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...
Leo Lin sprinted toward the touchline, excitement surging through him as he raised three fingers high toward the Liverpool supporters.
His right hand stayed pressed to his ear, his defiant grin unmistakable—channeling the swagger of José Mourinho himself.
The Liverpool fans instantly followed suit, hands to their ears, faces full of provocation.
In that moment, they wanted nothing more than to support Leo Lin without reservation. Whatever he did, they would do with him.
They had been ignited by his emotions, swept up by his energy, and completely conquered by his performance.
Many supporters were reminded of the past—especially the older ones who had lived through Liverpool's era of dominance in English football. Now, once again, they could see the possibility of another glorious age being forged.
Live stream chat exploded.
"A player without personality will never be great—and Lin has personality in spades!"
"An 18-year-old scoring a Champions League hat trick? I wouldn't even dare dream that big!"
"Wijnaldum, don't call me anymore—I'm afraid Leo Lin might misunderstand."
"A hat trick at 18? Where's the morality? Where's the humanity? Where's Real Madrid?! Where's Manchester City?!"
Liverpool fans were completely unhinged with excitement, looking at Leo Lin as though he were their very faith.
As always, they couldn't even remember how long it had been since the club last produced such a young player.
To deliver a performance like this against Shakhtar Donetsk—no one doubted their strength. And yet Liverpool had cruised to a comprehensive victory, one that owed a great deal to Leo Lin's brilliance.
After the celebrations, play resumed.
For the rest of the match, Shakhtar Donetsk looked like wilted eggplants, heads down and spirit gone.
They appeared to be pushing forward, but their attacks had no structure—relying entirely on individual efforts and posing no real threat.
Liverpool, meanwhile, repeatedly seized opportunities in transition, creating danger again and again.
In the 84th minute, Salah received a pass from Arnold, burst down the wing, cut inside, and calmly slotted home to make it 4–0.
Liverpool secured their second straight Champions League group-stage victory, sitting top of the table with six points.
...
At the post-match press conference, Leo Lin was named Man of the Match and appeared alongside the head coach.
Most of the reporters had watched the entire game and had long prepared their questions, eager for a chance to speak directly with Leo Lin.
This was their best opportunity to hear his thoughts firsthand.
"Leo, scoring a Champions League hat trick at just 18—how incredible does this moment feel?"
"Leo, Firmino said in his interview that he's jealous of you for being both handsome and strong. How would you describe your relationship?"
"Lin, Barnett posted that you're the best young player in world football today, bar none. How do you see your competition with other top talents?"
Leo Lin could only smile as he answered.
"This is definitely the most wonderful moment of my life—better than the first time I ever had ice cream with an ice-cold Fanta."
"I don't know Firmino. He's an annoying guy who steals my eggs every morning."
"I don't see myself competing with other talents. They're geniuses—I'm just a young player trying to play my football well."
Each answer sent the room into laughter, the art of language reaching its peak.
Klopp, seated beside him, was genuinely surprised. He'd never expected an 18-year-old to speak with such humor and restraint. Unlike players who bristle at questions or clash with reporters, Leo Lin remained calm and composed throughout.
Early the next morning, social media exploded. Legendary Premier League figures—especially Liverpool icons who rarely posted anymore—flooded their feeds.
Fans declared it a holiday. Platforms became so overloaded they were forced into emergency maintenance.
Gerrard: "An 18-year-old with a Champions League hat trick—no need to explain the quality. I see a bit of my younger self."
Lampard: "A midfielder who scores like this—he really reminds me of myself back then."
Matthäus: "Congratulations on football welcoming another complete midfielder. By the way, maybe the two Dees couldn't coexist because neither of them had any shame."
Yaya Touré: "Am I the only one noticing how stable Lin's dribbling is? He always keeps his balance, even at full speed."
Dalglish: "At this rate, King Kenny will one day become King Lin."
John Barnes: "My birthday wish today is that someone buys Lin. Otherwise, he'll threaten my place among Liverpool's legendary midfielders."
…
Leo Lin's hat trick left no one calm.
Major online media outlets rushed out front-page headlines. With Barnett pushing from behind the scenes, no one wanted to miss the surge of Leo Lin's traffic.
Premier League Football News:
"The Premier League must do everything it can to keep Lin—his future market value is enormous!"
"Who is this 18-year-old midfielder? Zidane? Guardiola? Matthäus? Or Cruyff?"
Football League:
"€40 million feels too low. A midfielder with this kind of potential should be worth far more."
Liverpool Official:
"We have no money, we have no Martial—but we have Leo Lin!"
Multiple posts and headlines shot straight to the top of the trending charts. In the sports section alone, Leo Lin occupied six of the top ten spots. Discussions related to him surpassed one hundred million views.
For a time, the internet was completely flooded with praise and hype, fans' discussions wrapping around Leo Lin from every direction.
Too much exposure can make any player uncomfortable, and Barnett was patiently waiting for the right moment.
He planned to let the buzz run high for a couple of days, draw in all the attention, and then cool things down through other means—hype management was his specialty.
This way, Leo Lin's visibility would rise without pushing him onto an unsustainable pedestal.
Meanwhile, other young players were also performing brilliantly.
But compared to them, Leo Lin held one decisive advantage: he would be eligible to represent Spain at the upcoming U17 World Cup.
If he could use that tournament to further elevate his profile—perhaps even win the tournament's MVP—then the other young players could no longer be mentioned in the same breath.
And so Leo Lin's objective had shifted.
Through strong performances, he aimed to earn a place in Spain's U17 national team—and officially lead them into battle at the U17 World Cup.
...
(60 Chapters Ahead)
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