May 30, 2009.
In Berlin, Germany, at the Olympiastadion, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen were set to compete for the DFB-Pokal title.
This was Jin Hayes's third visit to Berlin. His previous two trips were away matches against Hertha Berlin, which didn't leave a deep impression on him. This match, however, carried significant weight. The DFB-Pokal, even if considered a secondary trophy compared to the Bundesliga, was still a championship. Even during Bayern Munich's dynasty, they highly valued the Pokal title. This was even more true for Borussia Dortmund, a team with fewer championship honours in recent years. With a chance to win silverware now before them, Borussia Dortmund naturally gave it their all.
After the final league match, the entire Borussia Dortmund team did not take a break; they continued their rigorous training over the next two days. Even upon arriving in Berlin, they rented the training grounds of 2. Bundesliga team Union Berlin to maintain their sharpness. The main focus was on tactical coordination centred around Gündoğan, given Nuri Şahin's absence due to injury.
"Can I really do it?"
As the match approached, Gündoğan started to get nervous again. Most of his recent appearances had been in less important Bundesliga matches after the title was secured, where the pressure of winning or losing wasn't placed squarely on his shoulders. But today, facing a crucial championship battle, Gündoğan felt immense pressure! He was only 18 years old this year. Arriving at the stadium two hours before the match, Gündoğan's legs were already trembling.
"I'm not a monster like Jin Hayes," he thought. "Which 18‑year‑old player can handle such an important tactical task, performing on the DFB-Pokal final stage? Who can bear this?"
"Relax, İlkay Gündoğan, all the pressure is on Jin Hayes. If we lose, just let Jin Hayes take the blame."
Although Nuri Şahin couldn't play, he was still in the locker room, giving Gündoğan deliberately bad advice with a grin.
"Exactly, if we lose, it's all Jin Hayes's fault, it has nothing to do with us."
Hummels also joked about Jin Hayes, helping Gündoğan relieve pressure with some playful banter. Everyone could see that this young man had a heavy task for the first time and needed to relax. Everyone recognized his abilities—they had seen his composure and technical quality in training every day.
"That's right, if we lose, it's on me."
Jin Hayes readily accepted. As long as he was on the field, he would bear the responsibility for the entire team. Even head coach Klopp joined in the fun.
"That's right, İlkay Gündoğan, just play normally today, don't rush. Jin Hayes's got your back anyway."
At some point, the Borussia Dortmund locker room had stopped treating Jin Hayes as a junior who needed looking after. Instead, he had become the elder brother who needed to look after others. In football, status isn't determined by age or time of joining, but by ability. With Jin Hayes's current capabilities, he was indeed the one who could cover for the entire team. What Klopp said was perfectly valid.
"Alright then, I'll try my best to perform well, and let's win another championship together!"
"Champions!!"
On German TV channel Sport1, commentator Berenberg was already impatient.
"Welcome to this DFB-Pokal showdown!"
"The players have entered the field, let's see the starting lineups."
Bayer Leverkusen played a 4‑2‑3‑1 formation under head coach Labbadia:
Goalkeeper: René Adler
Defenders: Gonzalo Castro, Márcio Friedrich, Karim Haggui, Ashkan Dejagah
Midfielders: Simon Rolfes (captain), Arturo Vidal, with Toni Kroos operating as the central attacking midfielder, flanked by Bernd Schneider and Renato Augusto
Forward: Stefan Kießling
Borussia Dortmund played a 4‑3‑3 formation under head coach Jürgen Klopp:
Goalkeeper: Roman Weidenfeller
Defenders: Patrick Owomoyela, Neven Subotić, Mats Hummels, Marcel Schmelzer
Midfielders: Sebastian Kehl (captain), İlkay Gündoğan, Jin Hayes
Forwards: Jakub Błaszczykowski, Alexander Frei, Marco Reus
"Both teams have fielded their full starting lineups, except for Borussia Dortmund's Nuri Şahin, who is out with a leg injury."
"18‑year‑old Gündoğan is making his first start in such an important match; he might become Borussia Dortmund's weak point."
"In contrast, Bayer Leverkusen's midfield strength, in my opinion, is among the best in the Bundesliga."
"The rising young midfielder Toni Kroos—on loan from Bayern Munich—has shown outstanding performances in both offense and defense, ranking third in the assist charts this season, only behind Jin Hayes and Franck Ribéry."
"Simon Rolfes, a German international, has always been a mainstay for Bayer Leverkusen."
"Arturo Vidal, a warrior from South America, plays an important role in both pressing in the attacking third and organising passes."
"To put it simply, today's DFB-Pokal clash is a midfield battle."
On the field, both teams stood in their halves, awaiting kickoff. Borussia Dortmund unfortunately lost the coin toss, and Bayer Leverkusen kicked off first—the Werkself players visibly relieved. Borussia Dortmund's "German Blitzkrieg" was already renowned throughout Europe. Manchester United, Arsenal, and Barcelona had all suffered from it. Especially Barcelona; even knowing the power of Dortmund's Blitzkrieg and how to defend at the start, they would still be caught off guard by the intensity.
The destructive power Jin Hayes, an unstoppable ball‑carrier, generated at kickoff was simply terrifying. Before the match, Bayer Leverkusen had specifically practiced kickoff defence tactics for weeks in preparation for today's final. They were afraid Borussia Dortmund would win the coin toss and score an early goal. Head coach Labbadia had even prepared a contingency plan for how the team should play if they conceded an early goal.
Good news: Bayer Leverkusen had the kickoff. They could finally organise their offence normally. Vidal stood at the centre circle, ready to participate in the kickoff, and as he looked forward, his gaze met Jin Hayes's. Jin Hayes was simply relaxing, getting into the game, feeling excited about the match, and inadvertently smiled.
However, in Vidal's eyes, Jin Hayes's smile carried a terrifying meaning.
"Have they researched new tactics again?"
"Does this guy have some trick up his sleeve for me? Does he want to mess with me?"
"Or does he have some sneaky plan for the start of the game?"
The more Vidal thought about it, the more scared he became; he, who wasn't nervous initially, became anxious at the start. There was no way around it; in previous encounters against Jin Hayes, he had been tormented by this young midfielder. The person Vidal least wanted to face was Jin Hayes. This guy not only dribbled past opponents but did so in the most humiliating ways, rarely giving you a chance to foul him. It was simply demoralising—killing your spirit without even needing to score.
Whoosh!
The match began!
"Alright, the 2008/09 DFB-Pokal final has kicked off! Bayer Leverkusen starts with the ball—"
"They seem to be playing a bit cautiously. After a series of passes, they haven't tried to go forward, but are instead passing the ball around in their own half—"
Hmm?
Jin Hayes was a bit puzzled. He had expected Bayer Leverkusen to launch an immediate attack at the start. Both teams were familiar with each other, so there was no need for a feeling‑out period. Bayer Leverkusen had a good chance to launch an early attack while Borussia Dortmund hadn't fully settled into the game. But they seemed a bit timid, fearing that an early attack would lead to a turnover and a Borussia Dortmund counter‑attack. The pressure from Bundesliga champions and Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund was too immense, so much so that they didn't even dare to make mistakes.
"If that's the case, then what am I afraid of?!"
Jin Hayes and his teammates exchanged glances, and the entire formation moved forward, forming a pressing high block! This was the defensive system the team had practiced for a season: using a relentless high press to pressure opponents, forcing defensive and midfield players into errors, then winning the ball back on the spot and launching quick attacks.
Facing Borussia Dortmund's high press, Bayer Leverkusen started to panic again. Vidal passed to Rolfes, who then passed to defender Friedrich. Friedrich then passed to goalkeeper Adler. At this moment, Alexander Frei had already charged towards the goalkeeper!
"Frei!!! Can he do it?!"
If he could block goalkeeper Adler's pass, Adler would either clear the ball, conceding possession, or be pressured into a difficult pass. Unexpectedly, German international goalkeeper Adler, with his rich experience, dribbled past Frei's press and passed the ball out to Toni Kroos. Kroos was his saviour, dropping back early to receive the ball, moving to the most suitable position.
"Hmm? He's got something!"
Jin Hayes knew that Bayer Leverkusen was not an easy opponent to deal with. Leaving aside veteran midfielder Rolfes and Vidal, who would later become a Juventus and Bayern Munich legend, just Toni Kroos alone—he would become Real Madrid's midfield core and a key contributor to multiple Champions League titles. The absolute core of the 2014 World Cup‑winning team! How could such a player be underestimated?
Jin Hayes was approaching this final with the utmost seriousness. The moment Kroos moved, Jin Hayes followed, closing down Kroos's turning space and attempting to block his passing lanes. The anticipation technique taught by Arsenal stalwart Gilberto Silva was still being used by Jin Hayes. He carefully read Kroos's footwork, relying on his ball sense to predict the opponent's next move.
"A feint, moving right to get away?"
Jin Hayes wasn't fooled by Kroos's shoulder drop; instead, he intentionally gave Kroos space, shifted his weight early, and then suddenly moved right to intercept. If his prediction was correct, Kroos would turn at the same time, only to be blocked by Jin Hayes for a steal.
But the moment Kroos dragged the ball and turned, his body turned, but the ball was suddenly passed out!
"What?!"
Damn it! By the time Jin Hayes was ready to grab Kroos, the guy had already slipped away! And his teammate delivered a timely through ball! A wall pass! In the confrontation between Toni Kroos and Jin Hayes, Kroos actually gained a slight advantage! By the time Jin Hayes gritted his teeth and accelerated, even using his speed talent—Limit Overload—to rush up, Kroos had already completed a long pass in the first instance! Directly finding Kießling in the attacking third!
"Interesting!"
Klopp's eyes lit up from the dugout. Toni Kroos's thinking was very clear! Jin Hayes was not a defensive midfielder, but he had excellent physical qualities and a good success rate in interceptions through anticipation. He could often unexpectedly win the ball and launch attacks directly from the front. Toni Kroos must have studied Jin Hayes's characteristics, pretending to go 1v1 with Jin Hayes, but actually using passing to bypass Jin Hayes's position. His precise long passes could also quickly find weak defensive areas and create threats!
Sure enough, tall striker Kießling headed the ball back in the attacking third, and Vidal chest‑trapped the ball, shaking off Gündoğan, and dribbled towards the penalty area.
"Vidal!! A dangerous attack from Bayer Leverkusen just minutes into the game!!"
"Beautiful!! Vidal spreads it wide!"
"Augusto—a cross!!"
"Stefan Kießling!!!"
Kießling's header in front of goal almost gave Borussia Dortmund a cold sweat. Since the Champions League semi‑final against Barça, Borussia Dortmund hadn't felt such a threat for half a month. Bayer Leverkusen today was a strong opponent! Fortunately, Kießling's header ultimately went over the crossbar; otherwise, Borussia Dortmund would have been punished by the very Blitzkrieg they were known for.
"They've got something! This Toni Kroos, do we have a chance?"
"Don't even think about it."
Krawietz poured cold water on the idea.
"He's a Bayern youth product; these two years are a loan period. Once a spot opens up in Bayern's midfield, he'll definitely go back to Bayern. Even if he himself wanted to stay, Bayern wouldn't let him go. He's their future—"
Klopp roughly interrupted him before he could finish.
"Alright, alright, say no more."
"You asked for it yourself."
Krawietz looked very wronged.
After Bayer Leverkusen's early assertiveness, Borussia Dortmund also became cautious. Neither side excelled at positional play but rather at quick attacks, using numerical superiority in the attacking third to catch opponents off guard. Two masters, both skilled in quick swordsmanship, became more composed when facing each other. Because everyone knew that a moment's carelessness could lead to a fatal blow from the opponent's swift sword; one had to be absolutely sure to deliver a killing blow. Otherwise, the opponent would seize the weakness.
For a time, both sides engaged in a midfield battle. When Bayer Leverkusen had possession, Dortmund pressed high to intercept. When Borussia Dortmund had possession, Bayer Leverkusen didn't retreat into their penalty area but engaged in fierce midfield pressing, using their midfield depth to restrict the space for Borussia Dortmund's midfield trio. The two sides were deadlocked.
"As expected, finals rarely have dull moments; both teams are quite cautious."
"A decisive battle where one mistake could lead to regret."
In Borussia Dortmund's midfield, Gündoğan's brain was already starting to feel numb. His lips and hands began to tremble unconsciously, and his feet seemed to be unresponsive. A Bayer Leverkusen attack failed, with Subotić intercepting the ball and passing it to Hummels. Hummels, as per tactical requirements, passed it to midfield pivot Gündoğan. Jin Hayes had already started to make runs; Gündoğan only needed to through‑pass to Jin Hayes and let him create freely.
"Hey! Brother!"
As Hummels passed, his heart suddenly tightened. Vidal and Toni Kroos immediately closed in for a double‑team! If it were Nuri Şahin, he might have handled it calmly, whether dribbling or passing back, with foresight. But Gündoğan had been slightly distracted just now, and Hummels' reminder instantly made him nervous. With two strong men closing in, Gündoğan's footwork became distorted, and his first touch carried the ball two metres away!
"Gracias."
Vidal, the ball‑winner, smiled slightly, said "thank you" in Spanish to Gündoğan, and charged forward with the ball. Kehl came to intercept, but Vidal chose to pass it across. Suddenly, Bayer Leverkusen's number 8 took a shot directly from 28 metres out!
"That confident?"
Jin Hayes had just made an attacking run; by the time he tracked back, it was too late. Who knew Toni Kroos would be so confident. The young midfielder had taken just one touch to control Vidal's pass, another to set himself, and then unleashed a fierce, dipping drive that arrowed toward goal.
"Toni Kroos!!! A cannon shot!!"
"!!!"
Goalkeeper Weidenfeller flew through the air, stretching every fibre of his body, but unfortunately, he was just a bit short! The ball curled past his outstretched fingertips and crashed into the top corner—unstoppable, inevitable.
"Kroos!! That's a goal!"
"Unbelievable! Bayer Leverkusen played with such resolve!! They scored first in the 19th minute of the match!"
"1‑0!"
The Olympiastadion erupted—Leverkusen's travelling fans in absolute ecstasy, Dortmund's supporters stunned into silence. On the pitch, Kroos was mobbed by his teammates, his face still calm and composed, as if he had expected nothing less.
Facing the conceded goal, the Borussia Dortmund players were a bit stunned. They had thought they were invincible in the Bundesliga, but then they were hit with a wake‑up call. Hummels had his head down, kicking the turf in frustration. Reus stood with his hands on his hips, shaking his head. Gündoğan looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole.
Jin Hayes's mentality, however, was good; he actually preferred a more intense battle. This was a final! A one‑sided thrashing would be too boring. Toni Kroos, Vidal, Kießling, Rolfes—the stronger the opponent, the better!
"The show begins. A goal down, the Bumblebees are the most terrifying team in the world!"