The England Team advanced to the Round of 16 with a dominant 6-0 victory in the group stage, bringing the joy and anticipation of English and domestic fans to a climax. However, before the team could fully revel in the joy of qualifying, the Round of 16 knockout stage was set, and England's opponent was Colombia. Southgate's coaching staff plunged into the meeting room filled with Colombia match footage, the air thick with concentration and gravity. The tactics board was wiped and redrawn repeatedly, every detail meticulously scrutinized.
Just as this tense preparation period was underway, a storm from East Asia unexpectedly swept towards Oliver of the England Team. The cause of the incident was somewhat absurd. It could even be said to be a bit ridiculous.
Some South Korean media outlets and voices, perhaps envious of Oliver's dazzling performance in the World Cup, began to claim kinship with him. First, scattered online comments emerged, saying Oliver's appearance had a strong Korean characteristic, and then several non-mainstream South Korean tabloids, as if discovering a new continent, began to seriously dig into Oliver's "Korean ancestry."
They claimed: After investigation, Oliver's maternal ancestors were Koreans who "migrated" from South Korea to China during 18th century. These South Korean media even fabricated Oliver's "family history" out of thin air, filling in the blanks with imagination. They said Oliver possessed "noble Korean ethnic bloodline," and some reports even seriously linked Oliver to the popular Korean drama "Descendants of the Sun," calling him a "Descendant of the Sun" living abroad.
Even more, a fairly influential mainstream South Korean sports media outlet openly declared in its website and TV program comments: "Oliver's real name should be 'Park Yuan'! He is our lost football gem of the Republic of Korea!"
This trend quickly spread globally via the internet. Oliver, who was undergoing recovery training in the hotel gym, had a news page on a teammate's phone shoved in front of him.
"Hey, Ollie, look at this, they say you're Korean, and your real name is 'Park Yuan'!"
At first, Oliver thought his teammate was joking or that the media had made a silly blunder. But when he clearly saw those "reports" from South Korean English websites, especially the address "Park Yuan," he was first stunned, then felt a surge of anger rush to his head, and couldn't help but laugh out of exasperation.
Oliver felt deeply confused.
"Fuck… What is all this? Saying I'm a Descendant of the Sun, and my real name is Park Yuan? Park your mother…"
After training, back in his room, the more he thought about it, the more absurd and disgusting he found the matter. This kind of fabrication out of thin air, attempting to steal identity, made him extremely uncomfortable. He immediately called his public relations manager, Edwardo. The call connected, and Edwardo clearly already knew about the matter.
"Hi, Ollie, I guess you're calling about those news from South Korea?" Edwardo's voice sounded a bit helpless.
"Edwardo, you saw it? This is too confusing! How can they talk such nonsense!" Oliver's voice carried an unmistakeable bafflement, "Who is Park Yuan? What is Descendants of the Sun? Edwardo, can you imagine? Is this insult to me or themselves?"
"I completely understand your anger, Ollie," Edwardo soothed, "This is very absurd, and somewhat disrespectful. But, calm down, we need to think about how to respond."
"How to respond? To be honest, I really want to call them out, and want to tell them directly how shameless they are," Oliver said.
"You can do that, but the words need to be artful, buddy. Remember, Ollie, where is your core fanbase now? It's Europe, your birthplace and where your professional career peaked. As for South Korea? Do you have any substantial business ties with them?" Edwardo's tone carried the certainty of someone who understood human nature.
"No."
"So, your main fans aren't there. You supporters will be against this kind of 'hard-claiming ancestry' behavior. My goal in doing PR for you is not to salvage the South Korean market, what you need to do is consolidate your existing global fan goodwill."
He paused, a hint of sly amusement entering his voice.
"So, as your PR manager, my advice is, say whatever you want! Just don't touch any red lines, like racist remarks are a high-pressure line, absolutely don't touch that; Ozil has already provided a good example. Other than that, expressing anger? calling out shamelessness? Everything is fine, excellent! Ollie, fans like idol players with real emotions, not Robots who just read scripts. Sometimes, a little appropriate 'anger' is an important way to bridge the distance between you and your fans."
"So, you mean I can condemn them?"
Oliver was a bit unsure, but Edwardo's suggestion was indeed worth considering.
"Of course you can curse, but the wording needs to be artistic, buddy. You can 'condemn,' you can 'directly denounce their wrongdoings,' and you can even elegantly express 'deep regret and incomprehension.' But the core is, you must clearly state your identity! Tell them who you are and where you come from! You can even mention the disgusting things South Koreans have done in football. Your anger will not only not cause public outrage, but it will make those who love you love you even more! Go for it, young man!"
"Understood, thank you, Edwardo."
After hanging up with Edwardo, Oliver felt the gloom in his heart dissipate a little, but the anger still burned.
He then called his father. As soon as the call connected, Jules's familiar voice roared through, the volume almost bursting through the receiver. Jules was even angrier than Oliver:
"Damn those Koreans! Son, did you see?! Are those Korean bastards crazy?! They've even fabricated our ancestors into South Korea?! And they dare to call you 'Park Yuan'? Bah! Utter nonsense, shameless! Just as shameless as those referees in the 2002 World Cup!"
Listening to his father's roar, Oliver not only didn't feel annoyed but instead felt a warmth in his heart, and the last bit of hesitation completely vanished.
"Dad, calm down, I'm thinking of a way to respond."
"Son, don't be polite with them!" His father's voice was decisive,
"They are just a bunch of Koreans who are used to stealing! From your dad upwards, our Thorne family's generations have all lived on the land of the Birmingham, what does it have to do with Koreans?! Son, you absolutely should curse them for me! Let the whole world see what kind of temper our Thorne family has! Don't let them think we're easy to bully!"
"Understood, Dad."
With his family's endorsement and the authorization of his most trusted PR expert, Oliver no longer hesitated. The mix of frustration and anger in his heart instead brewed into a clear urge to express himself. He had no draft, no team polishing; he directly used his social media account and rapidly typed on his phone screen.
@Oliver_7:
[Regarding the recent baseless speculation and fabrication by certain South Korean media and netizens about my 'Korean ethnicity,' I, Oliver, hereby formally respond]
[Myself, my parents, my grandparents, and even my ancestors are traceable through family trees. My paternal family are all native-born English from Birmingham, and my maternal family comes from Jinan, Shandong, China although they later migrated to the UK.]
[The so-called 'blood ties' between me and Koreans are entirely a wishful, fabricated lie by certain individuals. The forced definition of me or my ancestors as 'Korean-descended' by some South Korean media is insult to me personally and to my family history.]
[I have no intention of slandering all Koreans, but forgive me for saying this, the long-standing actions of certain individuals and forces are truly nauseating. From the 2002 World Cup, relying on home advantage and extremely 'brave' refereeing tactics, attempting to steal victories that did not belong to them.]
[I ask certain South Korean media to stop your ridiculous, shameless attempts to cling to me. I have nothing to do with the ridiculous 'Descendants of the Sun' story you fabricated, and I am even more repulsed by the ridiculous name 'Park Yuan'.]
[I am ashamed to be forcefully associated with you. Please stop using your fabricated lies to defile my name and my origin. This is my final statement. If I see any more related foolish remarks on the internet, I will initiate legal proceedings against the rumor-mongers in my personal capacity.]
After this tweet was published. It was like a bombshell, instantly exploding across the global internet! The immediate reaction was: South Korean internet exploded!
Within minutes, tens of thousands of Korean abusive comments flooded Oliver's Twitter comment section like a tide of filth. The Koreans' anger was furious, yet it was also pale and powerless. Because they were facing a clear, undeniable fact and a star player who was not afraid to directly confront them.
However, an even louder roar and a more surging tide came from outside Korea! Fans from all over the world reacted with extreme enthusiasm after seeing this tweet, which was full of anger and personality:
"Caro Ollie, tens toda a razão! Esses coreanos são uma piada mundial! Força!"
"Bem dito! Ollie! Lembram-se do que eles fizeram em 2002? Vergonha!"
A Portuguese netizen accurately provided a picture: a compilation of moments from the 2002 World Cup match between Italy and Korea, including Totti's red card and Moreno's controversial penalty kick.
"FINALLY! Someone with balls said it! Korea 2002 NEVER FORGET! Justice for Totti! Justice for Italy! @Oliver_7 is my HERO now!"
Related Italian hashtags such as #2002Robbery and #ForzaOllie quickly topped the local trends in Italy.
"Que coraje el ingles! Bien dicho! Los coreanos siempre intentando robar cosas que no son suyas, incluyendo buenos jugadores ahora? Vergüenza ajena!"
European fans from Germany, the Netherlands, France, etc.: A large number of likes, shares, and supportive comments.
Comments such as "Truth Bomb!", "This is how you deal with BS!", "Love his fire! Real guy!", and "Respect from XXX!" filled the comment section.
England Team fans: "Oh my god! Ollie just went off! Love it!"
"Absolute scenes! Ollie telling the Koreans where to shove their propaganda! A LEGEND IN THE MAKING ON AND OFF THE PITCH!"
"Get in Ollie!!! F*** yeah! Stand up for what's right! Proud you're in the Three Lions!"
The England Team fan forum server was almost overloaded, and related discussion threads built up into towering heights. Explosive support!
Just as the global internet was in an uproar due to Ollie's tweet, an even higher-level explosion occurred!
The Portuguese superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, who is always active on social media and never hides his likes and dislikes, actually liked Ollie's original tweet! And that wasn't all. Just a few minutes later, Cristiano Ronaldo's account directly retweeted Ollie's tweet.
He wrote a very short comment: "Truth #Integrity"
Although this comment was short, its meaning was clear: Cristiano Ronaldo believed that Ollie was right. Cristiano Ronaldo's retweet and comment were like throwing an atomic bomb into a volcano. The attention of global sports media was instantly shifted:
"Cristiano Ronaldo speaks out in support of Ollie's bombardment of Korea!"
"CR7 likes and retweets Ollie, condemning the improper behavior of Korean media!"
"The King's attitude! Cristiano Ronaldo clearly supports the rising star!"
"Does Cristiano Ronaldo use 'Truth' to allude to 2002?"
Cristiano Ronaldo's comment section immediately went wild. Portuguese fans, his global followers, and the influx of Korean netizens erupted into a large-scale debate. But it was undeniable that Cristiano Ronaldo's support pushed Ollie's remarks to an unprecedented global level and an unquestionable moral high ground. His influence made countless fans who might have remained neutral curious and inclined to support Ollie's stance.
As expected.
Edwardo's prediction accurately became a reality. Ollie's tweet, which ignited global public opinion, did not damage his image like a traditional public relations crisis. Instead, it was like a fierce volcanic eruption, washing away his stereotypical image of being a newcomer and polite to everyone.
It shaped the image of a star player who was incredibly distinct, sharp-edged, courageous, and clear in his likes and dislikes. Although Korean media and some radical netizens launched even more furious verbal attacks against Ollie, even demanding that FIFA punish him.
(A/n: Of course, FIFA usually does not directly intervene in such controversial personal statements, as long as they do not involve racial discrimination or other topics, FIFA is too lazy to manage such matters.)
But the mainstream voice of the world, especially the general reaction in the football world, was one of understanding, admiration, and even support. His frankness and "tough guy" style won him the hearts of a large number of non-Korean fans.
Within the England Team, this tweet also caused a stir.
During training the next day, Southgate found Ollie alone. He did not comment on the incident itself or the content of the tweet, but just patted him on the shoulder and said with a deep gaze:
"Ollie, the storm off the field will ultimately be quelled by your performance on the field. Continue to focus on football and use your performence to shut everyone up."
Kane, the team's functional elder brother, also came over during a break and whispered: "Kid, your tweet was fierce, well done, but I think Son definitely wouldn't want to see this tweet."
The "Son" Kane referred to was his teammate Son Heung-min.
Ollie shrugged and said, "Captain, Son shouldn't be that petty. In the original post, I said it wasn't aimed at all Koreans. Besides, the Korea Team has already been eliminated in the group stage."
"Well, you're right." Kane expressed his agreement.
The noise on the internet was just an interlude. This storm attracted huge attention to Ollie, and also drew some hostility.
More importantly, he felt an unprecedented power from his true self. He was not a puppet to be smeared or defined by others. This time, the whole world re-recognized the weight represented by the name "Ollie."
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