The God of Football Starts With Passive Skills-Chapter 64 - 39: Prestige! The 6th Passive Skill! A Miracle for Ordinary People
"We can come up with all sorts of excuses, but I’ve always firmly believed we were relegated because we lost our way. We forgot what kind of team Mainz is supposed to be!
"When I was tempted by Bayern, when our players started to think they were stars, when our management thought the club was running well..."
"That’s when the damned disaster struck!"
"Relegation was the ultimate punishment for betraying who we are!"
By the end, Klopp was shouting with such fervor that spit flew from his mouth.
Everyone in the locker room was stunned.
Clearly, this was the first time Klopp had ever said such things in front of his players.
And it wasn’t just the long-serving veterans like Foyelner and Nowitzki who were most deeply affected.
Kalhan and Wang Shuo, too, were fired up by Klopp’s words and actions.
Wang Shuo felt the power and conviction flowing from his coach.
He came from a small mountain village in China. He was just an ordinary, unknown person. He also firmly believed that hard work would always pay off—a conviction that had carried him to this very day.
He truly yearned to give it his all, just as Klopp had said, and create a miracle for ordinary people!
"Now, fellas, we stand once again at the gateway to the Bundesliga."
"I’ve chosen this moment to tell you this because I want you to know exactly what kind of team you are playing for!"
"I firmly believe that when countless ordinary people like us rally together for a common cause, we can create another miracle!"
"Not just to get promoted to the Bundesliga, but to make our voices heard next season—in the Bundesliga, and in front of the entire world!"
As Klopp roared out the final sentence with all his might, Wang Shuo and everyone around him shot up from their seats, applauding thunderously.
Perhaps, in that moment, Wang Shuo couldn’t yet fully grasp the vision of Mainz that Klopp had described.
But that didn’t stop it from resonating with him!
At the very least, right here and now, he was willing to fight for it!
...
The moment the match began, St. Pauli, who had nothing left to play for, were completely overwhelmed by a ravenous Mainz.
Mainz, led by Wang Shuo, were like a pack of starving wolves, charging relentlessly into St. Pauli’s cozy sheepfold for a mad slaughter.
Every single player was running their hearts out.
From the opening whistle, St. Pauli was pinned in their own half, unable to put up any resistance.
Then, in the 9th minute, Demetraz received a lay-off from Foyelner and sent a diagonal pass with his right foot.
Balik made a diagonal run into the right side of the box, capitalizing on the space created by Wang Shuo’s run, which had drawn defenders away. He scored with a close-range header.
1-0!
The goal sent Bruch Road Stadium into a frenzy!
Sensing blood in the water, the Mainz players became even more ferocious.
Just five minutes later, while pressing high up the pitch, Wang Shuo anticipated the timing of a pass from the opposing center-back, Morena. He intercepted the ball and dribbled into the box for a one-on-one with the keeper.
Wang Shuo calmly rounded the onrushing goalkeeper and slotted the ball into the empty net.
2-0!
Mainz were unstoppable!
Then, in the 28th minute of the first half, St. Pauli’s defense faltered once again.
After Pekovic won the ball, Kalhan threaded a perfect through ball behind the defense.
Wang Shuo timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap, breaking into the right side of the box. He coolly finished with his right foot, sending the ball into St. Pauli’s goal once more.
3-0!
A brace!
Overcome with excitement, Wang Shuo turned and sprinted away in celebration!
"That goal surely seals the victory!"
"It’s a brace from the 17-year-old, Wang Shuo!"
"Mainz has been absolutely ferocious today."
"At this crucial juncture, Klopp’s team is showing everyone their determination and fighting spirit!"
Meanwhile, on online forums back in China, countless fans were erupting in celebration over Wang Shuo’s goals.
"He’s insane!"
"I feel like Wang Shuo’s gotten even stronger!"
"What do you mean ’feel like’? He definitely has!"
"My god, he improves with every single game. What’s his ceiling?"
"Japan had Nakata Hideyuki, South Korea had Park Jisung. Now, it’s finally China’s turn!"
"Exactly! I’m starting to think Wang Shuo is the one who will break the mold for Chinese soccer!"
"Putting up a performance like this at just 17... even if it’s only the 2nd Bundesliga, his future is incredibly bright!"
...
The first half ended 3-0.
But after play resumed in the second half, Gunkel was the first to add to the tally, scoring with a long-range shot.
And this was only in the 60th minute.
The brilliant assist for Gunkel came from none other than Wang Shuo.
4-0!
In the 76th minute, Foyelner dribbled into the left side of the box and fired a low shot with his left foot into the near corner, adding another goal for the team.
5-0!
In the 87th minute, Balik scored again on a swift counter-attack down the right flank, also completing his brace.
6-0!
The entire Bruch Road Stadium had transformed into a sea of celebrating Mainz fans!
The match wasn’t even over, but the more than 20,000 fans in the stands couldn’t wait any longer and were already roaring in celebration.
Meanwhile, in the Old Town District’s Market Square, more than ten thousand fans gathered to watch the live broadcast were also cheering wildly for their team.
With this thrashing of St. Pauli, regardless of the results of the Hoffenheim and Cologne matches, Mainz had secured their spot in the Bundesliga for next season!
