The final whistle blew, and the electronic scoreboard at Rhein-Neckar Arena froze at a score of 4-2. Oliver stood still, his chest heaving, sweat dripping down his cheeks. Though exhausted, he felt incredibly happy and fulfilled. He looked around, watching his teammates celebrate wildly and the fans in the stands waving blue and white scarves. An indescribable sense of accomplishment surged within him. At that moment, he felt a little dazed. His gaze then shifted to the Bayern players who were leaving the field, and he remembered what he needed to do.
Oliver took a deep breath and quickly walked towards the Bayern players. He first sought out Thomas Muller, a player he had admired since his youth training days. There was no other reason; he simply admired Muller's playing style and personality too much. During his youth training, Oliver almost entirely modeled his game after Muller.
Since his debut, Muller was not known for his technical skills; his most outstanding qualities were his positioning and football IQ, which were also what Oliver admired most about him. At this moment, Muller was looking down, adjusting his socks, seemingly still regretting the loss.
Oliver hesitated for a moment but still walked forward and said in fluent German: "Hello, Thomas, can I swap jerseys with you?"
Muller paused, looked up, and saw the young man who had just ended the match with a long-range shot. He suddenly smiled. The 'Little Kid' revealed his signature smile.
"Of course, little guy!" He readily took off his jersey and handed it to Oliver, "You're only 17, right? What a great age, the same as your jersey number. You played really well today; that shot was incredible."
Oliver took the jersey and, at the same time, handed over his own, a brilliant smile on his face:
"Thank you, Thomas. Your positioning and passing have taught me a lot. I've been watching your games for a long time."
Muller patted him on the shoulder and said jokingly, "So the person who defeated me is actually my fan? Then you'll have to be careful next time. It won't be so easy at Allianz Arena."
Oliver blinked and responded with feigned innocence, "Don't worry, Thomas, I'll keep watching your games. Next time we meet at Allianz Arena, I'll try to surprise you again."
The conversation between two good-natured people was very relaxed, and Oliver and Muller chatted happily. The two then exchanged IDs. Oliver, using his coach's phone, took a photo with Muller. At this moment, Robben and Thiago also walked over.
Robben rubbed his shiny bald head and said with feigned seriousness, "Hey, kid, you've got some nerve, daring to be so presumptuous in front of us?"
Oliver showed no stage fright and responded with a smile, "I wouldn't dare be presumptuous, Mr. Arjen. I grew up watching your cut-ins. I'm already very satisfied that I didn't let you score today."
Thiago couldn't help but laugh beside them, "No kidding, this kid is quite sweet-talker."
Oliver immediately turned to him, "Thiago, your turns and escapes are amazing. If it weren't for my teammates, Kramarić and Amiri, desperately hounding you, we really couldn't have defended you."
Thiago smiled and shook his head, "Alright, alright, no more flattery. Next time, I won't let you pass so easily. I feel like you're a bit like Muller."
On the other side, Wagner, wearing a Bayern jersey, also walked towards his old Hoffenheim teammates. As a player who once played for Hoffenheim, he had a good relationship with Vogt, Hübner, and others.
Vogt put an arm around Wagner's shoulder, pointed to Oliver in the distance, and asked him, "Alex Sandro, how about it? Haven't you seen a kid as reliable as Oliver?"
Wagner nodded with a smile, "He's truly amazing. That long-range shot stunned me. It seems our Hoffenheim has a new weapon this season."
Wagner used the word "our" instead of "your."
"That's right, the coach really likes this kid. Of course, we also like this kid very much," Hübner interjected from the side.
Gnabry seemed a bit conflicted. As a player on loan from Bayern to Hoffenheim, he had scored against his former club today. Although he didn't celebrate after the goal, he still actively approached his Bayern teammates after the match.
Alaba was the first to greet him, giving him a hug with a smile, "Serge, you played well! Don't be so ruthless next time you come to Allianz Arena."
Gnabry scratched his head sheepishly, "Today was just luck. Oliver's passes were too comfortable."
Hummels also walked over and said jokingly, "You kid, you caused us quite a bit of trouble today."
Gnabry quickly waved his hand, "Mats, I'll definitely treat you to a meal next time. When we're in Munich, we'll have a chance to get together again."
Everyone laughed heartily, and the atmosphere was relaxed and warm. Oliver stood aside, watching these world-class stars chatting and laughing, feeling both excited and emotional. He hadn't expected that one day he would be playing on the same field as them, or even become the protagonist of the match.
Before leaving, Muller waved to him again, "Keep playing well, kid. I look forward to our next encounter!"
Oliver nodded vigorously, "Definitely! Thomas! We both have to play well!"
The setting sun's afterglow spilled onto the field, illuminating the players' figures. Although there were winners and losers in the match, at this moment, the pure joy and respect brought by football made everyone smile. After the Bayern players left the field, the system sent a prompt:
[Interaction successful, Muller interaction +30%, Robben interaction +2%, Thiago interaction +2%...]
...
After the match, in the press conference room at Rhein-Neckar Arena, camera flashes flickered continuously. Oliver instinctively squinted as he followed his mentor Nagelsmann into the room. This was his first time attending a formal post-match press conference. Although the coach had briefly explained the precautions in the locker room, when he actually sat at the long table facing dozens of reporters, Oliver's fingers still unconsciously tapped his knees. He was too nervous. He instinctively straightened his back, even feeling that he could clearly hear his own heartbeat.
When all eyes in the audience instantly focused on him, the huge buzzing sound almost made him dizzy. Many unfamiliar faces, many scrutinizing eyes, many dark camera lenses, made his previous composure on the field disappear. His mentor was right; facing reporters was indeed more difficult than facing opponents on the field. Nagelsmann seemed to sense his nervousness and subtly patted his shoulder before sitting down. This subtle gesture made Oliver relax a little. He took a deep breath and looked at the reporters waiting to ask questions.
"Mr. Julian, first of all, congratulations to Hoffenheim on winning this match," a reporter with black-rimmed glasses spoke first. "I'd like to ask, how do you evaluate your players' performance today? Especially after conceding a goal in the first half, and then completing a comeback in the second half."
Nagelsmann crossed his hands on the table, a characteristic thoughtful expression on his face: "The most fascinating thing about football is its unpredictability. Today, our players showed amazing resilience. This word might sound old-fashioned, but it's truly the most accurate description."
He scanned the reporters present, his voice still as steady and powerful, and continued.
"When Bayern took the lead, I saw Vogt loudly encouraging his teammates on the field; when the score was equalized in the second half, Amiri and Grillitsch's fierce tackling in midfield made our counterattack possible."
At this point, he specifically looked at Oliver beside him: "Of course, there's also this kid next to me, Oliver. You all saw his performance today, but what I want to talk about more is his attitude in training.
This child has maintained an incredible level of focus since the first day he joined. Today's goal is the best reward for his efforts."
Oliver's ears tingled slightly as he heard his coach praise him like that. He hadn't expected his mentor to say these things at the press conference, nor had he expected the coach to notice his usual training details.
Nagelsmann changed the subject: "However, I also want to commend Bayern's performance. They did very well in terms of possession and creating chances. Ancelotti's tactical setup caused us a lot of trouble. Although goalkeeper Ulreich conceded goals, his command and distribution were still excellent. We could clearly feel the pressure he put on us."
This evaluation both affirmed the opponent and ensured his own victory did not seem less valuable, showcasing the young coach's excellent media handling skills.
At this moment, a blonde female reporter directed a question to Oliver: "Mr. Oliver, as the most dazzling player in this match, how does it feel to score against Bayern? Especially your long-range shot, goalkeeper Ulreich had almost no time to react."
As soon as this question was asked, Oliver instantly felt all eyes on him. This question seemed simple, but it was fraught with traps. An overly proud answer would seem arrogant, while being too humble might be interpreted by reporters as disrespect towards Bayern. If he couldn't grasp the right balance in his answer, this question would become a pitfall.
Oliver didn't answer immediately. Instead, he thought for a moment, organized his words, and then spoke: "Scoring in a match against Bayern is every player's dream, but honestly, when the ball flew towards the goal, my mind went blank. It was like a dream."
This opening remark drew a burst of good-natured laughter.
Oliver continued, "Ulreich is one of Germany's best goalkeepers, and scoring under his defense requires some luck. What I want to say more is that these goals are the result of the entire team's effort. Without my teammates' runs and distractions, and without the coach's tactical arrangements, these opportunities wouldn't have existed."
As Oliver answered, he also thought of his friendly interactions with Muller and others.
He then added, "Of course, scoring at Allianz Arena would probably be even more meaningful, so I'll prepare well for my next encounter with Bayern."
This slightly humorous ending both expressed respect for the opponent and showcased his ambition, drawing nods from the reporters present. Nagelsmann nodded slightly beside him, a hint of appreciation in his eyes. As the press conference continued, more questions followed.
A reporter asked Oliver about his feelings regarding the two key matches: "the last-minute winner against Liverpool" and "single-handedly creating three goals to defeat Bayern."
Oliver's answers became more and more fluent. He said, "What's important is not how many goals I created, but that the team won. If my performance can help the team get three points, that's what makes me happiest."
After the press conference, Oliver followed Nagelsmann out of the room.
In the corridor, the coach suddenly stopped: "You answered very well just now, Oliver."
He rarely smiled, and continued, "Especially the part about the team. Always remember, in front of the media, always put the team first."
"Thank you, coach."
Oliver nodded, still savoring the experience he had just had. From today onwards, Oliver's level of attention in the Bundesliga would be completely different. Those professional reporters who once only appeared in reports would now begin to seriously analyze his every touch; Those stars he once only saw on television would now truly consider him an opponent to be closely marked. Indeed, as they walked out of the stadium, the fans who had been waiting for a long time erupted in cheers.
"Oliver! Look here!"
"Can I get an autograph?" Shouts in various languages rose and fell.
Oliver stood there somewhat at a loss until Nagelsmann gently pushed him and said, "Go on, kid, this is also part of being a professional player."
That night, the headlines of major German sports media were almost entirely dominated by this young English player. Kicker used "Tough Match Kid Emerges" as its title, analyzing Oliver's recent performance in detail, from the first Bundesliga match to this one, praising Oliver for being known for "playing tough matches." Bild, on the other hand, published a photo of him smiling at the press conference, with the caption "Humble Genius."
Even the usually critical Süddeutsche Zeitung admitted: "Hoffenheim has found their new ace."
On the bus ride back, Oliver leaned by the window, looking at the constant social media notifications popping up on his phone. His teammates occasionally threw friendly jokes his way, but he was too preoccupied to respond. The highway lights in the night formed a continuous line, just like the constantly replaying images of today's match in his mind.
Muller's astonished expression, Ulreich's heroic save, and the blue and white ocean in the stands that had erupted with his goal. From this match onwards, everything for Oliver in the Bundesliga would change.
...
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