Chapter Five: The Three Pillars of Youth Training

Page 1/3

As a long-established youth training academy, Jiaozhou Willy Football School boasts quite comprehensive internal facilities. The dormitory buildings are exceptionally clean and well-kept. Wei Lai’s dormitory is located in the east building; room 501 at the end of the corridor on the fifth floor is his.

“You’re back?”

Inside the dorm, aside from Wei Lai, there were three other teammates, all from the C-level squad: Cheng Haoran, Xie Nan, and Liu Chang. Wei Lai wasn’t particularly close to them. On one hand, his previous insecurities and reserved nature had caused some alienation. On the other, due to the promotion and relegation system, the Willy Football School experienced high turnover among players. Each year, some would move up or down in rank.

For example, Wei Lai’s dorm had seen two players leave and two new ones arrive over the past three years. Apart from Wei Lai and Liu Chang, who had been C-level players since the U10 category, Xie Nan was initially in the A-level squad during the first ranking but had dropped to C-level due to lack of effort in training.

Xie Nan had since adopted a defeatist attitude. Although he didn’t smoke or drink, he was a full-fledged internet addict, often sneaking out at night to play online games, for which he had been reprimanded. Ultimately, he was dropped by the school when he moved into the U18 category.

Cheng Haoran was relegated from the B-level team. Unlike Xie Nan, he still had drive and aspired to be promoted. His overall performance this year was solid, but during the promotion exams, Wei Lai outperformed him and secured the upgrade spot.

“This batch of the Green Field Little Lions is fierce! They actually knocked out the youth teams of Milan FC from Serie A and the Quick Guns from the Premier League!”

“They have Xiang Ming! That guy is a super talent on par with the monster He Chaoyue; his ball skills are like dancing. We’re all the same age—how can the gap be so huge?”

“One He Chaoyue was already a big blow, but Xiang Ming is terrifying too!”

“I heard the youth academy from La Liga is interested in him. Not sure if he’s gone for trials yet!”

Xiang Ming! Another name from the golden generation of players. Wei Lai sat on his bed, his expression somewhat dazed. Xiang Ming and He Chaoyue were the two main wingers of that golden generation. He Chaoyue was known for his exceptional individual skill and scoring ability.

Page 2/3

But Xiang Ming was no ordinary player; his combination of ball and body control was outstanding, and his dribbling could always open up the flanks for the team. Compared to He Chaoyue’s purely offensive style, Xiang Ming was more balanced in attack and defense, with stronger ability to control the tempo. The golden generation was always marked by these two disrupting opposing defenses in different ways up front.

Then there was the “Green Field Little Lions” program, established in 2014, later hailed as a turning point for the rise of Chinese youth training. “Green Field Little Lions” was an online reality show focusing on youth football training. It scouted talented players nationwide to form teams that competed abroad. The program’s debut, combined with the rapid development of the internet, was the first time people truly understood what youth training looked like. Matches and various training anecdotes were shared live.

The program was seen as a catalyst for youth training’s leap forward because it attracted public attention and drew funding into the youth training sector. More and more content creators sensed the surge of “internet football” and began forming teams to compete overseas, gaining popularity and attracting investment. Though not without some unscrupulous elements, overall the funds flowed into youth football and young players gained opportunities to compete internationally. The concept of “learning through competition” gained traction.

The rise of internet youth training spurred competition with traditional youth academies. Unfortunately, while traditional academies had solid foundations and strong capabilities, they lacked sufficient experience in high-quality matches. Compared to the first generation of Little Lions, who regularly faced top-tier youth teams, they lacked a certain winning mindset.

Traditional training suffered defeats, further fueling the growth of internet youth training. More diverse online football programs emerged. Simultaneously, traditional academies, driven by the shock, quickly launched international match projects centered on established schools like Jiaozhou Willy Football School, Coastal Guangfa Youth Training, and Modu Hongyun Football School. These efforts flourished and rapidly enhanced the players’ competitive abilities.

At this turning point, a clear directive was established: “build the foundation before age ten, focus on matches after ten.” Internet and traditional youth training advanced side by side.

Meanwhile, a much larger earthquake shook the football scene. The General Administration of Sport announced the launch of a nationwide middle and high school football competition. Each province, autonomous region, and municipality would send a representative team to the national tournament. The Education Ministry also incorporated this event into school evaluation criteria.

Suddenly, universities expanded recruitment of football specialists, formed teams, and competed nationally. Winners got to participate in international university invitationals. Thus, China’s youth training came to be supported by three pillars...

These three pillars propelled Chinese youth football to rocket-like growth, producing the true golden generation in just twenty years.

Page 3/3

“Wei Lai! Wei Lai!”

Snapped out of his reverie, Wei Lai turned his head. Xie Nan was staring at him. “Why do you keep zoning out?”

Wei Lai smiled faintly. “Maybe I’m just a little tired.”

Xie Nan glanced at him and said, “We’re going online. If there’s a dorm check, cover for us, okay?”

Wei Lai nodded. “Sure, go ahead.”

Cheng Haoran looked up. “Are you coming?”

Wei Lai shook his head. “No, the holidays are about to start. I’m going to pack.”

Cheng Haoran’s eyes showed a complex emotion. “When you come back, you won’t be here anymore.”

Wei Lai paused, then smiled and nodded. After the holidays, he would move to the “B-level dorm.”

“Good luck!” Wei Lai said with a smile.

Cheng Haoran nodded. “Well, we’re off!”

Watching the three leave, Wei Lai collapsed onto his bed. His hands clasped behind his head, he stared at the ceiling, his eyes flickering.

A crazy era would surely be accompanied by wild events. The rise of the golden generation, those exhilarating victories, and glorious stages.

This time, Wei Lai didn’t want to be just a bystander, silently gazing at a distant future where he couldn’t even see a shadow.

He wanted to catch that train.

He wanted to step onto that stage.

He wanted, in this mad era, to become one of the protagonists.

Until 2034, the World Cup that set hearts ablaze.

Unconsciously, Wei Lai drifted into a deep sleep.