Only one day remained.
One day before the entire world would turn its eyes toward Chile,host of the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
One day before Mateo González would finally step onto the international stage —not as a forgotten outcast,but as one of Germany's brightest hopes.
Mateo sat alone in his hotel room,the late afternoon sun casting long golden shadows across the carpet.
In front of him was his tablet,opened to the official tournament website.
The groups were finalized.
The fixtures announced.
The tension was real.
He leaned closer, reading each group's breakdown carefully:
Group A
Chile (Host Nation)
Nigeria (Powerful, athletic team)
France (One of the tournament favorites — technical and lethal)
Japan (Organized, disciplined, relentless)
Mateo underlined: France — a top threat. Their star midfielder, Jules Marceau, was already being scouted by PSG.
Group B
Germany (his team)
USA (Energetic and tactically sharp)
South Korea (Disciplined and counterattack experts)
Egypt (Tough, physical, and unpredictable)
A challenging group. No easy matches. Mateo made a mental note: First survive, then dominate.
Group C
Argentina
Italy
Australia
Ghana
His heart tightened at the sight of Argentina.Their ace striker, Valentín Cabrera, was lethal—fast, ruthless, and determined to make headlines. However, he wasn't part of the friendly matches played when I had my incident with Argentina.
Group D
Brazil
Spain
Austria
South Africa
Two heavyweights: Brazil and Spain.Brazil's wonderkid, Luiz Felipe, was already dubbed the "New Neymar" for his dazzling skills.
Group E
England
Colombia
South Korea
New Zealand
England's golden boy, Oliver Grant, was tipped to be one of the top scorers of the tournament.
Group F
Portugal
Mexico
Uruguay
Iraq
Portugal's midfield engine, Diogo Carvalho, was another to watch — creative, technical, deadly with set pieces.
Mateo sat back, exhaling deeply.
The field was packed with monsters.Future superstars.Relentless dreamers.
"But it doesn't matter," he thought, clenching his fists.
"We go one step at a time.One game at a time.One victory at a time."
The first mission was clear:
Survive the Group Stage.
No mistakes.No overconfidence.
"Focus, Mateo.Earn your place.Earn your destiny."
Inside his mind, the System softly echoed:
[New Temporary Objective Unlocked: Advance Through Group Stage Without Defeat.]Reward: Silver Skill Box + Attribute Boost.
Mateo stood up, stretched his arms toward the ceiling, and smiled grimly.
Tomorrow, it would all begin.
Tomorrow, he would show the world why no betrayal, no lies, no obstacles had ever broken him.
Tomorrow, he would rise higher than ever before.