The morning sun barely crept over Munich's skyline when Mateo stood before the gates of Säbener Straße —Bayern Munich's legendary training ground.
He adjusted his backpack nervously, wearing his brand-new Bayern Munich first team tracksuit,the club's crest embroidered proudly over his heart.
"Breathe, Mateo," he told himself.
"You earned this."
He stepped forward, pushing through the entrance into a whole new world.
Inside, the facilities buzzed with quiet energy.
Staff moved briskly, players arrived in luxury cars, and assistants greeted each other as if preparing for battle.
Everywhere he looked — excellence.Professionalism.
A dream carved into reality.
As he entered the main building, a man approached him with a warm smile.
Tall, slim, wearing a Bayern tracksuit with the assistant coach's badge proudly displayed.
"Mateo González, right?" he said, extending his hand.
"I'm René Marić, Assistant Manager.Welcome to the first team, Mateo.We've been following you closely for months."
Mateo shook his hand firmly, trying not to let his nerves show.
"Thank you, sir.It's an honor."
René laughed lightly.
"No need for 'sir'. You're part of the family now.Come — the Boss is waiting for you."
He motioned for Mateo to follow.
They moved down a corridor filled with photographs — legends of Bayern's past staring down from the walls.
Mateo recognized them all.
Beckenbauer.Gerd Müller.Oliver Kahn.Philipp Lahm.Thomas Müller.
"Someday…""Maybe my picture will hang here too," he thought.
René stopped at a large door, tapped it twice, then opened it.
"Coach, he's here," he announced.
From behind a massive desk, a tall, commanding figure stood up.
Broad-shouldered, clean-shaven, intense eyes.
Vincent Kompany.
Former defensive titan.Now head coach of Bayern Munich.
René smiled encouragingly, gave Mateo a pat on the shoulder, and left, closing the door behind him.
Now, it was just Mateo and Kompany.
"Good morning, Mateo," Kompany said, his voice deep but warm."Come in. Sit down."
Mateo obeyed, heart hammering against his ribs.
Kompany leaned forward, arms resting on the desk.
"I've been waiting to meet you properly for months," he said, smiling slightly.
Mateo blinked, surprised.
"Really?"
Kompany nodded.
"When I accepted the coaching role at Bayern last season,one of the first things I did was review our youth pipeline."
"And guess what name kept popping up?" he said, chuckling.
"Mateo González Schwarz."
Mateo swallowed hard.
"I… I didn't know, sir," he said honestly.
Kompany leaned back in his chair, folding his arms thoughtfully.
"You shouldn't be surprised," he said."By the time you were 16, there were already scouts from England, Spain, and Italy asking about you.Your talent is undeniable."
Mateo's hands tightened slightly over his knees.
He knew he was good.
He didn't know he was that good.
"But," Kompany continued, eyes sharp,"I didn't want to rush you.When I arrived, the team needed stabilizing.Integrating a young player like you needed to be done carefully — at the right moment."
He stood up, moving toward a whiteboard pinned with Bayern's tactical formation.
Mateo followed him with his gaze, heart racing.
Kompany pointed at the board.
4-3-3 Formation.
Solid back line.Creative midfield.
He started recognizing names at each position:
GK: Manuel Neuer (Captain, Legend)
CBs: Upamecano, De Ligt
LB and RB: Davies, Mazraoui
Midfield: Kimmich, Goretzka, Musiala
Left Wing: Leroy Sané
Striker: Harry Kane
But then Mateo's eyes widened.
There — at the Right Wing position —was a gap.
No name.Just a blank spot.
Kompany followed his gaze and smiled knowingly.
"We've been rotating a lot of players there," he said."But we're looking for someone to make that position their own."
He turned, facing Mateo fully.
"I didn't call you up just to fill the roster, Mateo."
"I called you up because I believe you can be that someone."
Mateo's throat went dry.
The world seemed to tilt slightly under his feet.
A blank space.
A chance.
A dream.
Kompany walked back to his desk and picked up a folder.
Inside were Mateo's stats, scouting reports, training evaluations.
He flipped it open, showing a photo —Mateo dribbling past five defenders in that legendary U17 match against Leverkusen.
Kompany tapped the photo.
"Talent like this…""It deserves a real stage."
He closed the folder with a decisive snap.
"Your opportunity starts today," Kompany said."How far you go from here — depends on you."
Mateo stood, chest swelling with determination.
"I won't let you down, Coach," he said, voice steady.
Kompany grinned.
"I know you won't."
He motioned to the door.
"Go get changed.Your new teammates are waiting."
As Mateo left the office, his heart thundered against his ribs.
But it wasn't fear anymore.
It was fire.
The door had opened.
Now —he would storm through it.