Bonucci had never seen anything like it in his entire career.
A midfielder more than fifty meters away suddenly fixed him with a burning stare—then, without warning, released a through ball.
The ball skimmed low through the air, spinning unpredictably. By the time it dipped and hit the turf, it had already dropped behind him.
Bonucci swung out his left leg in an attempt to intercept, but he was half a beat late. He simply hadn't expected Leo Lin to attempt that kind of pass.
The trajectory was outrageous—so imaginative, so daring—it was unlike any through ball he had ever encountered.
Up front, Isco had beaten the offside trap. Just as he reached the space behind Bonucci, the ball arrived perfectly at his feet.
He cushioned it with the instep of his left foot, took one touch inside to open the angle.
One-on-one.
Facing Buffon, Isco calmly slid the ball into the left side of the net.
Goal.
"GOAL!!!!!!!!!!"
Casillas jumped to his feet, hands on his head.
"It's not the finish that shocks me—it's the pass!"
"Lin's through ball skimmed through like a guided missile, splitting two Italian defensive lines!"
"He delivered that ball to Isco in a way that bordered on impossible!"
"You could give me a thousand attempts and I'd never imagine that pass!"
"But Lin saw it—and he played it!"
After scoring, even Isco looked stunned. He ran toward Leo Lin with his hands on his head, then dropped to one knee in front of him. Leo Lin placed his right foot forward, and the two performed the classic shoe-shining celebration.
The entire stadium stood frozen in disbelief.
In the ESPN booth, Derek Rae was still marveling.
"That is the finest assist I've seen all season."
"One pass cut through the entirety of Italy's defense—as if it had been calculated down to the millimeter."
"The weight, the placement, the vision. All Isco had to do was finish. And that's a one-on-one he never misses."
"Just moments into the second half—Spain take the lead!"
"One–nil!"
Across live chats, fans erupted.
"Lin finds passing lanes better than my girlfriend finds my hidden cash!"
"One word: strong! Two words: insanely strong! Three words: ridiculously, outrageously strong!!!"
"That's genius-level vision. I still can't see that passing lane even in the replay!"
On the touchline, Lopetegui hugged his assistant in celebration. On the pitch, Spanish players rose and chanted Leo Lin's name.
"Lin!!!"
...
The applause refused to die down.
Leo Lin stood there, slightly dazed. He had never imagined receiving such overwhelming support from Spanish fans.
63rd minute.
"Leo Lin drops deeper to collect, then plays a short diagonal ball to the right."
"The Spanish fans still haven't stopped cheering. This is their recognition of his national team debut. They absolutely adore this young man."
"Leo Lin has brought new life into Spain's midfield. And the fans won't forget it."
Time ticked away.
A goal behind, Italy pushed forward more aggressively. But as a side built around Defensive Counter, they looked less convincing when forced into sustained positional attacks.
Leo Lin's role became crucial.
Whenever Verratti carried the ball forward, Leo Lin closed him down immediately, forcing him to release it to De Rossi.
And Leo Lin deliberately allowed De Rossi to advance.
He knew De Rossi wasn't the one who could orchestrate Italy's attacks.
Leo Lin contained Verratti, left De Rossi to Busquets, and Busquets controlled him from the holding midfield area.
Spain created a perfectly structured defensive imbalance.
Italy were gradually pushed into a corner. At one point, they even struggled to regain possession.
Spanish fans watched in near disbelief. It had been a long time since they had seen their national team exert such dominance.
80th minute.
Italy made two substitutions—taking off a midfielder and a full-back, sending on two strikers. A clear gamble.
Their approach shifted immediately to long balls.
From midfield and defense, they launched direct passes into Spain's penalty area, hoping to win aerial duels and force second balls.
But they quickly discovered something.
Whether it was Sergio Ramos, Piqué, or Leo Lin dropping deep to help defend—these three weren't just tall and powerful. Their clearances were impeccable.
Leo Lin knew his heading still needed work, so he focused on ground interceptions, while Ramos and Piqué handled the aerial battles.
Italy's attacks were once again neutralized.
"What makes Spain so dangerous now is their adaptability. They're not locked into a single way of playing."
"I'm more excited than ever for the upcoming World Cup. Spain will absolutely be among the favorites."
The clock reached the 93rd minute. Stoppage time was over.
De Rossi launched one final long ball, but Ramos rose highest and headed it clear.
The referee blew the final whistle.
"It's over!"
"In the final match of the European World Cup qualifiers, Spain defeat Italy 1–0, secure top spot in the group, and book their place in the World Cup!"
"With Leo Lin in the lineup, Spain displayed greater attacking firepower and control—especially in midfield, which has finally come alive again!"
At the final whistle, Lopetegui rushed onto the pitch and embraced Leo Lin.
Spanish players lined up to slap his hands in celebration.
On the broadcast graphic in the lower corner: Man of the Match.
Leo Lin.
His first senior call-up. His first senior appearance.
And already, the standout performer.
...
Back in the locker room, the team gathered around him in celebration. Lopetegui handed him the match ball.
"Gentlemen, that was a perfect victory. You showed tremendous control."
"But save your loudest applause for our young Leo Lin."
"He deserves every bit of it."
Sergio Ramos started the chanting. The players surrounded Leo Lin, jumping and singing, dancing to their victory song.
Leo Lin stood in the center, smiling brightly.
On social media, Spanish fans flooded every platform.
Searches related to Leo Lin's senior debut broke past one hundred million.
Within three hours, more than a million posts had been made—over ninety percent praising his performance.
...
It was past eleven at night.
Leo Lin scrolled through his phone, not even sure how long he had been doing so.
Every message of support from Spanish fans, every gesture of encouragement from his teammates—it wrapped around his heart like warmth.
After a long while, he went upstairs and sat on the balcony.
The night breeze brushed his face. The coffee in his cup rippled slightly, but hardly diminished.
He unlocked his phone.
Spanish fans had created a perfect atmosphere for his debut.
He felt he owed them something.
He began typing.
To All Who Support Me.
"Today's support truly moved me. I never imagined I would receive such passionate backing from Spanish fans."
"To the fans who came to the stadium or stayed up to watch the broadcast—thank you. I'm sorry I didn't have time to sign autographs or speak properly with you today, but I believe we'll have more chances."
"Making my first senior appearance today is a milestone in my life. I'm satisfied with my performance and with the team's."
"The Leo Lin who once saw no future in Chinese youth training, who struggled in Everton's academy, who felt lost after leaving Castilla—he has grown into a true professional."
"I've always been someone who hesitates."
"I hesitate over decisions big and small."
"I hesitate over what takeout to order. I hesitate over how hot the shower water should be. Whenever it's time to decide, I hesitate."
"But standing where I am today, I've realized something."
"Only by having the courage to believe in yourself can you reach your goal."
"So, friends—"
"Don't waste time hesitating."
"Find the courage to believe in yourself, and let your life bloom."