The stadium in Santiago, Chile, was roaring.
Tens of thousands of fans,flags waving wildly,chants echoing through the crisp South American air.
The U-20 World Cup had begun —and Mateo González Schwarz stood at the edge of the field,hands clenched,heart pounding like a war drum.
Germany's opening match:Germany vs Egypt.
A crucial first step.A step that could define the road ahead.
In the tunnel, Mateo adjusted his jersey one last time, feeling the heavy fabric against his skin.
Next to him stood Lukas, bouncing lightly on his toes.
"You ready, hermano?" Lukas grinned.
Mateo smiled faintly.
"Nervous as hell," he admitted.
Lukas laughed."Good. Means you care."
Behind them, the team captain — a towering center-back named Maximilian Ritter — barked final orders:
"Stay sharp! No stupid risks! Play our game!"
The whistle from the official echoed.
It was time.
As they stepped onto the pitch,the noise hit like a physical force.
Cameras flashed.Commentators shouted into their microphones.
And in the front row of the stands, waving a massive German flag,Mateo caught sight of his mother, his grandparents, and — of course — Klara, who blew him a kiss.
The two teams lined up.
No national anthems were sung today —only handshakes,glares,silent oaths sworn in the soul.
Germany wore their classic white.
Egypt wore red and black, a fierce look of determination across their faces.
Inside Mateo's mind, the System pinged:
[Quest Started: Debut Match — Deliver a Key Impact.]Objective: Goal or Assist.
Reward: Bronze Skill Box.
Mateo exhaled slowly.
"One step at a time," he thought."Let's make it count."
The Match Begins
From the first whistle, Egypt pressed aggressively.
Their midfielders swarmed like hornets,pushing and shoving,breaking Germany's rhythm.
It wasn't pretty.
It was war.
For the first ten minutes, Germany struggled to maintain possession.
The defenders were forced to launch long clearances.The forwards barely touched the ball.
But then, around the 14th minute,Mateo found his moment.
Receiving a pass from Ritter deep in midfield,he spun gracefully around an Egyptian marker,using his Explosive First Step skill to break into space.
The crowd gasped.
It was like a switch flipping.
Germany surged forward, following Mateo's lead.
He slipped a pass into the path of Lukas,who crossed it beautifully into the box.
The striker Weissman rose —header!— off the crossbar!
So close.
Germany started to grow into the game,thanks to Mateo's control of the tempo.
Egypt retreated slightly, wary now of the new danger.
30th Minute
A foul at the edge of the box.Germany earned a free kick.
The captain, Ritter, looked at Mateo.
"Want it?"
Mateo nodded, heart hammering.
He placed the ball carefully,took three steps back,calmed his breathing.
The stadium seemed to fall silent.
He ran up —struck the ball cleanly —
— it curled perfectly around the wall —
— and slammed into the top corner of the net.
GOAL!!!
The crowd erupted!
The commentators lost their minds:
"Mateo González! What a strike! A debut to remember!"
His teammates mobbed him near the corner flag, pulling him into a wild embrace.
Inside his mind, the System pinged brightly:
[Quest Completed: Debut Match — Deliver a Key Impact.]Reward Unlocked: Bronze Skill Box.
Mateo, flushed and laughing, raised his hands to the sky.
This was just the beginning.