Many teams have essentially been eliminated ahead of schedule!
Though their eyes were filled with tears and reluctance to leave this dream football field, reality was this cruel. They could only return and continue their efforts, sharpening their swords for four years, and then fight again next time!
There were not a few teams like the Tang national team that had essentially qualified in advance!
However, there was still one last round of group matches to play. Based on the current points standings within the group, the Tang national team had won both matches, securing six points and ranking first in the group.
The second-ranked team was the Bullfighting nation, also securing six points with two wins. However, their goal difference was one less than the Tang national team, so they could only rank second for now.
The German team and the Costa Rican team were not completely without hope, but their hopes were indeed slim!
The final round of group matches would see both games played simultaneously. At that time, the final outcome, or the final standings within the group, would not solely depend on their own matches.
The result of another ongoing match on the other side was also very important.
As for the Tang national team, they had only one goal: to secure first place in the group. If they lost this match, then they would have to consider the situation of the other two teams playing against each other.
If they could win, they wouldn't need to worry about anything else. As long as they won beautifully and showed their spirit.
There were still two days left until the next match against the Bullfighting nation.
Matches in other groups were gradually commencing, and battle reports were continuously arriving.
Although Li Gang spoke words of encouragement and excitement, he was unsure in his heart. Perhaps only Cao Baiming was truly confident.
In any case, qualifying from the group was a certainty. In his opinion, the threat posed by this Bullfighting national team was not significant at all!
It was merely some new tactics and new playstyles. The next match would undoubtedly be the most difficult group stage match in this World Cup, but the difficulty was not that great.
Winning it was not a big problem. The current problem was whether to go all out in this match?
Since they had already safely qualified from the group, even if they fought with all their might in the next match, it would only be for first place in the group. Was that really worth it?
Li Gang had been discussing this with the coaching staff for the past two days, and there were differences of opinion among them.
One side firmly believed that since they had come to the World Cup and had the opportunity to prove themselves, they needed to play every match to the best of their ability. Moreover, even if they wanted to relax, there was nothing they could do except to substitute Cao Baiming to rest. Doing so would come at too great a cost!
They could very well be directly thrashed by the powerful Bullfighting nation!
The other side believed that since their goal was the knockout stage, they should adjust their tactics appropriately. They should work hard where necessary and be more relaxed where it wasn't necessary. Even if the final score was embarrassing, let others curse if they wanted!
In the end, a compromise was chosen. Cao Baiming was still scheduled to start this match.
The reason was, of course, that if Cao Baiming was not on the field, the scene would be unimaginably dire!
Just thinking about it made their scalps tingle, and they dared not try it!
In the locker room, with their beer bellies, did the Tang national team really want to go head-to-head with the Bullfighting nation? Forget it!
The Tang national team didn't need Cao Baiming; they were completely dependent on him!
At this moment, on the training ground of the Bullfighting nation, the players were undergoing intense training.
On the field, the young man with a delicate appearance and well-proportioned physique, Gavi, was a rising star of this World Cup.
His fame did not begin with this World Cup. He had already displayed his astonishing talent in the league, and at the age of eighteen, he was already called a top midfielder by many.
The reason for his popularity in the World Cup, besides his performance, was of course also due to his face. Regardless of the aesthetics of any country or ethnicity, he was an absolute handsome guy.
Such a handsome guy was being used by head coach Enrique as the core of the team's midfield today, and new tactics were being formulated.
For the Tang national team, they were determined to take this point!
Luis Enrique's expression revealed that determination, that persistence!
In his opinion, the Tang national team's current achievements were not entirely due to their strength. Their strength was far from as legendary as the outside world was praising them!
At such a critical moment, to step forward and put an end to such false passion.
To be the one to burst the bubble of fantasy and awaken those who were daydreaming, what a desirable role that would be!
The outside world's speculation about this match was basically in a state of skyrocketing enthusiasm. On one side was the most dazzling dark horse of this World Cup, the Tang national team, and on the other was the Bullfighting nation, which had historically always maintained good results, with a guaranteed quarterfinals appearance!
One had only entered the quarterfinals once, and the other had only exited the quarterfinals once. How could such a matchup be so anticipated!
Many fans began to argue online!
"The Bullfighting nation is still a traditional powerhouse team. The Tang national team is just a flash in the pan. Compared to stability, they definitely can't compare. They will surely reveal their true colors in the next match!"
"I don't need to say much, let the data speak! Against the same Costa Rican team, the Bullfighting nation beat them seven to zero, and the Tang national team beat them four to one. Do I need to say more?"
"Why don't you mention that the Tang national team beat the German national team four to one?!"
"Stop arguing, upstairs. Just look at the odds comparison between the two sides. What's there to argue about with odds of four to one?"
"Heh, I'm afraid many people say they support the Tang national team with their mouths, but their bodies are honest and they've bet on Spain to win. I won't expose who it is."
"Do you really think what you think is what you think? If you think that way, then what you think is what you think!"
"World Cup matches are not that easy. Relying solely on luck to get out of the group stage might still be possible, but you'll be in trouble in the knockout rounds!"
...
For the high-level officials of both teams, the shouts on the internet held no reference value. What truly held reference value was the opponent's historical data.
But the problem was that the entire Spanish team had injected a lot of fresh blood, and the whole team was rejuvenated. The reference value of past matches was not high. They could only use the two past matches as the main analysis material.
It was also very difficult for the Bullfighting nation. To understand this Tang national team, collecting past data had lost all meaning.
Because in their previous matches, they played like crap. But with the arrival of Cao Baiming, the entire team was instantly revitalized, as if they had completely changed!