Boys in red-and-black kits were numerous around the field, each of them showed the face and the spirit of youth which we look up to when we grow old. Coach Ernesto Vecchio stood at the center, clipboard in hand, his whistle sounding like a promise of pain.
"Leo and Mateo!" he said as they jogged up, dropping their bags. "From tomorrow a new decade will welcome us. I have high expectations for both of you and for them to be fulfilled you need to train hard. Now go and do the morning warm up with others. Run 10 Laps around the field with the ball."
The twins fell into line with the pack, feet marching around the field like soldiers ready for war. Mateo's Stamina held steady, He knew that to become a good player starts with getting more minutes on the field and to do that you need to have loads and loads of stamina.
Messi maintained his own speed ahead from others, his form a whisper of what's to come: low center of gravity, ball glued to his instep even in thought.
By lap five, the group strung out, and Mateo was nor at the front and nor at the back, he was blended effortlessly in the crowd running at his own pace.
Drills blurred into focus: All under Ernesto's attentive glare.
First it focused on passing drills. Mateo had clear determination, he knew that to get into Barca's La Masia he will need to master this skill. As the philosophy behind La Masia uses Tiki Taka playstyle which can not be used by a player who doesn't have good short passing ability.
He pushed beyond his limits and tried his best to maintain accuracy under pressure from the defenders in front of him.
"Not bad, Mateo" Ernesto grunted, scribbling notes. "You are passing more accurately then you had ever before, now focus on doing this not inconsistently but doing it on a regular basis."
Mateo caught Messi's eye from across the circle, a small nod which meant approval and curiosity. "You never passed like this before, what led to this change" Messi said later, during water break, wiping sweat with his sleeve.
Mateo shrugged, heart steady. "It is inspired from you only. To become better I need to learn from a genius like you."
Messi replied "I am not a genius right now, I need to improve more before I can take on the title of a genius."
Scrimmage came as the day went on. Mateo and Leo were put in the same team, coach knew that there bond could help them in the game.
The match started with the opposite team kicking the ball to there defense from the center of the field, both Leo and Mateo pressed the opposing team immediately.
As Mateo and Leo applied sudden pressure on the opposition, the player who had the ball under his control before was now not so comfortable, he under pressure passed a lethargy ball to a player on his left. Mateo intercepted it, and looked up the field to observe.
As soon as Mateo stole the ball from the opposition, Leo drifted into free piece to the right and continued his run, Mateo spot him and passed the ball to him, the ball dropped perfectly at Leo's foot which helped Leo's run flawlessly.
On seeing an opposition defensive midfielder coming up to pressure him.
Messi feinted left and as soon as the defensive midfielder thought Messi would move to his left and moved his own body. Leo using his instep of left foot first deflected the ball to the right side, he fooled the defender using faints and continued his run.
Mateo did not stop his run after making that pass to Leo. He tried to use his vision and spotted a gap between the central defenders and looked into Messi eyes.
Messi also took note of the gap and understood Mateo's meaning. Messi played a perfect through pass that left both the center-backs confused. They were in a dilemma that whether they should try to intercept the pass or chase back to defend Mateo.
Finally one boy took control of his thoughts and tried to slid into the ball path's to intercept but Messi already expected this scenario and made not a normal through pass but a curved through pass which left the efforts of the center-back to dust.
The ball skillfully found the foot of Mateo and then was brought to speed once again as Mateo now one on one against the opposition goalkeeper continued his run.
Mateo first attracted the charge of the goalkeeper then feinted a fake shot which fooled the goalkeeper who had made a diving efforts, Mateo then beat the goalkeeper and ran with the ball towards goal and he ran with the ball into the goalpost.
Messi and Mateo's teammates were shock to see the play that unfolded in front of there eyes. It was not a play that was often played. This play purely was generated by the connection of Messi and Mateo, which broke the defense of the opposition team completely.
Messi after seeing Mateo skillfully dribble past against the goalkeeper, ran towards Mateo. Mateo after scoring the goal also ran towards Messi and as he reached Messi he extended his hand for a high five from Messi who did it with renowned passion.
Coach Ernesto on the sidelines noticed the play from the start, and was in a state of trance, he knew that Messi was god gifted talent in football. Mateo did not have what it took to become a professional player in the top leagues.
But also knowing the relation between Messi and Mateo, would try to push Mateo to improve further from the level he had before.
But the goal that was scored just now started from Mateo's interception and then from the connection that was shown by the twin brother, which rendered the opposition's defense completely ineffective against them.