As the dust settled on the first round of the Europa League, the Chinese football scene exploded with activity. Before the match, the majority of pundits had written off Wolfsburg, citing a 30-million-euro gap in squad value between the two sides. After all, analyzing data to predict outcomes is a favorite pastime for many fans.
But the headlines told a different story:
"Great News! Chinese Player Breaks the European Main Tournament Goal Drought, Shattering the Decade-Long Curse!"
"At Just 17, David Qin Delivers Crucial Goal and Breakout Performance. Bild Ratings: Everton's Coleman Lowest at 5; Wolfsburg's David Qin Highest at 2!"
"Everton Manager Claims David Qin Suits the Premier League Better Than the Slower Bundesliga; Toffees to Monitor His Progress!"
"Volkswagen Group Announces Deepening Cooperation with Chinese Enterprises; Sets Up Youth Football Development Fund in China!"
Football might have once been a pure sport, but with the injection of capital and increasing commercialization, it is now inextricably linked to many other interests. Wolfsburg's draw at Goodison Park acted like a butterfly flapping its wings, producing ripples far beyond the pitch.
Fans were equally generous with their praise:
"David Qin plays with so much flair. He's far more captivating to watch than those 'workhorse' players."
"This is pure, raw talent. You can't train that kind of instinct; it's a gift from birth."
"Wolfsburg plays Leverkusen next. David and Son Heung-min play similar roles—the Korean media is probably already starting the comparison campaign."
"I heard Spurs are eyeing Son. He's likely heading to the Premier League next season."
"His stats are legit, though. 10 goals and 4 assists last season, and he scored a beauty in the Champions League playoffs in August."
"Leverkusen is stacked. Calhanoglu, Castro, Lars Bender... they have real quality in the final third."
"Still, with Wolfsburg's current momentum, they don't have to fear anyone."
As David Qin's popularity in China surged, he also became a local celebrity in Wolfsburg. During his morning runs, he was frequently intercepted by fans asking for signatures or photos. Eventually, to protect his training rhythm, he stopped running in public spaces.
"David, a Norwegian medical team recently published a paper showing that adding two days of high-intensity interval and strength training can effectively boost endurance, power, and explosiveness without increasing body weight," said fitness coach Bredegel. "Large-scale data has verified it. We're adjusting your schedule to handle the congested fixtures ahead while avoiding excessive muscle mass."
The Wolfsburg coaching staff had spared no expense to ensure David's development was both elite and scientific. They had commissioned the Norwegian sports science team and established a long-term monitoring model. For a young player whose body was still developing, the details were everything.
"As long as I don't get too heavy, that's fine. My game relies on agility," David agreed.
The consequences of blind muscle-building could be terrifying. He thought of the future Romelu Lukaku, who would bulk up for the World Cup only to find himself struggling to adapt to the Premier League, nearly derailing his career.
"Don't worry, we're more worried than you are," Bredegel said with a wry smile, recalling Dieter Hecking's strict instructions.
Between Cologne and Düsseldorf lies a small city of only 200,000 people: Leverkusen. Though tiny, it is a global industrial giant, serving as the headquarters for the multinational Bayer AG.
At the football club that bears the city's name, Son Heung-min was training with relentless intensity. Under the watchful eye of his father, Son Woong-jung, he had practiced for six hours a day since the age of eight. Winter or summer, he never stopped, patiently polishing his fundamentals day after day.
His hard work had paid off. He had been voted into Hamburg's all-time best XI by the Bundesliga website and had achieved double-digit goals in back-to-back seasons—a feat matched only by the likes of Lewandowski, Müller, and Kruse.
"Faster! Faster!" Son Woong-jung urged. Ever since his son joined Leverkusen, the father had held one firm belief: his son would be the undisputed King of Asian Football.
But lately, that belief had wavered. The reason was a certain teenager rising from nowhere. Having been a professional player himself, the elder Son knew exactly what it meant for a boy to perform like David did in such high-intensity matches.
My son took years to walk this path, and this boy caught up in days? the father thought. Whatever the cost, we cannot lose the next game.
On the pitch, Son Heung-min's chest heaved like a bellows during his rest interval. He understood his father's mindset. If you were going to do something, you had to be the best. He had dropped out of high school to move to Germany alone, unable to speak the language, surviving on nothing but sheer will to rise from an unknown to a star.
Unlike many players back home, he avoided variety shows and the temptations of alcohol after finding fame. His life was a simple line between the pitch and home—a "footballing monk" striving for greatness. Watching the hype surrounding David Qin online had sparked a sliver of competitive friction in him. Even the most mature young man can't help but compare.
He wanted to use the next match to tell Asian fans exactly who the future of the continent belonged to.
However, as he trained, his thoughts drifted. Recently, through social media, he had met Bang Min-ah, the 21-year-old member of the girl group Girl's Day. She was... enchanting. As a young man experiencing this for the first time, he was naturally a bit distracted by desire. Min-ah was coming to watch the next game, and men always have a habit of showing off in front of those they like—like a peacock fanning its feathers.
"So, I have to win!"
Energized, Son Heung-min plunged into his next set of drills.
September 21 soon arrived.
"Boss, my fitness is fine, I promise."
With only two days since the Europa League clash, Dieter Hecking was worried about David's recovery and had considered rotating him. But David felt fine, and the medical team had cleared him. He was eager to play.
Part of it was Son Heung-min; part of it was the challenge of Leverkusen. But mostly, he just wanted to score. His teammates were playing, and he wasn't about to sit this one out.
"I hear you," Hecking sighed, unable to resist David's determination. David was well-spoken and disciplined—exactly the kind of player every coach loves. "But I'm telling you now: 60 minutes max. When the clock hits an hour, you're coming off."
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