Although the goalkeepers had been outfitted with the latest defensive gear, Cao Baming himself felt a pang of unease and held back some of his strength.
For these past few days, he hadn't dared to shoot with full power, as he didn't want to injure his own goalkeeper. If the keeper got hurt, he would be the one to suffer.
But the real match was fast approaching. Their next opponent was Leicester City, a bitter rival they had a long-standing feud with.
The team had lost to them last season, enduring a period of intense public criticism. Though they had eventually avenged that loss, the scar it left on their hearts could never be erased.
Before the match, Arteta announced the starting lineup: Messi and Cao Baming would lead, with Vinícius and Nelson forming the attacking duo, and Henry on the bench.
Arteta's intention was to save Henry's energy for the World Cup. This had been discussed and agreed upon by the two of them a few days prior. After all, Henry was the senior player, and deserved respect.
Even Cao Baming and Messi had discussed coming off the field early in this match, provided the scoreline allowed for it.
With the World Cup drawing nearer, no one wanted to risk injury or excessive fatigue. Every minute spent on the field increased the probability of getting hurt.
As loyal fans, they certainly didn't want to see this happen, so understanding their early substitution was easy.
To the outside world, this clearly signaled underestimation, as if Arsenal believed Leicester City wasn't worth their full effort.
The announcement of the squad list was met with considerable controversy.
Why wasn't Henry, who had no injuries, given a starting position?
Amidst this clamor and outcry, Vinícius suffered the most.
Poor Vini Jr., not a word was spoken for him, yet he became the villain preventing Henry from playing!
Despite the fierce arguments before the match, the fans were much quieter on game day.
The match was as tense and exciting as ever, with four goals scored in the first half alone.
And this was without Henry on the field!
Regardless of which side they had taken in the previous debates, all the fans cheered when Cao Baming scored.
Of the first three goals, one was scored by Messi, and the other two by Vinícius and Nelson. It was only for the final goal that Cao Baming finally had his chance to score!
Cao Baming maintained a high level of performance, delivering a phenomenal display for all the fans and spectators in the first half.
Although he didn't score the first three goals himself, he provided an assist for all of them!
In the final minute of the first half, Cao Baming's world-class strike from the edge of the box was the most beautiful and spectacular shot of the entire half.
The match truly reached its climax at this point!
Cao Baming's eyes sparkled as he looked at the frenzied fans on the sidelines. A thought suddenly struck him.
Those great football superstars, they each had a signature celebration after scoring.
But he himself hadn't even had a chance to properly research this. Every time he scored, he just casually waved his hand.
He wasn't quite a king of football yet, but at least he was a star. Without a proper celebration, how could he manage?
He couldn't have a different one every time, or his fans wouldn't remember him!
While celebrating on the field, Cao Baming made a silent decision in his heart: after this match, he would do some research and decide on a consistent celebration for his future goals.
He was overjoyed after scoring and embraced his teammates.
However, Cao Baming's own concerns were completely unfounded in the eyes of the fans.
For a long time, fans who truly understood Arsenal and Cao Baming had already noticed a recurring pattern in his celebrations.
Even he, perhaps unknowingly, had established a calm turn as his unique celebration.
He didn't even look at the goal after scoring, his expression serene, followed by an elegant turn – a fluid motion exuding charisma, both graceful and dominant!
It was likely a celebration unique in the football world, as few players could turn away from the goal after scoring.
It was precisely this arrogant and commanding style of performance that drew fans to him, making them like and admire him more and more.
During halftime, the coach briefly reviewed the first half. Everyone felt there was no need to push harder in this match.
Having comfortably scored four goals in the first half to achieve a 4-0 lead, they could play conservatively in the second half and secure the victory.
For them, simply winning this match was enough to meet their goal; they weren't aiming for a blowout. The real focus wasn't on this particular game.
As the second half began, Arteta stood by the sidelines, deep in thought.
Given the current situation, Henry likely wouldn't need to come on.
He glanced back to see Henry already seated in a corner of the bench, intently watching the game, his legs crossed, showing no intention of entering the field.
At this rate, Cao Baming and Messi should also be able to come off soon.
In the 65th minute, Arteta replaced the two stars with two young newcomers from the squad.
These youngsters, who had joined Arsenal only this past summer, hadn't had a chance to play in an official match yet. The reason was none other than their positions overlapping with these two established stars.
As long as Messi and Cao Baming were fit, they would never get a chance to play. They could only blame their own bad luck or poor choice of position.
But today, they finally had their opportunity. Their faces held a look of determination; they believed they could seize this match to prove themselves.
The fans gave a round of enthusiastic applause as Cao Baming and Messi walked off the field.
They understood the true reason for their early substitution: the World Cup!