January 28, 2012, 2:30 PM.
Dortmund's team bus parked beside the Westfalenstadion.
A large crowd of fans awaited the players' arrival.
Among them, Ye Chen noticed many holding signs with his image in the German national team jersey.
As Ye Chen stepped off the bus, the fans erupted into cheers!
"Ye Chen! It's Ye Chen!"
"Ye, have you joined the German national team?"
"Ye, are you one of our internationals now?"
"Ye! Can you sign this for us?"
Hearing the excited Dortmund fans, Ye Chen sighed.
China had such passionate fans too, but unfortunately, the national team back home was hard to carry forward...
Maybe it's best not to call them the national team anymore â just "China Men's Football" would do.
After all, the women's team had been performing impressively...
Ye Chen vividly remembered that match when the Chinese women's team, against all odds, reversed a 2-0 deficit to win the Asian Cup.
Ye Chen had cried during that moment.
"I have indeed chosen to join the German national team," Ye Chen said calmly before walking down the tunnel.
Yet, that one simple sentence triggered a wave of cheers from the entire crowd!
Germany might have a real shot at the Euros this year!
Ye's addition could elevate the team to another level.
"Let's go, brothers, time to head inside and watch our superstar Ye perform!"
"Oh my God, this is the best decision Löw has made this year!"
"Thank you, China Men's Football!"
Excited Dortmund fans flooded into Westfalenstadion.
Meanwhile, in China's capital, inside the GuGu Sports live broadcast studio...
"Welcome, everyone, to GuGu Sports' live coverage tonight!" Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu were already seated. "I'm your commentator Zhan Jun, and beside me is my partner, Coach Zhang Lu!"
"Good evening, everyone!" Zhang Lu greeted cheerfully.
"Coach Zhang, you seem very happy tonight?"
Zhang Lu nodded. "I am indeed!"
"Oh? Why's that?"
"The news recently said Ye Chen agreed to represent Germany. I think that's worth celebrating!" Zhang Lu declared firmly.
Zhan Jun looked puzzled. "Is that really something to celebrate?"
"Of course! This shows that a Chinese player has finally made it to the top stage!" Zhang Lu said confidently. "Think about it. If Ye Chen wins the Euros or even the World Cup, how impactful would that be? He could be on the same level as Messi or Ronaldo!"
"True! And then?"
"Look at it this way â Ye Chen could become the role model for countless young people, rather than celebrities or influencers. Forget those who focus on singing, dancing, rapping, or basketball â none of them look as cool as a footballer!"
Zhan Jun immediately understood Zhang Lu's point. "You mean more young people in China will play football, and with Ye Chen as an inspiration, more players might pursue careers abroad?"
Zhang Lu nodded. "Exactly. Have you followed Wu Lei? His idol is Ye Chen. They even follow each other on Weibo. Ye Chen may be overseas, but his heart is still with China."
"Wu Lei mentioned wanting to play abroad, and because of Ye Chen, many Bundesliga teams have expanded their scouting efforts to China. They're hoping to find the next Ye Chen!"
"Even if they don't make it to the Bundesliga, playing in the second division is still better than staying in the domestic league. To improve, players need to compete at higher levels. More foreign players alone won't elevate the Chinese Super League."
Zhan Jun nodded in agreement. "So, Ye Chen joining Germany is a good thing?"
"Absolutely!" Zhang Lu laughed. "Right now, Ye Chen's influence is limited, but as it grows... Chinese football could see real change! Don't forget â players under 21 can switch national teams!"
Zhan Jun paused. "Oh, right! I almost forgot. Ye Chen can choose to return to China before he turns 21! A lot can change in four years, and he could bring advanced European football back with him."
"That's exactly my point! China has never had a player good enough for this rule to matter. It's understandable why people forget about it," Zhang Lu laughed. "But once Ye Chen's influence grows, everything will change. One day, the dawn will come..."
In Zhang Lu's mind, Ye Chen was destined to shake things up â much like Mbappé in another world.
Maybe one day, a single comment from Ye Chen could even dismiss a manager like Liang Zhijun.
That would truly be a new dawn!
While Zhang Lu wasn't sure what the future held, Ye Chen's desire for reform within Chinese football showed he was someone with vision.
Zhang Lu hoped he could witness the men's team reach the World Cup once more in his lifetime.
After all, the women's team had been consistently excellent â only missing the 2011 Women's World Cup once out of six tournaments.
Because of this, the men's and women's teams deserved to be viewed differently.
Zhan Jun snapped back to reality. "Alright, enough talk! Both teams are at the tunnel entrance!"
"Dortmund is playing a 4-4-2 formation today, with our Chinese star Ye Chen partnering with Lewandowski up front!"
"On the wings are PeriÅ¡iÄ and Kagawa, with Kehl and De Bruyne in midfield!"
"The backline consists of Schmelzer, Hummels, SubotiÄ, and Azpilicueta!"
"Weidenfeller returns as goalkeeper after missing last week's match!"
De Bruyne starts after his excellent performance off the bench last match, and new signing Azpilicueta replaces Piszczek at right-back. Let's see how the two players Ye Chen recommended perform today!
Hoffenheim is lining up in a 3-4-3 formation!
Up front are Babel, Fabian Johnson, and Firmino!
Midfield features Weis, SalihoviÄ, Rudy, and Williams!
The three-man defense is Beck, Vestergaard, and Lahm.
Goalkeeper Starke starts for them.
Despite injuries on both sides, this promises to be a competitive match!
Dortmund, with Ye Chen, remains unbeaten â their only draw came when Ye Chen was absent. He's like the team's lucky charm â they never drop points with him on the field!
This is Ye Chen's 12th match for Dortmund, having scored in all previous 11 games! The Bundesliga record for consecutive scoring games is 16. If Ye Chen scores today, he'll edge closer to Gerd Müller's legendary record!
With the referee's whistle, the match begins!
Ye Chen, visibly energized, starts pressing Hoffenheim's players from the get-go...