As the minutes ticked by, something began to shift inside Mateo.
What at first had felt like drowning —was starting to feel like swimming against a powerful current.
He wasn't controlling the flow yet.
But he was surviving.He was adapting.
Ajax continued to press high, their midfield weaving intricate patterns.
But if you looked carefully —if you waited patiently —tiny cracks began to appear.
Moments when a defender stepped a little too high.When a winger pushed too wide.When the backline stretched for a heartbeat too long.
Mateo's mind sharpened.
"There.""That's the space."
During a Bayern goal kick, he subtly shifted his position —a few meters wider than normal, drawing his marker with him.
The ball sailed forward.
Jasper Vink intercepted it easily — but Mateo had already anticipated it.
He sprinted — full tilt — intercepting a careless second pass meant for Ajax's holding midfielder.
The stadium gasped as he cut through.
Now there was space.
Now there was chaos.
Mateo drove forward, the ball glued to his feet.
He felt a defender charging at his side.
No time for fancy moves.
Instinct.
Simple.
He rolled the ball smoothly past the defender with a soft feint, maintaining his momentum.
Ahead of him, Lukas Müller recognized the moment and started a diagonal sprint toward the box.
Two Ajax defenders scrambled to recover.
Mateo didn't hesitate.
With one quick glance, he slid a perfect through ball between the two defenders —timed to absolute perfection.
Lukas burst past the last line, caught the ball cleanly, and raced toward the goal.
The Ajax goalkeeper rushed out desperately.
Lukas stayed calm —a soft tap past the keeper —GOAL!
The Bayern bench erupted.
The small traveling section of fans cheered wildly.
And on the field, Lukas pointed directly at Mateo as he ran to celebrate.
Mateo stood there for a heartbeat —feeling the roar of the crowd,feeling the surge of his blood,feeling the pure, uncontaminated joy of the moment.
[System Notification:]
Quest Update: "Shine on the International Stage" ✅
Objective Completed: Contribute directly to a goal.
Rewards Unlocked:
1x Intermediate Mystery Box
+5% Reputation Increase (Germany + Netherlands)
He clenched his fists tightly, letting the moment burn into his soul.
He had fought for this.
He had earned this.
As he jogged back to his position, Lukas clapped him hard on the back.
"That was perfect, González," he said, grinning wide.
Mateo just smiled.
Wide.
Proud.
Hungry for more.