The final whistle still echoed in Mateo's ears as he walked off the pitch, drenched in sweat but glowing with adrenaline.
The stadium thundered with applause.Fans stood, clapping not just for the team —but for him.
A new chant started in the stands:
"¡Mateo! ¡Mateo! ¡Mateo!"
It sent shivers down his spine.
As the players congratulated each other, Vincent Kompany pulled Mateo aside.
He looked the young player directly in the eye.
"You did everything I expected," Kompany said, voice steady."And a little more."
He clapped Mateo on the shoulder, a proud but stern gesture.
"Now the hard part begins. Stay humble. Stay hungry."
Mateo nodded, feeling the weight of the words.
He wouldn't let this success get to his head.
He couldn't.
A club official approached, smiling.
"Press conference," he said.
Mateo blinked.
"Me?"
"You're the story tonight, Junge. Come on."
Minutes later, Mateo sat in front of a sea of flashing cameras and buzzing microphones.
The media frenzy had begun.
Questions flew at him:
"How did it feel to debut in the Bundesliga?""Did you expect to make an assist on your first match?""Do you see yourself becoming a regular starter soon?"
Mateo answered calmly.
Simple words.
Respectful tone.
No arrogance.
He praised his teammates.Thanked his coaches.Spoke about working harder every day.
The press, hungry for a controversial statement, got none.
Instead, they found something rarer:
Genuine humility.
After the press conference, as he changed back into street clothes, the System chimed softly:
[Bonus Reward: Public Image Increase +10][Trait Unlocked: "Professional Aura — Level 1"]
Later that night, as he lay on his bed scrolling through his phone, he found the headlines:
"Mateo González: Bayern's New Crown Jewel."
"From Exile to Exaltation: Mateo's Redemption Begins."
"A Young Star is Born at Allianz Arena."
And then, the most unexpected thing:
A private message request.
From none other than Harry Kane himself.
It was short, but powerful:
"Brilliant assist today.You've got it, kid.Let's break records together."
Mateo stared at the message for a long moment,then smiled quietly.
He typed back:
"Thank you, Harry. I won't let you down."
Somewhere deep inside him, a fire roared to life:
This was only the beginning.
He wouldn't just be another young promise.
He would becomeone of the greatest.
No matter how long it took.
No matter how many battles he had to fight.
The world had just seen a glimpse.