A high school principal in Shenzhen inspired his students: Learn from the Cape Verdean team's passion and ignite a miracle of comeback.

According to the Southern Metropolis Daily, the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) Affiliated Mingde Senior High School recently held a mobilization meeting for the new senior students' summer self-study program. Lu Jiang, the school's secretary and principal, delivered a passionate speech to all the new senior students on the theme of "2027, Win Our World Cup," comparing their studies to their own "World Cup" and calling on everyone to sprint with all their might starting this summer.

"Our World Cup isn't in the United States, Canada, or Mexico—our World Cup will be held here from June 7th to 9th, 2027." Principal Lu Jiang stated clearly at the outset, pointing out that the name of this "World Cup" is the 2027 academic year. He told the students that their studies will earn them the opportunity to open doors to the world, and hoped that everyone would start "warming up" and exert their efforts from the summer vacation, striving towards their ideals.

Principal Lu Jiang shared five pieces of advice with the students, based on the stories and figures from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.

"Blood must burn bright"—like the Cape Verdean team making their World Cup debut, let's ignite a miracle of comeback with boundless passion. Cape Verde, a West African island nation with a population of just over 500,000, defeated formidable opponents in their first appearance on the World Cup stage. Principal Lu Jiang used this to inspire his students: "If Cape Verde can qualify for the World Cup, why can't you win in your studies?" He shared stories of past students' remarkable achievements: "Making the ordinary extraordinary, the average remarkable, and the excellent even more outstanding"—Primary Lu Jiang set this as the shared goal for the new graduating class.

Be thick-skinned—like Brazilian star Neymar, get up every time you're tackled, and never leave the field. Neymar is the player with the most fouls in World Cup history, yet he has never asked to leave the field. Principal Lu Jiang uses this to warn students that every wrong answer is a "foul," and every failed mock exam is a "being knocked down"—"Studies don't stop until the clock strikes," and the only way out is to get up every time you're knocked down, just like Neymar.

Keep your feet firmly on the ground—like 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, measure the distance to your dreams with every step. As the only player in history to score in six consecutive World Cups, Ronaldo has maintained a monotonous training regimen for twenty years. Principal Lu Jiang reminds students not to plan grand schemes every day, but to break it down into what to do every hour—"There are no 'goals by will' in the World Cup, and there are no 'fantasies of improving grades' in the academic arena."

Be quick-witted—like the Spanish team, win with intelligence, not brute force. Principal Lu Jiang proposed the "Four-Layer Barrel Theory" to guide exam preparation: the "Short Plank Theory" requires maintaining a balanced approach across disciplines; the "Long Plank Theory" encourages cultivating individual strengths; the "Base Plank Theory" emphasizes building a solid foundation in each subject; and the "Whole Barrel Theory" requires breaking down disciplinary barriers and developing comprehensive integration abilities. To this end, the school has established five distinctive development academies: Future Academy, Huiwen Academy, Boya Academy, Olympic Sports Academy, and Sihai Academy, to help students discover their talents and amplify their strengths.

Keep your eyes open—like 39-year-old Messi, see clearly into the distance and keep moving forward. Principal Lu Jiang cited the story of American swimming champion Florence Chadwick—who gave up her challenge just 800 meters from the other side due to fog obscuring her vision, but successfully crossed the river two months later after regaining her composure—to warn students not to let temporary low scores and tedious practice obscure their distant goals.

At the mobilization meeting, Principal Lu Jiang concluded by encouraging all students with Cristiano Ronaldo's words: "I gave it my all, and now I can look back with a clear conscience." He hopes that when the final whistle blows in June 2027, every student can close their pen and walk out of the examination room, saying to themselves—"I won the 2027 World Cup!"