedly chose to drop back to support. Kaka passed the ball through the gaps between players, then turned to shake off Tudor and instantly made a forward run, while frantically signaling Ronaldo to pass the ball into his stride.Unfortunately, Ronaldo directly took a long-range shot outside the penalty area, hitting a sky-high shot.Standing in place panting heavily as he watched the ball flying high into the air, and then glancing at Ronaldo, who was walking around like an old man, Kaka felt completely numb all over!"This is the World Cup, Big Bro, are you kidding me?"Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 111 / 12092.5%Ch. 111 / 12092.5%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 112 / 12093.3%WebWeb+AI#112Chapter 112 Beckham, Brazil!Chapter 112: The Brazilian Branch of Beckham!Brazil seemed to have a bit of metaphysical bad luck this year; right at the start of the World Cup, many players started acting strangely.In the original timeline, Cafu, who had always been known for teamwork and resilience, refused to pass to Ronaldinho for an easy tap-in when facing a certain goal, stubbornly trying to finish it himself and ultimately falling short.Ever since his father's passing, Adriano's psychological issues had grown increasingly severe. Although he still blasted in 40 goals across all competitions for Inter Milan this season, as the season entered its latter half, his form visibly deteriorated. More importantly, he also began indulging in nightclubs and heavy drinking.It was hard to tell whether the blow of his father's death was too great, or if it caused him to lose supervision and start letting loose completely.Brazilian players had this exact flaw. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Adriano, Cafu, Roberto Carlos—every single one of them was a regular at nightclubs. Partying all night and nursing hangovers was part of their daily routine. As a striker who desperately needed physical fitness and neural reaction speed, Adriano's addiction to nightclubs would inevitably have a massive impact on his competitive form.More importantly, this guy's temper had also grown, and he was now faintly showing traits of a locker room troublemaker.But none of these problems could compare to Ronaldo's slump!Even though his form had been declining step by step in recent years, in the hearts of Brazilian and global fans, Ronaldo was still the number one attacker for the Brazil National Football Team. He possessed immense popularity, and Carlos Alberto Parreira, despite knowing full well that Ronaldo's form was problematic, did not dare to sub him off. Having a center forward on the pitch who stood like a stake and didn't run at all was truly the ultimate torture for an attacking midfielder.Perhaps someone would say that Ronaldo's position was center forward, so he didn't need to run too much in the first place; he just needed his teammates to pass the ball to his feet, and then the Alien would use his signature Pendulum Dribble to trick the goalkeeper and score goals for the team.But if matches were really that easy, that would be great!Ronaldo was unwilling to cooperate with Kaka and Ronaldinho to pull apart the opponent's defensive line, which led to Kaka and Ronaldinho either having to go it alone or biting the bullet and passing to the forwards. However, with Ronaldo acting as a stationary target, as long as they passed, the trajectory was far too easy to judge. Kaka and Ronaldinho would basically lose possession every single time they passed, and even if Ronaldo received the ball, it was hard to generate a threatening shot.And on the other side, Adriano… even a blind person could tell that his mind wasn't on the pitch this match. Damn it, he kept standing in an offside position, so what the hell was there to pass to!At the 45th minute of the match, Ronaldinho broke through Srna on the left flank and dribbled inward toward the center. Kaka quickly ran to the right to stretch the defense. The Football Wizard dodged and maneuvered flexibly, the ball wandering between his feet like a pet. Tudor and Niko Kovač, who forcefully pressed him, were dizzy from being faked out, and in the end, Niko Kovač had no choice but to reach out and pull Ronaldinho down to the ground.The Brazil National Football Team was awarded a free kick just outside the penalty box at the top of the arc.This position was fantastic. Whether shooting directly or lofting it into the penalty area, it would pose a huge threat to Croatia's goal. Kaka was eager to try; he hadn't had the chance to christen the Banana Shot skill after acquiring it yet—should he go up and ask Ronaldinho for taking rights?Yes! The skill had to see some blood no matter what!"Hey, Ronnie, can you let me take this free kick?"Thinking and doing it at once, Kaka trotted over to Ronaldinho, who was setting up the ball, reached out to put an arm around his shoulder, and asked out loud.Hearing this, Ronaldinho was slightly stunned, but then stepped aside without the slightest hesitation. He and Kaka were brothers and good friends; it was just a free kick, nothing to hesitate about."Haha, thanks, Ronnie. I will lead you all to victory!"Throwing a punch in a chunibyo manner, Kaka stood excitedly in front of the football, while Ronaldinho jogged into the penalty area, getting ready to follow up with a shot at any moment.This scene left the fans in the stands stunned."Huh? A free kick for the Brazil National Football Team… Kaka wants to take it? He's actively asking Ronaldinho for the free-kick rights? Ronaldinho… gave it up! Ronaldinho and Kaka are universally recognized friends; they won't have hard feelings over a single free kick, but objectively speaking, purely in terms of free-kick ability, letting Ronaldinho take this free kick is clearly safer. However… well, Kaka is also very strong, let's wait and see!"Kaka bent down to readjust the ball, then took a few steps back, put his hands on his hips, and gazed deeply at Croatia's goal.The Beckham of the Brazil branch instantly went online. Kaka already knew all the technical movements and precautions of the Banana Shot by heart. Under the effect of the system's direct infusion, this had almost become his muscle memory. To put it without exaggeration, Kaka's Banana Shot right now was probably even a bit stronger than Beckham's."Beep!"The referee blew the whistle, and Kaka pushed off the ground to start. His run-up distance wasn't very long; his long legs crossed to the front of the ball in two or three steps. His left arm swung horizontally with a wide motion, his body leaning exaggeratedly to the left like a bow, his right shoulder pressed extremely low, his ankle turned outward and tensed, and the inside of his right foot precisely clipped the center of the ball.Because it was his first time kicking it, Kaka put all his strength into this shot. Carrying the momentum of his forward rush, his right leg whipped out almost in a full circle. At the very moment the ball took flight, Kaka's entire body was also lifted off the ground by the massive momentum, his gaze closely following the trajectory of the football.As soon as this familiar technical movement appeared and the football just left the barrel, the fans in the stands jumped up excitedly.The football shot out like a rocket, passing through the gap between Josip Šimunić and Marko Babić with intense spin.This was a free kick directly facing the goal, so Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa had also chosen to position himself right in the middle of the goal line. When the ball pierced through the wall, it looked like it was flying straight at the goal, but right as it passed the wall, it carved out an exaggerated curve, heading straight for the top right corner of the goal amidst Stipe Pletikosa's horrified gaze."It's in!""Clang!"The ball smashed heavily against the junction of the crossbar and the goalpost, an absolute top-corner position, then bounced down into the net. After hitting the ground, it bounced up once more until it was caught by the netting, which completely dissipated the kinetic energy on it."OH! MY! GOD!""Kaka, what is this? Is this Kaka? Is this still the Kaka we are familiar with? When did he learn such a brilliant inward-curling Banana Shot? The Banana Shot?!"The commentator was already stuttering from shock. The fans in the stands screamed, jumping up and down. The national flags in the hands of the Brazil fans were waved so fast they left afterimages, every single one of them flushed red with excitement.The moment the ball went in, Ronaldinho shouted and rushed over, leaping up to cling onto Kaka's back, his facial expressions a mix of excitement and shock."Kaka, when did you practice this? I had no idea at all that you had such exquisite free-kick skills; you've never used it before!""Hahaha!"Kaka laughed heartily, carrying Ronaldinho on his back while pointing both hands up at the sky in a trademark pose, and teasingly explained:"It's talent, Ronnie. There are many more skills I know, but just so I wouldn't crush your confidence, I held back and didn't bring them all out.""Among the thirty or forty World Cup stars, even upon seeing me they must lower their brows. Ronnie, you know it, I am a genius!"Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. 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WTR-LABKaka Reborn, Starting in IstanbulCh. 113 / 12094.2%WebWeb+AI#113Chapter 113 I'll Convince You!Chapter 113: I Will Make You Convinced!To celebrate the genius of the Brazil National Football Team scoring a genius goal, Ronaldinho gritted his teeth and messed up Kaka's meticulously styled hair into a bird's nest.However, our Brother Kaka had just scored an awesome goal and was in a good mood, so he wouldn't bicker with an ordinary genius.Cafu rushed over and directly pounced on Kaka and Ronaldinho. The captain of the Brazil National Football Team hugged Kaka and shouted excitedly. Lúcio, Zé Roberto, and other players ran over one by one to give Kaka heavy hugs. Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos also arrived fashionably late, with Roberto Carlos immediately delivering a head-pat kill, adding fuel to the fire for Kaka's messy hairstyle.Ronaldo looked at Kaka with a gratified smile on his face. Kaka met his gaze and then proactively stepped forward to hug the former world's number one player."Kaka, you have grown and are becoming stronger and stronger... You have already surpassed me..."There was a hint of lingering emotion in Ronaldo's voice as he raised his hand and gently patted Kaka's back."Thank you! I think so too, Ronnie."There was nothing to be modest about; what Ronaldo said was a fact. The current Kaka was indeed stronger than him, and by more than just a notch. Kaka simply accepted his polite remark directly, because he also had something to say to Ronaldo."Ronnie...""Hmm?""I think you can make more runs in the frontcourt to stretch the space and form coordination with Ronaldinho and me. Our firepower is enough to pierce through Croatia's defensive line, provided that it is 'us', and you must provide help.""..."Ronaldo was silent. He understood the meaning behind Kaka's words; this was asking him to relinquish power.This young man...Raising his head to glance at Kaka, Ronaldo still wore a smile on his face, yet he did not agree to his proposal."Kaka, now is not the time, at least... you guys are not yet enough to convince me, right?""... Fine then!"Kaka shrugged and let go of Ronaldo, exchanging a glance with Ronaldinho, both seeing burning fighting spirit in each other's eyes.Can't convince you?"Ronnie, clear out the central channel, and I will make you convinced!""Alright."...The celebration of the Brazil National Football Team lasted for several minutes. Croatia's players couldn't wait any longer and protested to the referee, prompting the players to return to their own half. Kaka's gaze followed Ronaldo's footsteps, seeing that he did not stay in the center circle anymore, but instead stood in the half-space position, a trace of a smile appearing on his face.Being willing to give himself a chance to perform at least proved that Ronaldo's professional attitude was not problematic.Was Ronaldo at the 2006 World Cup "bad"?In Kaka's view—very bad! Bad yet proud!Overweight, frequent injuries, and diminishing fighting spirit—this series of problems caused Ronaldo's presence in the team's frontcourt to be minimal throughout the World Cup. Apart from scoring two goals when playing against Japan and Ghana, Ronaldo not only achieved nothing in other matches but also seriously dragged down the team's attacking tempo.His running on the pitch was pitifully scarce. He blindly waited for the ball in the central forward position and did not actively cooperate with frontcourt teammates. The decline in his physical functions made him unable to hold up the ball with his back to the goal, nor could he control the ball well facing forward. As the former world's number one player, his dignity and pride made him unable to tolerate being substituted, yet in the end, Ronaldinho had to take all the blame for the World Cup failure.But realistically speaking, the current Ronaldo was only a bit weaker compared to world-top stars. He had lost his explosiveness and enterprise, but that killer instinct of a peak player was not lost. It was simply his passive match attitude that made the team's frontcourt a complete mess; teammates simply had no way to be awesome enough to pass the ball into the feet of a wooden stake amidst a crowd, preventing this killer instinct from finding an opportunity to be unleashed.Kaka believed that as long as they found an opportunity to give Ronaldo a comfortable assist in the penalty area position, Ronaldo's ability to seize opportunities in front of the goal was still world-class.And the premise of all this was that Ronaldo had to temporarily put aside his useless pride, temporarily descend to earth and twist together with his teammates into a single rope. If he always drifted outside the system, then no good method would be of any use....The match resumed for a moment before entering halftime. Coming back from the break, Croatia, trailing by one goal, played more proactively. Their overall formation pressed heavily forward, and even the defensive midfielders stood at the centerline position.In the 51st minute of the match, Niko Kranjčar unleashed a highly threatening long-range shot outside the penalty area. Dida made an all-out save, using his left hand by a hair's breadth to tip the ball over the crossbar.Croatia's corner kick was directly plucked out of the air by Dida, and then the Brazil goalkeeping god used a powerful throw to toss the ball toward midfield. Kaka started running in his own half, touching the ball with his toe just before Tudor.The ball instantly accelerated and drilled through Tudor's crotch. Kaka accelerated with all his might. Tudor reacted extremely quickly, turning around to grab the back hem of Kaka's jersey, and then his whole body hung onto him."Beep!"Kaka dragged Tudor along for several meters before the referee finally blew the whistle. A yellow card was presented to the Croatia defensive midfielder, destroying a brilliant counter-attacking offensive for Brazil. Kaka was not very angry; instead, he friendly hugged Tudor, who came over to apologize.Isn't football just like this?Tactical fouls were standard operations. Tudor's action was not dirty; it both protected the team and avoided injuring the opposing player, which was far better than those villains who would cripple you if they couldn't defend you.The ball was restarted. This time, the Croatians were already prepared, and the match turned back into a positional battle.Kaka dribbled the ball forward slowly. When encountering pressing, he passed the ball back or played short left-and-right passes with Ronaldinho, but within a short time, he really couldn't find an opportunity against Croatia's defensive line.The commentator had just recovered from Kaka's previous free kick and casually swept his gaze across the pitch, discovering a bizarre phenomenon."Why is Ronaldo over there?"His finger pointed toward the frontcourt position. Ronaldo, who should have stood in the central channel, was unexpectedly standing in the half-space at this moment, his position even close to the corner of the penalty area. This situation, whether for fans or players, was somewhat hard to believe."Ronaldo went to the flank? He gave up the central position? Has he completely refused to participate in the team's offense? Or... is he making way for teammates' breakthrough routes?"Everyone was baffled. Ronaldo, standing in the half-space position, was still as listless as in the first half, his running still like an old man taking a stroll. Yet his expression was normal, and he didn't look like he was throwing a tantrum either."I think..."Hesitating for a moment, the Brazil commentator rubbed his chin and analyzed:"Ronaldo making this kind of change is a good thing for the team. At least he has given up the breakthrough space in the center, giving Kaka more opportunities to perform. Moreover, the expressions of the players on the pitch are very normal. Although a few defensive players are somewhat puzzled, I haven't seen any aura of conflict in their eyes. Perhaps... did Kaka say something to Ronaldo?"He still remembered that after the previous goal, the big screen replay showed Kaka and Ronaldo discussing something. Could it be about this matter?The Brazil fans in the stands could be described as both overjoyed and terrified.What they were happy about was that if this was indeed a change actively made by Ronaldo, it would undoubtedly be a major boon to the team's current problems.What they were afraid of was that if it really turned out that Ronaldo was throwing a tantrum, then after this match, the team's locker room would probably blow up on the spot!Problematic ad?Report it hereYou can disable popup ads by becoming a contributor. Become a contributorCh. 113 / 12094.2%Ch. 113 / 12094.2%ReadDisplaySettingsMoreWTR-LAB

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Chapter 1832 - vhh