Scoring 12 Goals, Breaking the Confederations Cup Record!

When the match ended, Spain had triumphed over Uruguay with a 5-1 victory, thanks to the outstanding performance of the entire team. Lin, who scored two goals and provided an assist, was named the MVP of the match.

Anyone who watched the game would agree that this accolade was well-deserved. His performance on both offense and defense was exemplary. This important match left a deep impression on South American audiences, introducing them to the young Spanish player.

As one of the stars of this Confederations Cup, Brazil's rising star Neymar, after watching Spain's game, felt a fire ignite within him. Determined not to be outdone, he helped Brazil secure a 2-0 victory over Mexico with a goal and an assist two days later.

Despite the seemingly easy win, the game was actually very tense and exciting. Neymar, in top form, scored in the ninth minute, giving the host team an early lead. However, Mexico quickly counterattacked, with Chicharito Hernández scoring in the 14th minute. Unfortunately for Mexico, the goal was disallowed due to an offside call, though replays showed it was a good goal.

Undeterred by the disallowed goal, Mexico continued to press, putting significant pressure on Brazil's defense. To contain the attacks, key defenders Thiago Silva and Dani Alves both received yellow cards. The game remained in suspense until the 90th minute when Neymar assisted a teammate to secure a second goal, finalizing the score at 2:0.

Though Brazil won, they didn't completely dominate Mexico, unlike Spain's comprehensive 5-1 victory over Uruguay. Additionally, Mexico was ranked 14th in the world, significantly lower than Uruguay's fifth-place ranking, indicating a noticeable difference in opponent strength.

This performance raised doubts about Brazil's ability to beat the red-hot Spanish team. Despite winning and securing a spot in the knockout stage, the expectations for Brazil defending their Confederations Cup title dropped, reflected in the betting odds where Spain widened the gap over Brazil. Spain's odds stood at 1.73, while Brazil's were at 2.18, showing bookmakers' preference for Spain.

Despite the doubts, the media still praised Neymar's performance. His back-to-back goals and assists won him many fans. South American players are known for their skillful and flashy play, contrasting with European players. Neymar's flashy style excited fans, while Lin's simple and effective play appealed to a different audience.

Neymar frequently showcased his dribbling and skills, often drawing cheers from the crowd. In contrast, Lin's approach was straightforward, using simple moves and changes in pace to get past defenders. His flashy moves were rare, and he mostly avoided unnecessary tricks.

These different styles meant they attracted different fans. Fans of simplicity didn't appreciate Neymar's flamboyance, while fans of flashy skills found Lin's play dull. However, in football, there's no superior style—only the results matter. The one who wins the Confederations Cup will have the upper hand in their rivalry.

### Four Days Later

After defeating Uruguay, Spain had a four-day break before facing their weakest group opponent, Tahiti. Given the weak opponent, Del Bosque rotated the squad heavily, starting many substitutes. Only Martínez and David Silva from the previous starting lineup remained. Key players, including Lin, sat on the bench.

This rotation allowed players like Torres and Villa to start. Since Lin's arrival, Torres hadn't started a game in a long time and missed his days of leading the attack for Spain. Motivated, Torres showed his best attitude. Within two minutes, he scored, giving Spain a 1-0 lead. In the 15th minute, David Silva scored to make it 2-0. Ten minutes later, Torres scored again, making it 3-0. By the 39th minute, Villa had scored, bringing the score to 4-0. Spain led by four goals before halftime, dominating possession with 88%, 19 shots, and 11 on target, while Tahiti had no shots and just 12% possession.

Tahiti, with a population of 170,000, had only one professional player, the rest being semi-professionals or amateurs. For them, football was more of a hobby. For the world champions, beating such a team was easy. Even conceding a goal would be newsworthy.

Watching their teammates dominate, the Spanish substitutes were relaxed. 

"Are we being too harsh?" 

"Yeah, if this continues, the score might reach double digits!"

"But Torres and the others haven't played in a while. Asking them to hold back isn't fair either."

They all looked at Lin, who shrugged innocently, pointing out that the coach's tactics, not his position, pushed out strikers like Torres. As a "nine-and-a-half," Lin didn't replace traditional forwards, and Spain might still need a striker in the future, giving Torres hope. However, Morata's rapid development might eventually replace Torres.

Second Half

Spain made no changes at halftime. The eager Torres and Villa showed no mercy. In the 49th minute, Villa scored his second goal, making it 5-0. Eight minutes later, Torres completed his hat trick, making it 6-0. Seven minutes later, Villa also completed his hat trick, making it 7-0. Two minutes later, Mata scored from a free kick, making it 8-0. In the 69th minute, Torres scored his fourth goal, bringing the score to 9-0.

"Should we tell them to ease up? I'm worried the opponents will be traumatized!" said the 'kind' Morata, unable to bear watching. The score was approaching double digits with over 20 minutes left.

Hearing this, Del Bosque began making substitutions. Lin replaced Cazorla, Iniesta replaced Mata, and Morata replaced Villa. Del Bosque brought in Lin and Iniesta to warm up for the next match against Nigeria. Although Nigeria wasn't very strong, Spain would still rotate players, with Lin and Iniesta expected to play to ensure results. Veterans like Xavi would stay on the bench unless needed.

Lin took over as midfield commander, with Iniesta moving to Mata's position on the left wing and Morata replacing Villa on the right wing. Morata, equally skilled with both feet, could play any forward position, like Lin, but lacked Lin's vision and couldn't play as a playmaker.

"Lin, pass to me, let me score one!" Morata called, seemingly forgetting his earlier plea for mercy. He found space, better positioned than Torres, and Lin obliged, sending a perfect through ball. Morata accelerated, pushed aside the defender, and blasted the ball into the net.

Standing nearly 190 cm tall, Morata overpowered his 180 cm opponent, who weighed 10 kg less and wasn't used to physical play. Morata's shove resembled a decade-later Haaland's power against defenders, but his opponent was no professional.

After scoring, Morata excitedly ran to Lin, who dodged his hug, pretending not to know him. With the score at 10-0, Tahiti's players still showed no signs of despair. They continued to fight and enjoy the game, having already made history by scoring a goal against Nigeria in their first international tournament.

Their never-give-up spirit and positive attitude earned applause from the crowd. Despite the score, fans enjoyed the game, cheering Tahiti on:

"Score one!"

"Score one!"

Brazilian fans, hoping to see Tahiti score against Spain, rooted for them, aiming to reward their effort and embarrass the world champions. However, their wish was unlikely. With Lin on the field, Spain's control tightened, giving Tahiti no chances.

In the 78th minute, Torres found space, ready to call for the ball, when Lin's pass arrived at his feet. Surprised and pleased, Torres appreciated Lin's skill, scoring his fifth goal after dribbling past the keeper.

Torres, grateful, hugged Lin, saying, "Thanks for the pass, it was perfect!" Since Lin's arrival, Torres had lost his starting spot and felt some resentment. But after receiving Lin's assist, his resentment vanished, acknowledging Lin's superior skills and contribution to the team. Torres was now convinced.

"It's your great positioning!" Lin, unaware of Torres's inner thoughts, complimented him. Though Torres had lost his explosive speed, his experience and awareness remained, qualities Morata still needed to develop.

In the 89th minute, Lin scored his first goal of the game from a free kick, sealing Spain's 12-0 victory over Tahiti, breaking the Confederations Cup record for the largest margin of victory. The previous record was Brazil's 8-2 win over Saudi Arabia in 1999, but Spain doubled that.

Unless another team as weak as Tahiti enters the Confederations Cup, breaking this record will be nearly impossible.