Bild: "The ultimate showdown between the four legends of Spain and Portugal! Su Hang + Raúl outshine Figo + Cristiano Ronaldo!"
Kicker: "Su Hang, Figo, and Cristiano Ronaldo all received 9.5 ratings—joint Men of the Match!"
Sky Sports: "Su Hang scores seven goals, setting a new personal World Cup record! Figo reaches the semifinals in his final World Cup—defeated but honored!"
The Times: "Farewell, superstar—the World Cup will move on without Figo! Had he been born in a football powerhouse, his historical standing would rival Ronaldo and Zidane!"
Gazzetta dello Sport: "Portugal's rise has only just begun. If they can produce a few more players like Cristiano Ronaldo, lifting the World Cup is only a matter of time!"
AS: "El Capitán returns! Raúl seals the match with a decisive penalty—worthy of the captain's armband!"
Marca: "Spain's youth storm sweeps the world! Su Hang leads Spain back into a World Cup final after sixty-six years!"
Transfermarkt: "Su Hang leaves the match injured. Bayern's famed doctor, Dr. Wohlfahrt, confirms he cannot recover within three days! Su Hang's market value will no longer rise—players at his age often decline sharply after injuries!"
The London Globe: "All three goals in the Spain–Portugal clash came from penalties! A battle of pure willpower! Spain, victorious, stands ready to face the final challenge!"
After the Spain–Portugal war, the world mourned for Portugal—but also felt a pang of regret for Spain.
Before the match, many believed the winner would enter the final with a huge advantage, likely defeating a French team missing its three core players.
But now, Spain was in trouble.
They too had lost their absolute core: Su Hang.
Harsh as it sounds, France without Zidane, Henry, and Vieira is roughly equal to Spain without Su Hang.
Suddenly, the final felt unpredictable.
The media interviewed Carvalho—the Portuguese player whose tackle injured Su Hang.
Carvalho: "I never intended to hurt him. Everything happened so fast. The only thing I knew for sure was that I couldn't let him score right then."
"I'm very sorry about Su Hang's injury."
Other Portuguese stars quickly stepped in to ease tensions.
Cristiano Ronaldo: "Su played excellently. His dribbling, speed, and shooting aren't on my level, but in terms of impact, he was the better player today."
"I'll win back everything that belongs to me when we meet again."
"I believe he'll return soon, and he'll continue shining at his club just like always."
"Only I can defeat Su. Before me, no one could beat him—and injury won't beat him either!"
Figo: "Honestly, we've played too many matches this year. For me, Su Hang, Zidane—even Beckham—the success across three club competitions was wonderful, but the price was steep."
"Carvalho truly didn't mean to injure him."
"Su Hang's physical durability has never been exceptional. With a schedule this intense, I've been worried about him all year."
"All I can say is, may God protect Su."
On the other side, Spain didn't pursue any blame against Portugal after the victory.
Both teams accepted the result—fair, open, and decided on merit.
Win, and you're the better team.
Lose, and you accept it.
No controversy, no bitterness.
Not like certain matches that turn both sides—teams, players, and fans—into enemies.
Soon after, news about Su Hang's injury began to surface.
Dr. Wohlfahrt's diagnosis—based only on match footage and slow-motion replays—proved extremely accurate.
Su Hang had no fractures, but his ankle sprain was serious.
Ligament or tendon strain could not be ruled out.
With this injury, a return within one week was impossible.
Typical recovery time was nearly two weeks.
Ankle injuries severely affect performance—there is no "playing through it."
Even running a few steps risks immediate aggravation.
Unless Su Hang played under painkilling injections.
A grim blessing: if it had been a fracture, injections wouldn't even be an option.
Now, at least, there was still a chance to risk it all.
"Queiroz: Su Hang absolutely must NOT play under injections! Even if he seems one step away from the World Cup trophy, as long as he's healthy, he will return here again!"
Queiroz spoke with the Manchester Evening News:
"If he plays on injections—don't talk about beating France. What about after? Would Su Hang even have a future in football?"
"Compared to Su Hang's future, a World Cup trophy means nothing."
"Forgive my arrogance, but Su Hang deserves this respect."
"I know he once played under injections in La Liga and produced a brilliant performance. But trust me—God may allow one mistake, but never a second."
"Su! If you see this, do NOT play under injections!"
"It's not worth it! The World Cup is not worth it!"
Outrageous!
Many Spanish fans accused Queiroz of being insane.
To most fans, even a slim chance at the trophy is worth risking a player's life.
Queiroz's warnings felt completely out of line.
Only players truly understood Queiroz's greatness.
He was genuinely thinking about Su Hang's future.
Similarly, Derek Rae voiced the same conclusion, though from a different angle:
"Statistics show players who take injections rarely perform well."
"Given Su Hang's current condition, he may not be more effective than Villa, Raúl, or Torres."
"So I do not recommend Su Hang playing. Under injections, he cannot provide the same impact he did against Argentina, Germany, or Portugal."
"Furthermore, if Spain loses, a struggling Su Hang will be the one fans blame—because he carries the hopes of all Spain."
"And to many fans at home, Su Hang represents the dream of seeing one of their own stand atop the world stage and lift the World Cup—a trophy we may never touch in our lifetime."
"I cannot imagine how devastating the backlash would be, but I am certain it could destroy any player."
Casual fans only care how high Su Hang and Spain can fly.
Loyal fans care more about how exhausted Su Hang is from carrying Spain this far.
...
Just as Spain debated whether Su Hang should play under injections, devastating news arrived from the French camp.