Volume One: Our Own League 139: The Zidane and Beckham of No. 17 High School

At Jingguan City No. 17 High School, the office of the school football team's head coach was brightly lit. Inside, silhouettes moved about in a flurry of activity. This office had been arranged by Principal Wang long ago, but as it had lacked a master, it had remained vacant until now. With the arrival of its occupant, it was finally put to use and brought into the spotlight.

The office was spacious, with a minimalist and grand aesthetic. More importantly, it was located right next to Principal Wang’s own office. This underscored the high priority the principal placed on the football team; he seemed to have shifted his focus entirely to this squad, leaving the management of general school academics and other affairs to Vice Principal Zhang Hongjun, while he dedicated himself to the campus football program. It was no wonder the principal had been so devoted to this project.

Principal Wang was present in the head coach's office tonight, though not to participate in decisions. He was merely an observer. Everything here was under the command of Yangtong Mingxiong, whose word was final. Despite the late hour and the darkness outside, the office remained a beacon of light as Yangtong Mingxiong and his assistants worked diligently.

Studying the documents in his hand, Yangtong Mingxiong asked his subordinates, "Have you discovered any promising talents worth noting?"

Xu Dongsheng spoke up immediately: "Xu He from Class 11, Grade 7, is very impressive—truly outstanding."

Xu He had become a household name over the past two days of assessments; it was nearly impossible not to know him. He had left such a profound impression on everyone that his reputation preceded him. Yangtong Mingxiong was naturally aware of Xu He and had been keeping a close eye on him, though not as intimately as Xu Dongsheng, who had been the primary examiner for the seventh-grade students.

Yangtong Mingxiong looked at Xu Dongsheng and asked, "What level do you think he can reach?"

The other assistants turned their attention to Xu Dongsheng, eager to hear his assessment.

"The kid is a genuine genius," Xu Dongsheng replied. "While his physical fitness isn't the absolute best among the seventh graders, it ranks near the top. He may not look robust, but he possesses considerable power and is no slouch in physical duels. More importantly, his speed is incredibly, incredibly fast!"

No one doubted this; they had all seen how swift Xu He truly was.

Xu Dongsheng continued, "His performance in today's ball-handling assessment was equally brilliant. His juggling is top-tier among the first-years; he has a fantastic feel for the ball, and his passing, stopping, and dribbling are all excellent—among the best of this batch. While he lacks professional training and still carries the common habits of an amateur, these can be polished through future training. I believe his potential is immense..."

Xu Dongsheng had more to say, but he felt he had said enough to warrant the coaching staff's absolute attention. He knew the staff would discover more of Xu He's strengths during future training sessions.

Yangtong Mingxiong nodded slightly while reviewing the data. "What do the rest of you think?"

Luo Dongqing and the others agreed immediately, "The kid certainly has potential and is worth focusing on."

Seeing the consensus, Yangtong Mingxiong made his decision: "Then we will pay close attention to his performance tomorrow and see how he fares in the matches." The others nodded in agreement.

"Are there any other discoveries besides him?" Yangtong Mingxiong asked.

"Besides Xu He, there are many other good prospects in the seventh-grade cohort," Xu Dongsheng stated confidently. "I never imagined our school would have so many talented children!"

This was high praise, and everyone looked at him. At Yangtong Mingxiong’s gesture, he continued: "Zhong Haokun, Lin Xuefeng, Yang Hao, Zhu Ge, Xu Chaoyang, and Liu Peng are all very talented, each with their own unique traits. I’ve handed you their detailed files; I believe they are all capable of making the school team."

The staff scrutinized the files. The more they read, the more they agreed—these were indeed promising talents.

Principal Wang, however, was growing anxious. How could this be? He knew his school had more talent than this, especially since he intended to build the team around the seventh-grade class. More importantly, the names Xu Dongsheng mentioned were not the ones Song Yu had recommended. Were Xu Donglai and Zhuo Jun not better than these players? The principal fretted as his favored candidates were being overlooked.

After finishing the files, Yangtong Mingxiong noted, "These are excellent, but I am most optimistic about Xu He. Still, we must cultivate the others. Especially Zhong Haokun—a player like him is a total 'bug' in the national junior high school tournament. We must utilize him!"

Indeed, Zhong Haokun’s physique surpassed many high schoolers and even rivaled professional fitness coaches. Seeing his photo, Yangtong Mingxiong had even doubted the boy’s age. He turned to Principal Wang: "Principal, is Zhong Haokun's age verified? This is critical; we cannot afford any mistakes."

With the strict crackdown on age fraud in Chinese football, Yangtong Mingxiong was cautious. Principal Wang reassured him, "Rest assured, Coach Yangtong. The school has verified it; his age is correct for his grade."

Yangtong Mingxiong was delighted. A player with Zhong Haokun’s physique was a nuclear weapon. Playing him in a junior high tournament would be like bullying children. It was clear that Yangtong Mingxiong valued Zhong Haokun even more than Xu He, favoring the player's sheer physical dominance.

"We must prioritize Zhong Haokun's development!" Yangtong Mingxiong declared.

The others nodded, well aware of the coach's preference for physical prowess. Suddenly, Luo Dongqing asked, "What about Xu Chaoyang?"

The group checked their files. Xu Dongsheng explained, "His physical stats are average, but he has good height. I value him because he has a natural talent for judging the ball's trajectory, positioning, and intercepting. I think he will be a very fine center-back, at least for this level of middle school competition."

Looking at the file, they saw he was 185 cm tall—very impressive for a seventh grader. If his positioning was as good as claimed, he was worth watching.

"We will keep a close eye on him tomorrow," Yangtong Mingxiong decided. He then turned to Luo Dongqing: "What have you found?"

"The ninth-grade participants are fewer in number but of high quality," Luo Dongqing reported. "Their physical fitness is superior, and their fundamentals are solid. One student, Chen Wei, is exceptional—especially his precise crossing. You could call him the David Beckham of Jingguan City No. 17 High!"

The room chuckled at the nickname. Yangtong Mingxiong smiled: "If he’s a 'Beckham,' he must have something special. We’ll watch him tomorrow."

However, in his heart, Yangtong Mingxiong knew the ninth graders were a stopgap. By the time the team was fully built, they would have graduated. The seventh graders—Zhong Haokun and Xu He—were the true future of the team.

"My assessment of the eighth grade shows an average level, but there is one standout named Qi Dan," Yangtong Mingxiong added. "He is quite talented—they call him the Zinedine Zidane of Jingguan City No. 17!"

The room erupted in laughter. Between Beckham and Zidane, the school was becoming a legend. "Let's observe them all tomorrow," Yangtong Mingxiong concluded. "If they perform well, they will form the backbone of our school team."