England's Greatest

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Thiago Silva held his ground like a veteran who had seen it all. As England's attack built momentum, he stepped in with a perfectly timed clearance, sending the ball out of the danger zone. The roar of approval from the Brazilian fans rippled through the stadium.

Silva wasted no time. He turned sharply, his voice cutting through the noise:

"Maicon! Keep your head in the game! Don't let him get past you so easily!"

Maicon raised a hand in acknowledgment without looking back. His response came in action rather than words, quickly closing down Vardy at the sideline to stop a hurried throw-in. It was just enough to give Brazil a moment to reset.

Meanwhile, Silva scanned the pitch, his gestures directing teammates into position. England wasn't going to let up easily, though. Leighton Baines approached, the ball under his control, before delivering a curling cross into the penalty area.

Vardy, quick and aggressive, controlled it with his back to goal. His instinctive touch laid the ball off to Tristan, who paused just long enough to evaluate his options. With Brazil's defenders regrouping in front of him, Tristan resisted the urge to force a cross and calmly rolled the ball backward to reset the play.

The Brazilian line instinctively stepped up to press, compressing the field. This slight forward movement created an opening, and Tristan spotted it immediately.

Without hesitation, he played a perfectly measured diagonal pass over Maicon's head, targeting the space behind him.

"Tristan with the long ball! Look at that vision," the first commentator remarked.

"Now it's Vardy against Maicon—who gets there first?" the second commentator asked, as the two players sprinted toward the ball.

Vardy's explosive pace saw him reach the pass just ahead of Maicon. A quick glance up confirmed his options were limited. Sturridge was tightly marked by David Luiz, leaving Vardy with no easy out.

He decided to cut inside, pushing the ball onto his right foot to drive into the box.

Just as he shaped to make his next move, Thiago Silva read the play like a seasoned book. Anticipating the shift, Silva stepped across Vardy's path and executed a clean, precise tackle, nicking the ball away without hesitation.

"Thiago Silva again!" the first commentator exclaimed. "He's been absolutely outstanding tonight!"

"That's top-class defending," the second commentator added. "Perfect timing, no fouls, and the danger's gone."

The moment Silva dispossessed Vardy, he sprang into action. Accelerating quickly, he played the ball to Fernandinho, who had dropped back to cover for the retreating defenders. Fernandinho wasted no time, spotting Neymar dropping deeper on the left wing.

With a sharp pass, the ball found Neymar, who took it on the outside of his foot with finesse. In one fluid motion, Neymar performed a Bergkamp-style turn, flicking the ball into space with such speed that Jordan Henderson couldn't even get close enough to challenge him.

"Neymar's on the move!" the first commentator noted. "What a turn—he's left Henderson for dust!"

The crowd erupted as Neymar surged down the wing, Brazil's counterattack in full flow.

Neymar surged down the wing with blistering pace, his touch as silky as ever. But standing between him and open space was England's captain, Steven Gerrard—the final line of defense.

Gerrard waited, eyes locked on the Brazilian star, before timing his move to perfection. With a no-nonsense slide, he swept the ball cleanly but sent Neymar sprawling to the ground. It was a tactical foul, deliberate and calculated to halt Brazil's momentum.

The crowd roared, some in outrage, others in admiration of Gerrard's commitment. Neymar winced, clutching his leg as he lay on the turf. Gerrard, standing over him, glanced down with a look that was part concern, part challenge.

"You alright?" he asked, his voice calm but unyielding, the question more rhetorical than sincere. The intent behind the foul was clear.

Fernandinho sprinted over, fury etched across his face. "You didn't need to go in like that!" he barked, standing chest-to-chest with the English captain.

Gerrard didn't flinch. His expression hardened, and his voice dropped to an almost menacing calm. "This isn't a picnic. It's football. You knew what you signed up for."

Fernandinho's jaw clenched, his anger bubbling over. "That was reckless!" he snapped, stepping forward.

Gerrard met him without hesitation, taking a step of his own. His voice carried a sharp edge as he fired back, "And what are you gonna do about it?"

The air crackled with tension as the two captains squared off, their teams beginning to converge. Before it could escalate, Paulinho darted between them, his hands raised in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

"Enough, both of you!" Paulinho said firmly, turning first to Fernandinho. "Let it go. It's not worth it."

Fernandinho huffed but took a step back, his glare still fixed on Gerrard. As Paulinho gently pushed him away, Fernandinho muttered under his breath, "Lucky it's just a yellow."

Gerrard smirked, his confidence unshaken. "If you think that was hard, maybe this game isn't for you," he shot back, his words laced with challenge.

From midfield, Tristan jogged over, his arms outstretched to separate the players. "Alright, that's enough," he said, his voice steady but firm. "We're here to play football, not settle scores. Let's get on with it."

Fernandinho, still fuming, brushed past Tristan, muttering curses under his breath, while Paulinho ushered him back to Brazil's formation. Gerrard, ever the enforcer, lingered for a moment longer, his fiery gaze locked on Fernandinho as he muttered, "Whenever you're ready, I'll be waiting."

The referee, having seen enough, blew his whistle sharply and strode into the fray. Without hesitation, he pulled out his yellow card, brandishing it toward both Gerrard and Fernandinho.

"Both players booked," the first commentator noted, his voice tinged with anticipation. "This match is starting to boil over."

"Neither man's backing down," the second commentator added. "You can feel the tension out there—it's only going to get hotter from here."

The players slowly returned to their positions, but the intensity on the field remained palpable. Neymar, who had stayed down theatrically after Gerrard's challenge, eventually brushed off the trainers and got to his feet, waving them away. Though he appeared unfazed, his eyes darted around, silently searching for the "culprit" who had sent him sprawling.

As play resumed, England shifted their strategy, targeting Brazil's right flank, where Maicon was visibly struggling to keep up with the relentless pace of Jamie Vardy. It didn't take long for the focus on this area of the pitch to become evident.

Maicon, breathing heavily, was feeling the strain. "I'm fine," he muttered under his breath, willing himself to ignore the ache in his legs. But with every sprint after Vardy, the effort required grew more taxing. He glanced at the clock, silently urging halftime to arrive.

Thiago Silva, always alert and commanding as captain, caught on to Maicon's growing fatigue. "Maicon, are you good?" he called out, his voice carrying over the crowd noise.

Maicon gave a curt nod, though his expression betrayed the struggle. "I'm fine," he repeated, though the frustration in his tone was impossible to miss. He cursed Vardy's endless running. The England forward wasn't just quick—he was persistent, unrelenting, and utterly draining.

From the sideline, Luiz Felipe Scolari saw it too. The Brazilian manager barked instructions to Fernandinho, sending him to help shore up Maicon's side. Fernandinho jogged over, giving Maicon a reassuring pat on the back.

The battle on the right wing defined the closing moments of the half. England pressed hard, trying to capitalize on Brazil's defensive vulnerability, but Brazil dug deep, holding firm.

As the halftime whistle blew, both teams retreated to their dressing rooms with the scoreline 1-0. The first commentator summed up the tension: "This has been a fierce, tactical battle so far. England's targeting Maicon, and Brazil's defending desperately. But you can sense the breakthrough is coming—on either side."

When the teams returned for the second half, Brazil emerged with a renewed sense of purpose. Scolari had adjusted the tactics, instructing his team to focus their play through the middle rather than risking further exposure on the wings. Neymar began drifting inside, combining with Oscar and Paulinho to carve through England's midfield.

"Brazil's taken control early in this half," the second commentator observed. "They've shifted their focus to the center, and Neymar's starting to cause real problems."

Gerrard, wary of his yellow card from the first half, was forced to play more cautiously. This left Tristan, England's young attacking midfielder, with an unexpected defensive burden. Dropping deeper to help cover Neymar's runs, Tristan found himself caught between tracking back and driving the team forward.

"England's tactical switch has pushed Tristan into a deeper role," the first commentator noted. "It's a sacrifice they've had to make, but it's limiting his ability to create chances up front."

Despite his new role, Tristan sought ways to influence the game. Spotting Vardy isolated on the left, he delivered a perfect diagonal pass to stretch Brazil's defense. The ball sailed through the air, landing precisely at Vardy's feet. But Maicon, digging deep into his reserves, matched Vardy's run and forced him wide, nullifying the danger.

"Tristan's vision is immaculate," the second commentator said, "but Vardy just couldn't find a way past Maicon. Credit to the Brazilian defender for holding his ground despite the pressure."

On the other wing, Marcelo mirrored Maicon's efforts, shutting down England's attempts to exploit space. With both flanks neutralized, England's attack grew increasingly one-dimensional, relying on hopeful long balls that the Brazilian defense handled with ease.

Roy Hodgson made his move in the 60th minute, substituting Vardy for Sturridge to add fresh legs and creativity. But even with the change, England struggled to find a way through Brazil's disciplined backline.

And then, in the 65th minute, Brazil struck. Neymar, now operating with complete freedom, drove toward the heart of England's defense. Playing a slick one-two with Oscar, he threaded the ball diagonally to Hulk on the right wing.

"This is dangerous," the first commentator warned as Givanildo controlled the pass with effortless precision. Cutting inside onto his favored left foot, he drew two defenders before slipping the ball to Paulinho, who had ghosted into the box unmarked.

Paulinho didn't hesitate. His first-time strike was a thunderbolt, rifling into the top-right corner of the net, leaving Joe Hart with no chance.

"GOAL!" the second commentator roared. "What a finish from Paulinho! Brazil takes the lead, 2-0! That's a dagger to England's hopes."

The Brazilian players swarmed Paulinho in celebration, the crowd erupting in a deafening roar. For England, the mountain grew steeper, and with less than half an hour remaining, the question wasn't just if they could equalize—but if they could survive.

With Brazil now leading 2-0, the tempo of the game began to shift. The Brazilians, armed with a two-goal cushion, grew more relaxed, no longer pressing as aggressively. England, desperate and with no room for error, threw everything forward in a frantic attempt to claw their way back into the match.

"England's trying to mount a response," the first commentator urged as the ball moved swiftly through midfield, England looking to seize any opportunity to threaten.

Tristan, still positioned in a deeper role, spotted an opening and delivered a precise diagonal pass, splitting Brazil's midfield and finding Sturridge in full stride. The striker took the ball effortlessly, darting toward the box before threading a clever reverse pass back to Tristan, who surged onto it at the edge of the penalty area. Just as he prepared to unleash a shot, Thiago Silva intervened with a perfectly timed sliding tackle.

"What a tackle by Thiago Silva!" the second commentator exclaimed. "But the referee's given it! It's a foul just outside the box—England now has a free kick in a dangerous position."

The moment fell to Gerrard. The veteran midfielder, with years of experience in such high-pressure situations, stepped up as the crowd buzzed with anticipation. The camera zoomed in on his determined face, beads of sweat glistening under the stadium lights.

"This is a massive moment," the first commentator said, his voice thick with tension. "The pressure's on Gerrard to deliver something special here."

Gerrard took his run-up, striking the ball cleanly. It soared over the Brazilian wall, its trajectory perfect—until it smashed off the crossbar with a resounding thud. The collective groan from English fans filled the stadium, despair etched across their faces.

"Unbelievable!" the second commentator cried. "Heartbreak for Gerrard and for England! The crossbar denies them again!"

England's hopes of a comeback were slipping away, but Hodgson wasn't done yet. In a bold move, he made his last twoo substitutions at once, bringing on Lampard and Wilshere to inject fresh energy into the side.

"Hodgson's going for folks, England has no remaining substitutions," the first commentator observed. "This is his last roll of the dice."

The atmosphere shifted as Lampard entered the pitch. For the English fans, this was more than a tactical change; it was a poignant farewell. "This will likely be Lampard's last World Cup appearance," the first commentator said. "Listen to that ovation—what a career he's had for England."

The crowd rose in unison, their applause thunderous, a testament to the midfielder's legacy. Tristan, watching from nearby, couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion as the veteran received his well-earned recognition.

But there was no time to dwell. With just minutes left, England launched one last desperate assault. Tristan, taking matters into his own hands, drove forward with the ball, skipping past Paulinho and Gustavo before releasing a perfectly weighted pass to Wilshere on the overlap. Wilshere whipped in a low cross toward Sturridge, who met it first time, but Julio César reacted brilliantly, diving low to make the save.

"Julio César again!" the second commentator shouted. "What a performance from the Brazilian goalkeeper—he's been unbeatable tonight!"

The save seemed to snuff out England's final spark. Brazil regained control, dictating the tempo with ease. Their passing triangles in midfield frustrated the English players, who were left chasing shadows as the clock ticked down.

In the 80th minute, the game's intensity flared again. Neymar attempted to dazzle Lampard with a series of flashy tricks. But the veteran wasn't impressed. With a crunching challenge, Lampard sent Neymar tumbling to the ground, the Brazilian star writhing in agony.

Scolari, concerned for his star player, immediately substituted Neymar for Ramires. The Brazilian fans, momentarily subdued, erupted into supportive applause as Neymar limped off, his status for the next game suddenly in doubt.

From the sidelines, Tristan watched the drama unfold. Brazil had won this battle, but the question loomed—would Neymar recover in time for their clash with Germany?

Throughout the entire game, he took a beating as that was one of the few ways he could be stopped.

 Would it be enough to prevent the disaster of a 7-1?

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Okay chapter six has been edited and rewritten. Last chapter I said a thousand chapters, some of you guys took it as literally, lmao. The top of the chapter says 51 chapters ahead in Patreon and thats the total number of chapters that story has so far. I wish I had a thousand chapters, lmao. Im writing the newest ones each day one by one.