England's Greatest

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"Guys, cheer up!" Tristan called out, clapping his hands with authority. "The game has just begun! We still have plenty of time to tie the score!"

Gerrard, standing nearby, was not annoyed that the young midfielder had taken on the role of rallying the team. On the contrary, he felt a sense of relief. In the short time they'd spent together, Gerrard had already come to recognize Tristan's never-say-die attitude, a mindset that seemed to set him apart.

Compared to some of the younger, more reserved players like Wilshere, Sterling, and Chamberlain, Tristan was much more vocal and assertive. Henderson, too, was a player with grit, but with Gerrard's presence as the captain, Henderson often kept quiet both in the dressing room and on the field. Tristan, on the other hand, even in his first national team call-up, wasn't afraid to speak up.

"He's got the fire," Gerrard thought to himself, watching Tristan pump his teammates up. "And the talent to back it up."

The respect for Tristan wasn't just because of his voice on the pitch. He had earned it through his performances, providing critical passes to forwards while also being willing to defend high up the pitch. Every team had its factions, and the England squad was no exception. But no matter the politics, talent was always respected. A midfielder who could create chances and press in defense was a player everyone wanted on their side.

"Tristan's earned his place," Gerrard had told Hodgson during a private conversation. "He's a natural leader. When we're under pressure, he steps up. Not every young player has that in them."

Hodgson had agreed, quietly optimistic that Tristan could be the future leader of the Three Lions. There was no denying his potential. Maybe one day, after Rooney's era, it could be Tristan leading England into the future. But for now, they had to focus on the game at hand.

Of course whether Rooney will have his own era in the national team depends on Tristan's performance for the next few years.

As Gerrard joined in, clapping and raising his arms, he echoed Tristan's rallying cry.

"Tristan's right! The game's just started. We've got 85 minutes left to equalize and take control! So get your heads up and run!"

With both Tristan and Gerrard pushing their teammates forward, the uncertainty that had clouded the players' faces began to fade. Determination replaced hesitation as they prepared to face Brazil's relentless attack.

On the sidelines, Hodgson watched with a furrowed brow. The early goal had thrown his game plan out of the window. Originally, he had hoped to press Brazil and match them with offensive play. But conceding so quickly had rattled the squad. He knew that if Brazil scored again, it could spell disaster—not just for the match, but for the team's morale. He couldn't afford to let that happen.

Turning to his assistant coach, Hodgson whispered instructions.

"We need to reinforce the defense. Have Tristan come back. We can't concede again, or it's over."

The assistant nodded and hurried to the touchline, calling out to Tristan, who was still directing his teammates on the pitch. Tristan jogged over, meeting him by the sidelines.

"Tristan," the assistant said, "tell Jamie and Rahim to drop back to the center circle. You need to drop into midfield as well. We need to strengthen the defense. We can't let them score again. Understood?"

"Clear," Tristan responded with a firm nod, before turning back to relay the instructions.

As Hodgson's tactical adjustments took shape, both Vardy and Sterling dropped deeper, retreating to cover the wings, while Tristan moved back into midfield, taking position alongside Gerrard and Henderson. England shifted from their attacking 4-2-3-1 formation into a more defensive 4-5-1, hoping to absorb Brazil's pressure and strike on the counterattack.

"They're pulling back now," the first commentator observed. "It looks like Hodgson is switching to a more defensive setup. It's a smart move—conceding another goal would be disastrous."

"Absolutely," the second commentator agreed. "Brazil's looked dangerous from the start. England needs to regain control and regroup. Let's see if this change can stabilize them."

Tristan's retreat allowed Henderson to leave the center and move closer to the right side, ready to closely guard Neymar.

"That's a smart shift by Henderson," the first commentator noted. "He's recognizing the threat Neymar poses and closing the space effectively."

As soon as Neymar received the ball, Sterling tracked back to assist, meaning Neymar now faced two defenders, a tough challenge for anyone.

"He's got no space to maneuver," the second commentator added. "With Sterling and Henderson pressing him from both sides, Neymar's options are limited."

But Neymar wasn't the type to easily give up dribbling. The more pressure he faced, the more determined he became.

"That's his style, isn't it?" the first commentator remarked. "Neymar thrives under pressure, using his skill to twist and turn out of tight situations."

Neymar kept the ball in front of him and executed a couple of sharp stepovers, trying to break through Henderson's defense.

"Look at that footwork!" the second commentator exclaimed. "It's mesmerizing, but Henderson's sticking to him like glue."

When Henderson stepped forward to apply pressure, Neymar didn't pass the ball back immediately. Instead, he attempted to dribble past him.

"Henderson's not making it easy for him," the first commentator observed. "Every time Neymar thinks he's about to break free, Henderson is right there."

But as Neymar tried to dribble once more, Henderson leaned in, using his shoulder to knock Neymar to the ground with a solid, but fair challenge.

Neymar screamed as he hit the turf, and the referee quickly blew his whistle, stepping over to assess the situation.

"Ref's calling it," the first commentator said. "It looks like a free-kick, but no card. I don't think it was reckless enough for a yellow."

Neymar, still on the ground, gestured dramatically at the referee, clearly unhappy. Henderson, without a word, patted him on the back and shrugged at the official.

With the pressure mounting, Neymar's flair was slightly reined in. Rather than attempting risky dribbles, he started distributing the ball more quickly, playing more conservatively.

"And now Neymar's being a bit more pragmatic," the first commentator noted. "That's the sign of a player maturing under pressure—he's looking for the right moment rather than forcing things."

Meanwhile, England's tactical shift to provide extra defensive cover on the right side started paying off. Neymar found it harder to break free, and the space on his side began to shrink.

"The space's closing in on Neymar, and he's struggling to link up with Marcelo," the second commentator observed. "Brazil's left-wing attack has been stifled."

As the pressure mounted, Oscar in the middle had to look elsewhere for an outlet. He passed the ball over to Givanildo on the right, who was being tightly contested by Baines.

"Now Givanildo's got the ball," the first commentator said. "But Baines isn't giving him an inch, and Vardy's there to help too. England's defense is really compact right now."

Givanildo tried to bulldoze his way through, but Vardy, although not physically imposing, was relentless in his pursuit. His core strength and tenacity kept him in the battle, even against a player of Givanildo's power.

"Vardy's showing great heart there," the second commentator remarked. "He may not be the biggest guy on the pitch, but he's more than holding his own against Givanildo."

With Vardy's harassing pressure and Tristan's support in the middle, Brazil's wing play was effectively neutralized.

"England's tactics are starting to take shape," the first commentator said. "They're making sure the wings are locked down, limiting Brazil's attacking options."

As the game progressed, Oscar in the middle tried to inject some pace into the attack, but Fred, despite his nose for goal, lacked the pace and strength to break through England's centerbacks.

As the first half wore on, England's defense began to hold steady, absorbing Brazil's early pressure, and they slowly started asserting themselves in the match.

"The tide's turning a little bit here," the first commentator said. "England has weathered the storm, and now they've got control of the ball."

Tristan, deep in England's half, took a pass from the defender and began to scan the field. With his vision, he saw the gaps in Brazil's formation.

With the Brazilian defense pushing up, there was space opening up behind them.

Tristan shifted the ball and passed it diagonally to Vardy on the left. The speed of the counter was quick and precise.

"Great vision from Tristan!" the second commentator remarked. "He's already looking to exploit Maicon's weaknesses on the right side."

With the ball at Vardy's feet, he didn't hesitate, cutting inside before slipping the ball back to Tristan with a quick one-two.

"Perfect give-and-go!" the first commentator praised. "Tristan and Vardy are really starting to click, and Brazil looks exposed on the break."

As Vardy surged forward, Maicon tried to close him down, but his once-electric pace had diminished. He could only attempt a desperate challenge as Vardy sped past.

Vardy quickly passed the ball into the penalty area, but Maicon was quick to recover and block the cross, earning a foul from Vardy.

"That's a bit harsh," the first commentator said. "It looked like a fair challenge to me. The referee has a lot to consider here."

Tristan stepped up, urging the referee for a card.

"That should have been a yellow," Tristan protested. "He blocked me off completely!"

But the referee dismissed the complaint with a wave, signaling that it was a routine foul.

As Vardy got back up, Tristan leaned in to offer a few words of encouragement.

"Let's keep the pressure on," he whispered to Vardy. "We're doing well. More of that wall-pass, and we'll break through."

Vardy gave a small nod, and the two moved into position as England prepared for the next attack.

The free kick from the left side of the attacking half was taken by Tristan, curling it into the penalty area.

However, it was David Luiz who got the first touch, rising to head the ball cleanly out of the box.

Sterling was quick to latch onto the second ball and didn't hesitate to volley it.

Unfortunately, he overhit it, sending the ball soaring high into the stands. It wasn't the best shot, but at least it was England's first attempt on goal. Not pretty, but it's a start.

The game settled into a bit of a stalemate after that.

On the left, Neymar, tightly marked, began drifting toward the center, switching positions with Oscar. But wherever he moved, Henderson was right on his tail, never giving him a moment's space—staying within three meters of him at all times.

And the middle? Even more crowded!

Any time Neymar tried to push forward, he'd be double-teamed by Tristan and Gerrard, with Henderson lurking nearby. Brazil's star was under constant pressure.

Refusing to be kept quiet, Neymar pushed forward, determined to break through. As he bypassed Gerrard, trying to weave his way past, he ran straight into Tristan.

Tristan stood firm, blocking Neymar's path.

Neymar hesitated for just a moment, and that was enough for Henderson to pounce, stealing the ball and passing it quickly to Tristan.

Tristan made a quick pass to Vardy on the left wing. As soon as Vardy received it, Brazil's right-back, Maicon, closed in fast.

Vardy, with his pace, was set to test the legendary full-back once again.

Maicon locked his eyes on Vardy's feet, waiting for the inevitable move to the outside, but Vardy had something else in mind. Instead of cutting to the wing, he drove the ball forward and suddenly played a quick pass back to the middle.

Maicon was caught off guard and turned sharply to track the ball. As he did, he saw who had picked it up—Tristan, who had made a clever run into the center to support.

Without breaking stride, Tristan sent the ball back with a perfect no-look pass.

"What a lob pass!"

"Vardy and Tristan played a beautiful one-two, bypassing Maicon with ease."

Maicon, suffering from a loss of pace due to injuries, couldn't keep up with Vardy, who had already surged ahead. The ball rolled toward the penalty area, and with Maicon still chasing, Vardy didn't hesitate—he swung his left foot and delivered a low cross into the box.

Sturridge, timing his run to perfection, surged into the middle, looking to meet the cross between Brazil's central defenders.

However, just as he was about to strike, Thiago Silva read the play and stepped in, intercepting the ball. With a calm clearance, the Brazilian captain booted it out for a throw-in, crushing England's hopes of a breakthrough.

"What a defensive play by Thiago Silva!" the first commentator exclaimed.

"England's chance evaporates just like that," the second added. "Brazil's defense is proving to be as resilient as ever.

...

Finally got to Tristan meeting Barbara Palvin after a thousand chapters on Patreon, finally, god damn,lmao. I like to think I cooked with this part as I write them myself, can't trust chinese authors with writing relationships, either they write the mc cheating, somehow getting a harem, or putting that bitch to the side, no in between. People on Patreon are liking so it's doing good, you can trust me on the relationship writing, I think.