Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 544: France's Furious Counterattack, Griezmann's Performance

Towards the end of the first half, Spain launched a fierce wave of attacks.

The French team was forced to defend deep within their own 30-meter zone. Many fans suspected that if the referee hadn't blown the halftime whistle to save them, France might have collapsed under Spain's onslaught.

France, already two goals behind and down to 10 men, sighed in relief when the halftime whistle finally blew. Many players even collapsed on the ground, gasping for breath.

The game was not only physically exhausting but also mentally draining. Even after just one half, many players were completely worn out.

Seeing their players in such a state, the French fans in the stands were filled with anxiety.

The situation was so unfavorable that the fans couldn't remain optimistic.

In the French locker room, Deschamps stood with his hands on his hips, surveying the players after they had all returned.

As he expected, their faces were filled with frustration.

As for Pogba, who had made a grave mistake, he sat alone in the corner, his head lowered, not daring to look up.

Now that Pogba had calmed down, he realized how disastrous his reckless behavior had been for the team.

If it hadn't been for his foul, France wouldn't be down a player, and they might not have conceded Lin Quan's goal.

Making such a crucial mistake in such an important match, Pogba could already imagine how the fans and the media would criticize him.

Deschamps glanced at Pogba, sitting alone in the corner. His previously stern gaze gradually softened.

Deschamps had always had high hopes for Pogba, believing that he could be the anchor of France's midfield, much like Zinedine Zidane before him.

That's why, three years ago, when Pogba was only 20, Deschamps had called him up to the national team and given him plenty of playing opportunities.

When Pogba was sent off just two minutes after coming on as a substitute in a previous game, Deschamps didn't blame him but instead defended him:

"He just made a mistake that young players often make. We should be more patient with young talents."

When reporters asked if Deschamps regretted starting Pogba, leading to France's loss, Deschamps firmly denied it:

"I don't regret starting Pogba. Though he's young, his talent is undeniable. In the future, he will certainly be one of the best players on the planet.

As for losing to Spain, I don't think that's Pogba's fault. It's the responsibility of me as the coach and the whole team. And let's not forget, that game's quality was on par with a Champions League or World Cup final; we were up against the best team in the world."

Now, thinking back on his words from three years ago, Deschamps felt a bit helpless.

Pogba had indeed grown—a €100 million transfer fee was proof of his talent.

However, compared to the growth of Spain's Lin Quan, Pogba's development seemed far behind.

When Pogba was 20, he received a red card due to an immature foul, and it could be excused as a lack of experience.

But now, at 23, after spending three or four years at a top club, Pogba was still making rash decisions on the field, acting without thinking. It was difficult to defend him.

To make matters worse, Spain's star player, Lin Quan, was three years younger than Pogba, yet their mentalities couldn't be more different.

If Pogba could mature just a bit more and show a more positive attitude on the field, Deschamps' French team would be much stronger.

But alas, at least in this Euro tournament, they wouldn't get that chance.

Deschamps shifted his gaze from Pogba to Antoine Griezmann, who had been working tirelessly throughout the game, practically playing his heart out.

"Antoine, the team needs you to step up even more in the second half."

Upon hearing his coach call his name, Griezmann immediately stood up and responded without hesitation:

"No problem, coach. Just tell me what to do!"

"We need to mix things up a bit in our attack in the second half. Here's what I want you to do…"

Deschamps took out the tactics board and outlined Griezmann's role for the second half.

Griezmann listened carefully, nodding and asking a few questions along the way.

"Antoine, you'll have a heavy responsibility in the second half. You and Giroud need to work together up front, pressuring Spain's ball handlers. Do everything you can to make it difficult for them to pass forward comfortably!"

This wasn't just directed at Griezmann and Giroud; the entire team was given the same instruction.

After playing the first half, the French players had seen firsthand how effective Spain's possession-based play was.

Spain's strength lay in their ability to keep possession calmly in their defensive and midfield areas, and then suddenly speed up once they reached the attacking third with players like Lin Quan and David Silva, who could break down defenses with their passing and dribbling skills.

To stop this, France needed to disrupt Spain's midfield build-up and force them to play with their backs to goal, making it harder for them to pass forward.

Deschamps wanted to push Spain towards the sidelines, using the space near the halfway line to limit their attack and keep the danger away from the goal.

If France still had 11 players, this wouldn't be too difficult.

But now, with only 10 men, they needed to run even harder, using their energy to compensate for the numerical disadvantage.

This would require significant sacrifices from the players. Fortunately, the average age of the team was relatively young, so they could likely meet the physical demands.

Griezmann, who was used to such work at Atlético Madrid, should be able to adapt quickly.

After assigning all the players their tasks, Deschamps clapped his hands and said:

"Alright, all the tactics are set. Now it's up to you. Go out there, don't let yourselves down, and don't let the fans who are here supporting you down!"

…

Compared to the tense atmosphere in the French locker room, Spain's was much more relaxed.

After praising the players for their efforts, Vicente del Bosque laid out the tactics for the second half.

"With them down a man, we need to take full advantage of our numbers. In the second half, we'll continue to focus on attacking down the wings. Cesc, I want you to push forward more and look for opportunities to shoot from outside the box."

"Lin, you're in excellent form today. If you get any set-piece chances, take them!"

After giving his instructions, Del Bosque stood at the locker room door, high-fiving each player as they left.

"Go get them, boys! Let's win this and march towards our third consecutive Euro championship!"

…

As the second half began, both teams focused on attacking down the wings.

Even though they were down a man, France wasn't playing defensively at all—they looked determined to go toe-to-toe with Spain in an all-out attack.

Seeing France's brave display, the French fans in the stands were reinvigorated, banging drums and cheering for their team.

At first, the Spanish players didn't take France's attack seriously. After all, France had tried a similar early push in the first half.

In their minds, this was just another one of France's typical plays, and they assumed that once Spain shut down their attack, France would retreat again.

So, Spain followed Del Bosque's game plan, with their defenders pushing up to support the attack, aiming to use their numerical advantage to overwhelm France.

But five minutes passed, and France's attack showed no sign of stopping. Their players ran tirelessly across the field, putting enormous pressure on Spain's ball carriers.

In the 55th minute, Spain's attack once again failed to produce a goal, and France launched a quick counterattack.

Busquets, relying on his experience, positioned himself to block Griezmann's run.

Just as Busquets completed the tackle and prepared to pass the ball, another French player came charging in and stole the ball back.

The player who made the steal wasn't anyone else—it was Griezmann, who had chased back after losing the ball earlier.

Griezmann's interception was crucial.

Seeing that Busquets had made the tackle, many Spanish players stopped retreating and began moving towards France's half. At this moment, Busquets lost the ball, leaving most of the Spanish players stranded upfield, unable to get back in time.

Only Ramos and Piqué, Spain's two center-backs, stood between Griezmann and the goal.

With just a glance, Griezmann sprinted forward with the ball, racing towards the goal.

With Griezmann moving at such speed, Piqué rushed forward to try to block him.

But Griezmann didn't attempt to dribble past Piqué. Instead, he sent a quick through ball diagonally ahead to Olivier Giroud.

Giroud, however, was being tightly marked by Ramos and couldn't turn to shoot.

So, he smartly passed the ball back to Griezmann.

Giroud's pass was brilliant—it didn't go directly to Griezmann but was placed in front of him, allowing Griezmann to accelerate past Piqué and get into a better shooting position.

Despite Piqué's efforts to block him with his body and arms, Griezmann was too fast and slipped past him.

Breaking away from Piqué, Griezmann reached the edge of the penalty box, with only the goalkeeper, Iker Casillas, left to beat.

Casillas quickly rushed out to close down the angle.

But Griezmann was even faster. Just as Casillas moved, Griezmann calmly slotted the ball into the far corner.

Though Casillas reacted quickly, Griezmann's shot was placed so perfectly that even with all his effort, Casillas couldn't stop it.

In the 56th minute of the second half, Griezmann scored for France, narrowing the score to 2-1.

Griezmann's goal couldn't have come at a better time for France!

The numerical disadvantage and being behind in the score had severely affected the French players' morale and confidence.

If they didn't score soon, another 10 minutes or so and the French players would lose all hope, leaving Spain to coast to victory.

But Griezmann's goal, coming just before the 60-minute mark, completely revived the team's spirit.

The French players now believed: We can still score, we still have time, we really have a chance to win!

Though France was still trailing, Griezmann's goal gave them a much-needed boost of confidence.

In the stands, the French fans went wild, celebrating like crazy. On the sidelines, Deschamps showed more emotion than ever before.

And on the field, Griezmann, the goal-scoring hero, was mobbed by his teammates, celebrating passionately.

In contrast, the Spanish players were shaken by the goal.

"This one's on me, I didn't protect the ball well!"

Busquets immediately stepped up and apologized to his teammates. If he had been more aware of Griezmann behind him, they wouldn't have conceded.

"No worries, we're still leading, we still have the advantage. Let's just focus and keep playing!"

Veterans like Ramos and Casillas stepped in to console him. Though they didn't always get along with the Barcelona players during club matches, on the national team, they were all brothers. At this crucial moment, they needed to stick together and focus on the task at hand.

The team's support made Busquets feel a little better, and he resolved to play even harder for the rest of the game.

Despite France's goal, Spain didn't immediately sense the danger. After all, they still had a significant advantage.

But when play resumed, and France's players continued to press even harder, showing no signs of fatigue, Spain started to feel the pressure.

The French team had gained momentum, and if Spain couldn't find a way to stop them, things could get out of hand.

When a team gets into a frenzy, anything can happen.

And right now, France was in that frenzy.

Even with only 10 men, they were pressing Spain hard, playing with the intensity of a team with 11.

The French players were not only aggressive in their pressing but also more decisive in their attacking moves. They were trying combinations they hadn't dared to attempt before and making passes they hadn't dared to make earlier.

Even their shot quality had improved, especially Griezmann.

He was unstoppable on Spain's left flank, running riot and causing chaos!

(End of Chapter)

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