Emperor of Football: Julien De Rocca

When Balotelli kicked the ball out, while it was still rolling on the ground, the referee blew the whistle to end regular time.

The match went into extra time! This was the first extra time match of this European Championship.

The TF1 commentator was getting excited at this moment. "European Championship extra time! This brings back France's most beautiful memories!"

French fans recalled the scene from twelve years ago, the 2000 European Championship.

In that tournament, France entered extra time twice, won both times, and ultimately became champions.

Moreover, France didn't drag either match to a penalty shootout.

In the semi-final, France faced Portugal. After a 1-1 draw in regular time, Zidane scored the winning penalty in extra time, sending France to the final.

The final opponent was none other than tonight's opponent—Italy.

This was France's most classic extra time victory.

Regular time ended 1-1 again, and in extra time, Trezeguet scored the "golden goal" winner, helping France win 2-1 for the championship.

Tonight, the script seemed to be developing toward those two matches again. Would it be exactly the same plot?

Regular time 1-1, then a French hero steps forward to end the match! French fans were hoping for exactly that.

But the TF1 commentator's words dampened those expectations. "That goal was purely Julien's individual ability. He looked unsteady during the breakthrough, but at that stage, with declining stamina, being able to score shows that Julien's control of football has reached its peak."

"However, we must be clear. if this match goes to a penalty shootout, that would be a victory for us. France has no one left to use."

The commentator didn't specify why there was no one left to use.

At least from falling behind to nearly being eliminated, Blanc showed no intention of bringing on Benzema, which made it clear.

Blanc was determined to make a statement.

On the sidelines, both coaches were using the break time intensively to arrange tactics with their players.

Prandelli said. "Mario, don't defend in extra time! When you get the ball on counterattacks, solve it your way, you can even try 30-meter shots!"

Balotelli nodded. He knew that in Italy, only he still had impact.

And he needed to wait for Pirlo's distribution. But did Pirlo still have the stamina to escape the opposition's tight marking and get the ball out?

On Blanc's side, he was also thinking about defensive counterattack tactics, "Hold on! I don't care what methods you use, you must hold on for me! Even if we lose, it has to be in a penalty shootout."

When the team talk ended and players were hydrating and getting massages from the medical staff,

Blanc walked over to Julien and asked, "How are you holding up?"

Julien was exhausted. But he nodded firmly. "No problem."

Blanc smiled and patted Julien's shoulder. "That goal just now was beautiful. Whatever the outcome, you're already the team's hero, the hero of French fans."

Julien nodded. Blanc's words were somewhat soft. In fact, he knew that going into extra time was disadvantageous for France.

But at least they weren't directly eliminated, right? Julien had given France hope, but frustratingly, there was likely no one who could step forward to continue that hope.

Did they have to rely on Julien again?

Blanc looked at Julien's sweat-soaked jersey and the image of him gasping heavily when he came off the pitch. He felt somewhat sorry, why should the burden of an entire team fall on the shoulders of a 17-year-old?

Did France truly had no one left?

France had always worshipped individual heroes: Fontaine, Platini, Zidane.

But in this era, there was a gap.

There was no national hero like them.

There were only loose sand like mercenaries, each fighting their own battles.

As Blanc turned away, he sighed, perhaps for France, perhaps for French people and more for this era's French team.

Beep!!

The whistle sounded, and the European Championship's first extra time began! Neither side made substitutions.

After ninety minutes of high consumption, every player was now persisting.

As the match started, The fans in the stands once again fell into a tense atmosphere, especially the French fans.

After the excited celebrations, the score brought them back to reality.

France had only avoided immediate elimination, they hadn't advanced yet.

"Julien can barely run anymore." In the stands, Chataigner was both hopeful and heartbroken, cursing Blanc. "Damn Blanc, how can he use Julien like this! At Bastia, I never wanted him to play a full match, afraid of overexerting him."

Sharing his thoughts was Hadzibegic, who had returned to Bosnia to be with his family. He was watching the match in his living room with his wife and young daughter.

However, his little daughter Irene was a Sarajevo fan and wasn't interested in the distant French team's match.

Hadzibegic didn't really care about that either. But Julien, of course he cared about him very much.

So, when he saw Julien's goal and those final stumbling steps, while Hadzibegic cheered for Julien, he also worried about his unsteady pace.

He was afraid he might get injured.

Chataigner had repeatedly emphasized to him that Julien had suffered two major adductor injuries, and told him to use him sparingly.

But, in the national team, Blanc didn't treat him like a human!

Hadzibegic muttered. "They should just get eliminated quickly."

His wife Lejla Hadzibegic laughed and asked. "Faruk, don't you support France? Why are you hoping they get eliminated now?"

Hadzibegic shook his head. "No, I don't support France. I only support my player, Julien. He's a great kid, you know that. But I don't want him too tired, I really need him next season!"

Lejla nodded. She had certainly heard Julien's story and knew that her husband's glory last season largely came from Julien.

Also because of Julien, the Bosnia national team was now inviting Hadzibegic to coach.

They even had their eldest daughter Amina, who was currently working at the University of Sarajevo's Sports Department, act as a mediator.

But Hadzibegic refused.

Although Lejla never played football, following her husband had given her enough exposure to distinguish between France and Italy's situations.

She said softly. "You might get your wish. The blue-shirted Italians are controlling the rhythm, while the white-shirted French have no attack at all. They might concede."

Hadzibegic could naturally read the game. But he knew Julien too well.

When he saw Julien not tracking back and hovering in front of the opposition's defensive line, he knew it wouldn't be so easy for Italy to win.

However, On the TV screen, Julien received the ball and sprinted but was forced to the touchline by Nocerino and had no choice but to pass back.

For France to win wouldn't be so simple either.

Seeing Italy's focused defense on Julien,

Hadzibegic was thinking about how to arrange tactics next season to completely liberate Julien. Thinking about this, he found it somewhat troublesome. The team's lineup would change dramatically next season, and he didn't know what junk Chataigner would bring him.

Influenced by former Yugoslav football, his tactics emphasized high-intensity confrontation, iron-clad defense, and attacking-defending transition efficiency, so the offense relied more on quick wing advances and target man pivot play.

Last season's Bastia lineup was sufficient for Ligue 2, but in Ligue 1, that would be a different game entirely.

He watched on TV as Pirlo's long pass found Balotelli, bringing huge impact to France's penalty area.

He sighed softly. He hoped Chataigner could find him a usable target man.

Maoulida was usable in Ligue 2. After the season ended, the club chose not to renew his contract.

They needed a target man!

Hadzibegic didn't expect Chataigner to bring him any good midfielders.

Rothen still had some oil left in the tank, they'd make do with him.

Though he was getting old, at least he was once a Ligue 1 assist king.

There was no choice. Hadzibegic had no power over Bastia's transfers; he could only wait for results.

Currently, he knew of two transfers. Kanté and Mané.

Only Mané somewhat suited his preferences. At least he could charge forward.

As for that Kanté, besides being willing to run, he hadn't yet seen what made him special.

"Italy's free kick! France's Rami brought down Balotelli. The referee didn't give a yellow card. The Italians surrounded the referee, they know Rami already has a yellow card and are trying to influence the referee's decision."

The commentator's voice on TV pulled Hadzibegic's thoughts back to the match.

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