The moment the final whistle blew,the world around Mateo seemed to explode.
Fans chanted his name louder than ever.Journalists flooded the sidelines.Phones buzzed.Notifications poured in like a tidal wave.
Within minutes, hashtags were trending worldwide:
#MateoHatTrick
#BayernsNewStar
#TheFutureIsHere
Clips of his three goals — each more spectacular than the last — flooded social media.
Pundits praised his composure, his instinct, his brilliance.
Old Bayern legends tweeted congratulations.Former players.Even neutral fans across Europe started calling him "El Fénix" — the Phoenix.
After a quick shower, Mateo was ushered into the media zone.
The cameras flashed like lightning.
Questions rained down:
"How does it feel to score a hat trick in your first DFB-Pokal match?""Did you expect to adapt this quickly to the first team?""What's next for you after tonight?"
Mateo answered calmly, humbly:
"I'm just focused on learning and improving.Being part of Bayern Munich is a dream.I'm grateful for every opportunity."
No arrogance.No cockiness.Only hard-earned honesty.
The media loved it.
And so did the fans.
Later that night, back at home, Mateo finally allowed himself to collapse onto the couch.Messages flooded his phone — from Klara, his family, his teammates.
His face ached from smiling.
Then, another buzz.
He glanced at the screen and blinked in surprise.
Markus Schuster.
The coach of Germany's U-20 national team.
He recognized the number immediately —they had spoken once before, when Schuster had invited him after the Argentina scandal.
Mateo answered quickly, heart pounding.
"Good evening, Coach."
The familiar voice spoke with warmth:
"Good evening, Mateo.I watched your match tonight."
There was a slight pause before Schuster continued:
"You were phenomenal.And because of that, I want to officially offer you again the same spot I offered before:a place in Germany's U-20 squad for the World Cup."
Mateo's stomach twisted with emotion.
The same chance.
The same dream.
Except now, everything was different.
He wasn't a battered, humiliated kid anymore.
He was a rising star.
A symbol of perseverance.
He took a slow breath and answered:
"I'm honored, sir. Truly.Would it be possible to have a day to think it through?"
Schuster chuckled lightly, though his voice remained kind:
"I would give you that, Mateo, if I could.But FIFA's deadline is tonight.At most, I can give you a few hours."
Mateo leaned back into the couch, staring at the ceiling.His mind raced.
A fork in the road.
One path honoring the memory of his father.The other leading to the nation that had helped him rebuild his life.
Whatever he chose,this would define his future forever.