The Art of Leadership
This year, Real Madrid's preseason training kicked off in early July, with plans to complete player conditioning work in Madrid and engage in friendly matches with several small clubs.
Subsequently, they flew to Sydney, Australia for training, engaging in friendly matches with Asian and Chinese teams, while also participating in the Spanish Super Cup.
Of course, in August, they would need to rush to Georgia to participate in the UEFA Super Cup, once again facing off against Sevilla, the Europa League champions.
Unlike previous years, Wang Feng was not among the first group of returning players. He used a privilege that had rarely been used before, delaying his return to the end of July, effectively extending his vacation.
Although Ancelotti was somewhat surprised, he readily agreed to the request of the Chinese superstar, saying over the phone, "You've worked hard for an entire season. It's time to enjoy life a bit. But I hope to see the same ambitious Wang when you return."
At this moment, Wang Feng was leisurely reclining on the balcony of a luxury cabin aboard a cruise ship traveling from Sweden to Finland. On both sides were lush forests and occasionally visible ancient castles. At this time of year, the Nordic region displayed a rare green scenery throughout the seasons.
Upon hearing this, he sat up from the deck chair and walked to the railing, leaning lightly against it as he said, "Of course, Coach. I will always strive for victory."
Seeing his response, Ancelotti felt relieved. Next year would also be his last year at the helm of the Galactic team. He hoped to finish his long coaching career at Real Madrid with good results. He had to consider the attitude and form of the Chinese superstar.
During this extended vacation, Wang Feng and his family traveled to the four Nordic countries, Eastern European towns, and East Asia by private plane and cruise ship. The two children were very happy to play with their parents for so long.
His mother, whose hair was turning white, also smiled with relief, making Wang Feng cherish the days spent with his family even more.
The final stop of the trip naturally fell within the country. While others returned to their hometowns, Wang Feng himself headed to join the team.
When the Chinese superstar appeared in the team's training room, Real Madrid had almost completed all their summer transfer work, with all the players in place. Everyone looked at him with surprised eyes.
"It's hard to imagine, Captain, that you're the last one to arrive," Ramos pretended to be extremely surprised, and Wang Feng put down his backpack and stretched his body. "After fighting for a lifetime, can't I enjoy myself a bit?" Hearing this, everyone smiled.
Looking around, the Chinese superstar quickly noticed the newly joined Danilo and Kovacic. He decisively walked up to them to say hello. Both of them were excited but nervous. After all, the person in front of them was a legend in the football world!
After a brief exchange, they no longer felt so restrained. What the other teammates said was true; Wang Feng seemed to exude a very charismatic leadership aura.
In fact, it was mainly because the Chinese superstar had done his homework beforehand, understanding the basic information and technical characteristics of these two players, so the communication went smoothly, giving them a sense of acceptance and integration into the team.
The art of leading a team often lies in the details. Authority and status are never achieved through coercion but through practical actions on the field.
If one considers themselves above others, looking down on everyone all the time, not only will they fail to gain respect, but they may also worsen the atmosphere in the locker room.
After greeting the newcomers, he walked up to the somewhat silent Higuain and patted his shoulder. The Argentine looked at Wang Feng with eyes full of encouragement, his eyes red with emotion.
"Wang, I..."
"I know, I've experienced the frustration of failure too. Let's have a drink tonight, and then we look forward!" Higuain nodded heavily. Since missing the penalty in the penalty shootout of the just-concluded Copa America final, which caused the team to miss the championship, he had been under immense pressure and criticism.
In the club, he was as fierce as a tiger, but in the national team, he was as weak as an ant. Messi, Higuain, and other Argentine stars were all fiercely criticized. Wang Feng couldn't change anything, but he could encourage his teammates in his own way.
"The various indicators are not bad, but your body fat percentage can be reduced a bit more, and you need to lose another three kilograms." Ancelotti looked at Wang Feng's detailed physical examination report and said, "Was your vacation enjoyable? It doesn't seem like you purely enjoyed it."
"Come on, I'm still a professional athlete. How could I completely change my training habits?" Wang Feng said.
Ancelotti smiled and explained, "Lucio (assistant coach) has been nagging in my ear, saying I should contact you to return to the team as soon as possible, worried that your physical condition would take a long time to recover."
"Now it seems to be groundless worry. You don't need to undergo separate adaptation training anymore. Just join the team and prepare for the friendly matches and the upcoming UEFA Super Cup."
Setting aside work matters, the two chatted for a while. In fact, Ancelotti was a very interesting old man who loved traveling and fishing. When he married his second wife, McCray, last year, Wang Feng also attended as a guest.
In the first joint training session with everyone, Danilo deeply felt the terror of the football god.
In the scrimmage, he was assigned to defend Wang Feng. Seeing his teammates showing smug expressions one after another, the 24-year-old felt very excited. After all, Wang hadn't trained or played for more than a month. If he could successfully defend against him, wouldn't he be able to boast for a lifetime?
Seeing the Chinese superstar dribble slowly towards him, Danilo squatted slightly, fully focused on observing his opponent's movements. However, Wang Feng seized the opportunity and effortlessly passed the ball through his legs before accelerating past him.
Just as the Brazilian defender completed his turn, the distance between him and Wang Feng had already widened to more than two body lengths. Despite his full sprint to catch up, he was still easily bypassed by the opponent, who then delivered a comfortable cross. Unfortunately, Iguaín's header in the penalty area missed the target.
The Argentine forward gave a thumbs-up to the Chinese superstar, while Danilo, panting heavily, looked incredulous. Was this a 32-year-old veteran who had rested for over a month?
What happened next was even more unbearable. Continuously beaten by feints, shoulder drops, and stepovers, Wang Feng passed him as if he were crossing a morning street, leaving the Brazilian questioning his life choices.
As it was a targeted scrimmage, there were no other teammates to support him. Danilo could only be continuously tormented, and even the assistant coach, Lucio, felt a bit sorry for him, asking, "Will this affect the player's mentality?"
Ancelotti didn't think so. He believed Danilo was a seed worth nurturing. Helping the team reach the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals under the Porto system was no simple feat.
After training ended, the exhausted Brazilian collapsed on the ground. Having faced strong teams like Bayern Munich, he now realized that football was not just a game. Today, he truly understood the difference between heaven and earth.
Ramos sympathetically helped him up. "Today, Wang didn't control his strength well. He used to hold back a bit during the scrimmages. It's because we haven't trained together for over a month."
Danilo opened his mouth wide and saw Wang Feng not resting with everyone else but continuing his shuttle run training alone. He couldn't help but ask, "Is the captain's training intensity always this high?"
"Yeah, Wang has always been so hardworking. Otherwise, how could he become the strongest player in football?"