With Reus's return to the German Team, Löw gained another happy problem.
That was, who should start as left winger, Reus or Mark Lane?
Of course, besides Reus and Mark Lane, Götze, Özil, Schürrle, and Draxler could also play left winger.
However, after the Brazil World Cup, these four players' pecking order for the left wing position had to be slightly adjusted. Ultimately, considering Mark Lane's equally excellent performance on the right wing and the tactical idea of attacking from both flanks, Löw still chose Reus to start as the left winger, letting Mark Lane play on the right wing.
After all, Reus was the Bundesliga's best player last season.
When healthy, he was the German Team's most trustworthy choice for the left flank!
However, with Reus starting, the German Team's main attacking direction focused on the left flank.
Although Reus's off-ball movement was very elusive, he always operated in the half-spaces.
But from a role perspective, he was also a winger who needed to dribble and break through with the ball.
Therefore, when the German Team's main offensive efforts were concentrated on the left, Mark Lane on the right had no possession to speak of.
However, Mark Lane had no complaints, only creating space for his teammates by making runs.
Of course, this would inevitably make his threat relatively smaller.
In terms of individual explosive ability, Mark Lane was clearly a tier above Reus.
However, Reus's off-ball movement was better, and he possessed a long-range shot.
Therefore, in the first half, the German Team mainly launched attacks from the left.
Utilizing Kroos's precise passing and quick give-and-go combinations with Reus, they repeatedly threatened Argentina's right flank.
However, despite having many attacking opportunities, the German Team's weak defense couldn't prevent conceding goals.
In the twenty-seventh minute of the first half, the deadlock was broken!
Argentina completed a steal in midfield and passed the ball to Di María on the left.
The latter quickly advanced with the ball, dribbled past left-back Drmic on the flank, and then delivered a low cross, precisely finding Aguero who had made a run into position.
"Goal!"
"Aguero scores the first goal of the match for Argentina!"
"Assisted by Ángel Di María!"
With just a simple and direct counter-attack, Argentina broke through the German Team's goal.
Di María used his incisive dribbling to provide a deadly assist for Aguero.
At the same time, he also announced to the German Team and the world that even without Messi, he could still carry Argentina!
And while Di María was displaying the strength of a de facto 'vice-Ballon d'Or' contender, Mark Lane was also trying to adapt to a role with less possession.
Previously, whether at Wolfsburg or with the German Team, he was the team's explosive player, enjoying ample possession.
However, Reus's return significantly reduced his possession.
In the first twenty-plus minutes of the game, he had only ten touches, eight of which were passes.
This change in role made Mark Lane a bit unaccustomed to it for a while.
However, he didn't see it as a problem.
Instead, he continued to make off-ball runs, create space, and wait for opportunities to arise.
Indeed, opportunities are for those who are prepared!
As Reus's breakthrough on the left was thwarted and he was double-teamed, making it difficult to penetrate the defense, Kroos, the central playmaker, also began to shift the direction of attack.
In the thirty-fifth minute, Reus received the ball on the left, was double-teamed, and had to pass the ball back.
Left-back Drmic immediately passed the ball to Kroos, who, after receiving and turning, delivered a low, outside-of-the-foot pass to Mark Lane, who was relatively open on the right.
Facing the physically strong left-back Rojo, Mark Lane showed no mercy, directly taking the ball forward.
He first slowed down, then suddenly accelerated, performed a step-over, feigning a breakthrough to the left, but at the instant Rojo's body weight shifted slightly, he easily flicked the ball outwards with the top of his right foot, gliding past him!
Then, with an accelerating dribble, he left Rojo behind!
"Well done!"
"That's it!"
"A clean and crisp dribble!"
As his physical qualities improved, Mark Lane's dribbling became increasingly similar to Ronaldinho in his prime, being both spectacular and incredibly practical, with more realistic changes in rhythm and feints that made him impossible to defend against in an instant.
After getting past Rojo, Mark Lane looked up to observe his teammates' runs and immediately sent a high cross!
The ball traced a beautiful arc through the air, perfectly bypassing the central defender Fernández at the near post.
Amidst the cheers of all the German fans, Gómez, inside the penalty area, outjumped Demichelis and headed the ball into the net!
"Goal!"
"Germany scores their first goal of the match!"
"The scorer is Mario~~~ Gómez!"
"At a critical moment, with Klose fading from the National Team, Gómez stepped up and carried the offensive banner for the team!"
"The assist was provided by Mark Lane!"
With De Bruyne's personal guidance, Mark Lane believed his crossing technique had reached 50% of Teacher Ding's skill.
After scoring, Gómez also excitedly ran towards the corner flag, punching the innocent corner flag.
For Gómez, not being able to lift the world cup trophy with the team in Brazil was a lifelong regret.
This goal was a release, and even more, a statement:
In the post-Klose era, only I, Gómez, can bear the banner of the center forward!
After celebrating, he didn't forget to point with both hands at Mark Lane, who was running over, smiling in acknowledgment.
"Mark Lane, what a beautiful cross!"
"You headed that so well!"
Seeing Mark Lane's cross result in an assist, Löw on the sidelines also applauded his disciple.
The two-wing attack tactic was precisely meant to achieve this effect!
If the left side couldn't open up play, then they would attack from the right.
As long as one side could take flight, that would be enough!
In the first half, the score was tied at one-all.
In the second half, after the teams switched sides, Gómez was substituted, and Mark Lane was also substituted.
Götze and Schürrle were brought on.
After all, it was just a friendly match; training and regaining form were the priorities.
As for winning or losing, it was actually important too.
Then, within the next forty-five minutes, Germany suffered a double blow from Argentina.
Drmic's left flank was heavily targeted by the opponent, with virtually no ability to retaliate!
Ultimately, Di María completed one goal and two assists, leading Argentina to a three-to-one victory over the German Team, avenging their World Cup final defeat!
This match also left many media outlets concerned about the future of the German Team's defense.
With Lahm and Mertesacker having retired from the National Team, and Jérôme Boateng and Hummels absent due to injury, the performances of young players Ginter and Drmic on the field did not bring him any surprises.
However, Rudy, who came on as a substitute, performed quite well.
Nevertheless, what brought some comfort to the fans was the future of the team's attacking line!
Because this match was not only the German Team's first game after winning the World Cup, but also Mark Lane's tenth National Team appearance!
And in the ten games he played for the German Team, he scored an astonishing eight goals and provided four assists!
A goal contribution of more than one goal per game!
This scoring efficiency was stronger than Gómez, and even stronger than Klose!
With a forward hope like Mark Lane, they wouldn't have to worry about the team not scoring goals..
A few days later, the German Team faced their first match of the 2016 European Cup qualifiers at the same stadium!
The 2016 European Cup qualifiers were divided into nine groups. The top two teams from each group, one best third-placed team, and host France directly qualified for the finals. The remaining eight third-placed teams would play in playoffs to compete for the last four spots in the finals.
The newly crowned World Cup champions, the German Team, were drawn into Group D.
Their group opponents included Scotland, Poland, Ireland, Georgia, and Gibraltar.
In this group, the German Team stood out, with virtually no one threatening their qualification spot.
However, in their first match against Scotland, the German Team won somewhat arduously.
Although Klose had retired from the National Team, the team still had "Klose's successor" Gómez as a serviceable center forward.
However, with Lahm's retirement from the National Team, choosing a starting right-back became somewhat difficult.
In the previous friendly against Argentina, "Big Cross" Großkreutz, playing as an auxiliary right-back, was completely toyed with by Di María, like a clumsy wooden stake.
And in this match against Scotland, Löw chose Hoffenheim's defensive midfielder Rudy to play as an auxiliary right-back.
However, the right flank defended by Rudy became Scotland's attacking breakthrough point.
Although the German Team ultimately secured an opening victory in the European Cup qualifiers at home, thanks to goals from Mark Lane and Reus.
However, in terms of the game's flow, the German Team did not have a significant advantage.
As world champions, finding it so difficult to beat Scotland left both the media and fans somewhat displeased.
Nevertheless, Mark Lane, who contributed one assist and one goal in the two matches, also received unanimous praise from the media.
The usually neutral and relatively rigorous Bild also wrote an article praising this great German star: "This young man, who will only turn nineteen in October, has already become the most stable offensive output for this German Team."
"His elegant footwork on the field is as delightful as that of a principal dancer from the Hamburg Ballet, a feast for the eyes."
"You always ask, after Klose, who can carry the offensive banner of the German Team?"
"I will answer you with one name—Mark Lane!"
After the European Cup qualifier against Scotland, Mark Lane also received the Fritz Walter U18 Gold Medal from the German Football Association at their headquarters.
During the award ceremony, he appeared wearing a T-shirt and baseball cap from his personal brand.
Later that day, Mark Lane also posted a short video on his social media account, announcing the upcoming launch of his personal brand... and stated that he would draw ten lucky winners in the comments section to receive signed baseball caps and T-shirts from him!
And he would make a donation to a children's welfare foundation in the names of these ten fans!
With the release of this news, the comments section exploded: "Wow, a baseball cap just like Mark Lane's!"
"I want to buy it!"
"So the T-shirt Mark Lane wore when he received his award was from his personal brand?!"
"He's promoting his brand while also doing charity, he really... I'm so touched I could cry..."
With the likes and comments, Mark Lane's personal brand website was suddenly flooded with a huge number of visitors.
It almost crashed the server!
With the advancement of technology and the development of the times, the influence of the internet has become increasingly powerful.
German young people spend an average of five hours a day on social media accounts.
As the most dazzling rising star in German football, with a Hollywood-like appearance and a flamboyant and elegant playing style, Mark Lane naturally became an idol for German youth.
His every move captured the hearts of millions of German teenagers.
This situation was even more popular than Götze at Dortmund!
No other reason, Mark Lane understood the power of social media better than Götze, and also understood the many benefits of using social media for him.
Therefore, he posted almost before and after every match, interacting with fans.
As a result, his connection with fans was very close; fans regarded him as their idol, role model, and even friend!
September 8th.
As soon as Mark Lane's personal brand launched, it became an object of eager purchase for fans and followers.
The pre-prepared stock of ten thousand baseball caps and ten thousand T-shirts sold out within just one hour!
And the number of orders from all over the country soared like a rocket!
Ten thousand... twenty thousand... forty thousand... Coincidentally, such a frantic buying phenomenon was the second time this year.
The previous time was when Mark Lane's Wolfsburg number ten jersey was officially put on sale!
Both football newspapers and tabloid media began reporting on this grand event.
And Sport Bild called this phenomenon, which triggered a massive buying spree, the "Mark Lane Effect!"
In fact, although German football places great emphasis on collectivism, it has not been without superstars.
The first generation of superstars was, of course, Beckenbauer.
Next was Klinsmann, known as the "Golden Bomber."
In the 21st century's era of television media, Klose's gradual growth allowed German fans to experience the joy of a "developmental star."
And then, there was the sudden emergence of "Super Mario" Götze!
But what no one expected was that in the summer heat of Brazil, a black-haired, blue-eyed teenager suddenly entered their field of vision.
And with his elegant footwork on the field and brilliant smile, he instantly captured their hearts!
Especially after that incredibly beautiful arc soared through the Maracanã Stadium, the eighteen-year-old Mark Lane became a hero for the Germans, and even the pride of the entire nation.
For a time, the popularity of this black-haired teenager in German football was unmatched!
With his goal and assist in the Bundesliga opening match of the new season, Mark Lane further dispelled many people's doubts.
German football had produced many young talents.
Bobic, Deisler, Scholl, Ricken, all once brought fond memories to German football and its fans.
However, none rose as quickly and as impressively as Mark Lane.
At eighteen, he became the world cup golden boot winner, and in the final, he won the world cup trophy for his country with a stunning free-kick!
Most importantly, he defeated Messi, who was just one step away from being crowned king.
This world is eager to hear stories of early fame.
And Mark Lane is the protagonist of just such a story of early fame...
.......
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