"What's wrong with being short? Can't you play football if you're short? Can't you be short and be forward? ”

In a secluded corner of the county seat of Yancheng, a handsome-looking teenager angrily kicked a ball out of the air.

The soccer ball slammed into the wall not far away in a graceful arc, and then bounced off with a crisp "pop". The ball bounced on the ground a few times, then rolled mischievously into a bowl.

The boy kicked the ball out and immediately regretted it, this is a residential area, and there are high-rise buildings nearby, if any piece of glass is broken, his whole body of money is not enough to pay.

He quickly turned his head to look for the ball, and saw that nothing seemed to have been smashed except for a broken bowl, so he breathed a sigh of relief, and a bowl should still be able to pay for it. The boy thought and ran over.

The boy was just about to reach for the ball, when a dirty hand suddenly appeared. "Young man, you can't take back what you have given to you." Only then did the boy notice that he had neglected the owner of the broken bowl, an old beggar, because he was desperate to get the football back. Although April in Yancheng is still a little cold, the old beggar's dress is too advanced, a shabby cotton coat, a pair of gray Harem pants underneath, and a pair of Li Ning sneakers, which are probably also picked up from the garbage can, the toes have been worn out, and the two toes naughtily leaked out to show the power of his Hong Kong feet.

"Grandpa, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to, or I'd lose your money. The boy probably didn't expect the old beggar to try to take the football for himself, and apologized to the old beggar in great embarrassment.

"No, I don't want money, I just want this ball." The old beggar glanced at the young man who was in a hurry to take out the change, and said lightly. "Besides, this Adidas football costs at least a few hundred dollars, don't try to fool me."

The boy didn't expect the old beggar to recognize Adidas, this ball was a Champions League commemorative version of the football given by his father on his sixteenth birthday, not to mention hundreds, thousands of dollars. Seeing that the old beggar didn't want to return the ball, his stubborn temper also came up. "Old guy, I can tell you well when you are old, you quickly return the ball to me, if you rely on the old and sell the old again, I will have to do it!"

"Well, it's a bit angry, if you're as soft as you just now, and you give up on yourself, just give up playing." The old beggar touched the football and laughed.

When he was angry just now, he was actually seen by the old beggar, after all, he was still a seventeen-year-old boy, and he couldn't help but blush a little. "You know football too?" He was skeptical. The boy just subconsciously said this, and it was good for an old beggar to be able to recognize the brand of football, how could he know how to play football.

Unexpectedly, the old beggar nodded slightly, "I don't know how to speak, I know a little bit about it, I'm a football coach." ”

The young man opened his mouth in surprise and couldn't speak, not because of the identity of the old beggar, but because he had never seen anyone bragging that he was a football coach, and the object of the bragging was still a beggar begging on the street! Although he has never seen what a real coach looks like, he has watched a lot of football games, and the coaches on TV are all in suits and leather shoes, and he is fascinated by the spirit of commanding on the sidelines. What a wonderful thrill it would be to play under such a coach one day!

But he can only imagine that in fact, as the best striker in the school team, he can't even take the turn of training for a Chinese team. The reason given is simple, he is too short!

In all fairness, I am indeed a little short, I am nearly seventeen years old, and I am only 1.62 meters. But he knows for himself that things are not so simple. He still remembers the smug face of Zhang Tai, who is 1.8 meters tall but will waste countless opportunities in front of him, it is good to have a rich father.

I felt that I was thinking a little too much, and I quickly pulled my thoughts back. "If you're a football coach, I'm Ronaldo." The boy said disdainfully.

A wry smile appeared on the corner of the old beggar's mouth, "I am, or I was, and I can also be said to be in the future." ”

The boy was confused, "What is the future, you hurry up and return the ball to me, otherwise I will really have to do it." As he spoke, he was going to roll up his sleeves and make up his mind that if the old beggar didn't pay it back, he would grab it himself, anyway, he ran so fast, seeing that the old man looked like he hadn't eaten for a few days, he would definitely not be able to outrun himself.

The old beggar's smile became even more bitter: "Young man, have you ever heard of crossing?" ”

"Damn!" The young man couldn't help but burst into a foul mouth, this old man even made out the fantasy in order to keep the ball for himself, and he didn't know which trash can to turn it out of the obscene novel.

Seeing that the young man didn't believe it, the old beggar showed a helpless expression, "Don't believe it, the ball will be returned to you, I wanted to give you a few words when I saw that you were quite fast, but Ronaldo is not as short as you." ”

The boy took the lost and recovered football, but he was a little confused, so he got it back? "Are you really a soccer coach?" He asked uncertainly.

"It's true!" The old beggar affirmed, "My real name is actually Blake Tauter, the coach of Arsenal's youth team, who took over in 2016. On his third day in office, he was in a car accident and woke up to find himself a beggar begging in China. When it came to his work, the old beggar's eyes couldn't help but regain a little light.

"I'll go!" Listened to the so-called Arsenal youth team coach Blake. As soon as Tauter spoke, the young man couldn't help but burst into a foul mouth. Follow Blake. According to Taote, when he first crossed, he could not speak Chinese or write, and was penniless. After begging on the street for a few days, he finally found a rescue station, but not only did he not get help, but he said a lot of things that people couldn't understand, and he was kicked out as a madman.

"I've finally learned to speak Chinese now, and I'm trying to figure out how to go back to the UK, but I don't have much money." The old beggar said gloomily. "Why would I, a talented football coach, cross over to a beggar! God is jealous of talent, otherwise I am destined to shine in the whole football world. The old beggar sighed with a stinky face, and life was impermanent.

"Cut!" The teenager dismissed, "I also said that I will be the best striker!" But somebody has to believe it. ”

"If you don't believe me, how about we make a bet?" Black. Tauter's face was unfathomable, as if he had eaten him.

"Gamble, gamble, tell me how to gamble?" The teenager was completely piqued with curiosity.

"Do you watch football games?" Blake asked.

"Of course, I'm a die-hard fan!" The pride on the boy's face.

"That's good. Tomorrow is 8th April 2013 and, if I'm not mistaken, Manchester City will win 2-1 against Manchester United in tomorrow's Manchester derby. "If I win, you'll help me get back to England, but if I lose." Hehe, I'm not going to lose. The old beggar smiled confidently.

The young man was speechless, the old beggar in rags and talking nonsense opposite him didn't know if he was crazy, or if the world was crazy, maybe he was crazy, he actually wanted to agree to this so-called Blake. Tauter's gamble. Maybe I wish he was really a football coach so that he could coach himself to play better.

"Why can't you lose! You must know that Manchester United has won 7 consecutive games, 13 consecutive home wins, and 16 wins and 2 draws in the last 18 rounds undefeated. If you lose, I want you to be my sidekick! The boy gritted his teeth.

"Okay. Deal. The old beggar readily agreed.

"I'll see you tomorrow at this time."

Blake nodded.

Thus began the story of two of the greatest legends in the history of football.