Cao Baming, on the field, gritted his teeth to endure. Once he stepped off, his injured ankle immediately made him limp.
His coaching staff, especially head coach Li Gang, who had been intently watching Cao Baming, felt heartbroken seeing him like this.
His exceptionally tough physique had been injured by Carlos's wild tackle!
This inevitably stirred an incomparable sense of anger.
Before Cao Baming could even walk off, the team doctor rushed over. Two young male doctors helped him, one on each side, towards the locker room.
This scene was also noticed by observant fans in the stadium, who felt his pain as they watched.
Could it be that in the last ten-plus minutes, Cao Baming had truly been playing through pain?
If the injury was truly severe, just how strong would his willpower have to be to conceal it from external observation?
At this moment, fans of Tang Nation were moved to tears.
If Cao Baming couldn't continue in the second half, the fans would absolutely not blame him. Having followed the Tang Nation team's journey, they were already very satisfied with their current achievements.
Even if reaching the semi-finals was a regret, they couldn't let their idol, the true hero Cao Baming, play on with an injured body!
The fans had already mentally prepared themselves for the worst possible outcome in the second half, because without Cao Baming on the field, facing the unstoppable Samba army, coupled with the already trailing score, the result of the match was predictable.
Soon, Cao Baming was taken to the makeshift diagnostic room behind the team's area, where simple instruments and equipment could be used to examine his injury.
With some of the pressure now off, Cao Baming's face no longer suppressed his pained expression. His teammates standing outside the door looked on with eyes full of emotion.
The team doctor quickly reached a conclusion. While a complete diagnosis of the severity of Cao Baming's strain and bone injury wasn't possible, the preliminary examination was enough to determine one thing: he was absolutely unfit to continue playing.
When the doctor delivered this verdict, Li Gang and the team's management present in the room felt as if a massive boulder had crashed into their hearts.
After a brief two seconds, they finally regained their composure. Though their faces were filled with helplessness and disappointment, they could only nod repeatedly and begin contemplating their strategy for the second half.
Without Cao Baming, any offensive plan would seem like a fantasy. The few pre-prepared tactics for approaching the penalty area could now be put to use.
There was no other option.
However, at this moment, Cao Baming himself suddenly spoke.
"I believe my injury is fine. I can play on the field, at least for the second half, and there won't be any problems."
Before Cao Baming could finish speaking, the doctor shook his head repeatedly. They had seen many patients with such blind confidence in their own bodies.
"The risk is too great!"
But the determined look on Cao Baming's face seemed to say it all.
"Such a simple diagnosis can't possibly reveal the full extent of my injury. I know my own body best, it's not a big problem!"
"Besides, if I can't play in this match, will our Tang Nation team's World Cup dream truly end here after coming this far?"
Cao Baming's simple words left Li Gang and the management behind him speechless.
That was true. They too longed to win this match, and that obsession was not easily suppressed. But without absolute certainty, they did not want to gamble with their player's health.
"Are you sure you're alright in your current condition?"
Facing the doubts of those around him, Cao Baming unhesitatingly got off the bed and performed several casual movements. Basic running and jumping were all within his capability.
Although he was still silently enduring the pain, the system at this moment gave him the confidence to do so. His injury was recovering at an incomprehensible speed, and he believed his body could withstand the second half.
Moreover, what was on Cao Baming's mind was revenge. If he couldn't get revenge in this match, there might not be another chance!
As he once said, "I'm not a vengeful person, because if I have a grievance, I settle it on the spot."
After a period of discussion, everyone, from the medical staff to management and teammates, found themselves unable to persuade him. Cao Baming's tone and gaze unequivocally showed that his mind was made up.
If Li Gang forcibly prevented him from playing, his own position might be precarious.
Ultimately, under these circumstances, Li Gang reluctantly agreed.
"I won't substitute you in the second half, but if any issues arise, you must signal me immediately, and I will make adjustments. You should also believe that your teammates are capable of handling things independently."
As Li Gang said the latter part, even he lacked conviction, his voice gradually fading.
Even he himself didn't believe these so-called teammates could truly handle things independently.
With Cao Baming's initiative, the locker room atmosphere suddenly became lively again. This match wasn't over yet, so why the somber mood?
At this moment, everyone shared a common ideal: to win this match.
If they could defeat this Samba army, seemingly the strongest in the world, then any external criticism would be rendered baseless.
At this moment, fans were still fiercely discussing Cao Baming's injury, while in the Samba team's locker room, everyone was also passionately discussing the same topic.
The Samba team's head coach, Tite, was completely unprepared for Cao Baming's absence, as he felt such a situation didn't require prior planning.
If Cao Baming didn't play in the second half, their tactics wouldn't matter. They would simply let their players play freely, relying on their natural talent to easily crush this Tang Nation team.