After Leo Lin scored the penalty, the Watford fans were no longer disappointed, because they knew their team would not be playing in the FA Cup final.
"It's okay. Like I said before, we'll try again next year!"
"There's nothing to be upset about. We're one of the four best teams in English football this season!"
"At least we've seen how hard the whole team worked. Come on, Watford!"
In the 70th minute, sure enough, the fightback Klopp had expected arrived.
Watford threw everything into one final push, but Liverpool were already prepared. Their shape kept moving as a unit, and they fully defused Watford's counterattack.
Watford's last stand only lasted ten minutes. After Fabinho scored from range, Watford's fightback was forced to stop as well.
In the end, the FA Cup semifinal came to an end. Liverpool eliminated Watford and advanced to the final.
"Liverpool have reached another cup final!"
"The FA Cup may also become one of the trophies they hunt down!"
Leo Lin had his arm around Zubizarreta as they chatted on the pitch. Zubizarreta deserved a huge share of the credit for Liverpool's victory in this match.
At the post-match press conference, Leo Lin also gave all the credit to Zubizarreta.
"He's one of the best coaches I've ever met. Of course, you know I haven't met that many coaches."
"When we won the World Cup with Spain, it was also closely connected to the defensive plans Zubizarreta made."
"I'm very happy to be in the FA Cup final again."
Leo Lin was happy, but something that would make him even happier was still to come.
The Spanish Football Federation invited Leo Lin to Spain to take part in a Spanish football stars event.
Many Spanish stars had been invited. The players would interact with the fans at the venue, mainly to promote the upcoming European Championship in advance.
As Spain's current leading star, Leo Lin naturally would not refuse the invitation. He also reunited with his close friend Diego Costa.
All the stars interacted with the fans at the venue prepared by the Spanish Football Federation. Many loyal, long-time Spanish fans, along with some adorable young fans, had been invited to take part in this event supporting Spain for the European Championship. The atmosphere was excellent.
As the event was about to end, Leo Lin wanted to give away his shirt. He kept looking for someone, and in the end, he spotted a group of young fans sitting quite close to the front.
On the west side of the venue, seven or eight young fans were sitting together. They looked to be around twelve or thirteen years old.
Leo Lin threw his shirt across the crowd toward them, and it landed in the arms of a boy wearing glasses.
The boy happily hugged Leo Lin's shirt, but it was quickly snatched away by the child beside him. Or rather, that child could not really be called his friend, because after taking the shirt, he even pushed the boy with glasses aside, as if he did not want to touch him.
At first, Leo Lin had not picked out anyone in particular. He had simply thrown it into the middle of the group. Whoever caught it would be the one he gave it to.
But when he saw the child beside him snatch the shirt away in such an unreasonable way, Leo Lin was not pleased.
"Hey, what's going on?"
"I gave that shirt to this little fan with glasses. Why did you take it from him?"
Leo Lin pushed through the crowded fans in front of him to make sure he could clearly hear what the children were saying.
"Why should he get it? His clothes are so torn. He doesn't deserve your shirt!"
"We don't want to play with him. He's dirty!"
Hearing those words, the little boy whose shirt had been taken finally could not hold back and started crying. Leo Lin suddenly became very serious.
"Give me my shirt back," Leo Lin said to the boy.
He almost never got angry with children, but the boy's rude attitude made him unhappy.
When the boy's parents heard their child speak like that, they were angry as well and hurriedly told him to return the shirt to Leo Lin.
"Don't go. Stay here. Let me tell you something. Do you think it's shameful not to be able to afford nice clothes?"
Leo Lin looked at the young boy in front of him.
"It isn't shameful."
"Everyone goes through difficult times. Everyone wants their life to get better."
"He may be facing some hardship now, but he won't live like this forever."
"You, handsome guy with glasses. Look me in the eye. I'm telling you, I absolutely believe that one day, you'll use your own two hands to help your family live a better life."
The little boy with glasses stopped crying. Then Leo Lin beckoned to him and handed him the shirt.
"I rarely give my shirts to fans. You're only the second one."
The boy with glasses finally smiled. His smile was happy and bright.
Leo Lin patted his head. Although the boy's clothes were a little worn, they were very clean.
The boy who had grabbed the shirt at first also realized his mistake. Leo Lin patted his head too and handed him another shirt.
"Don't shut him out anymore. You'll become friends, right?"
The boy nodded and said, "I won't say things like that again. I promise."
Leo Lin stopped pretending to be serious and smiled happily. Just as he was about to leave, the young fan with glasses spoke again.
"Lin, actually, today is my birthday."
"This is my favorite birthday present. Thank you, Lin."
Hearing that it was the boy's birthday, Leo Lin was even more surprised. After thinking for a moment, he told the boy to stand there and wait for him.
Then Leo Lin ran over to the Spanish stars around him. First Hierro, then Casillas, then Xavi, then Diego Costa. Leo Lin stripped the shirts off every one of those stars.
Then, under the gaze of every fan at the venue, Leo Lin hugged all those shirts in his arms and ran back like a fool.
The confident, high-spirited Leo Lin from the pitch was gone. All that remained was a young man drenched in sweat, panting heavily.
Leo Lin stuffed all the stars' shirts into the arms of the boy with glasses. The boy in front of him reminded him of who he used to be.
The boy with glasses had never imagined that happiness would fall directly into his arms like this. He cried again, but this time, they were tears of joy.
"Hey, tell your mom that if one day she's willing to bring you to watch a match, just come. I'll give you tickets. Go straight to Liverpool FC and look for me."
"Take good care of these shirts. Happy birthday, buddy."
Leo Lin left with a smile, followed by a group of Spanish stars who were also smiling.
A cold wind blew past, but no one felt cold, because Leo Lin had warmed their hearts.
Looking at the Spanish stars in front of them, the Spanish fans who had come to cheer Spain on for the European Championship began applauding one after another.
Only a team like this was worthy of competing for the European Championship title.