The scoreboard read:Spain 2 – Germany 1Minute 55.
And Mateo González stood in the center of the storm.
The crowd was deafening.Spanish fans roared.German fans sat frozen, stunned.
Mateo's pass — just a fraction off —had gifted Lamine Yamal a goal.
And now the world saw not the prodigy.Not the rising star.
But the wounded boyfighting to stand beneath the collapsing sky.
The Silence Within
Inside Mateo's head, everything was muted.
No stadium noise.No whistles.No pain.
Only the echo of his error.And the image of the ball leaving his foot just a little too soon.
"I let them down."
"I let myself down."
Inside the System:
[Emotional Anchor Active – Preventing Mental Collapse]
[Focus Surge Initiated: +8% Tactical Awareness]
[Fatigue: 62% | Pain: Stable]
The system didn't chastise him.It stabilized him.Held him upright while his world trembled.
His Teammates Respond
Jonas approached first.
"You good?"
Mateo didn't answer.
He just looked him in the eyes and nodded once.
Ritter clapped his shoulder.
"No more ghosts," he said. "We fight now."
Mateo took a deep breath.
Yes.
There would be no collapse.No tears.
Only the next moment.
Regaining Rhythm
Germany began to rebuild.
Slow passes.Calm movements.Short triangles.
Mateo wasn't moving like before—but he was still directing.
Pointing.Shouting.Adjusting lines with gestures.
He was still the heart of the team, even if one of his legs was cracked.
65th Minute: Close Call
A long German buildup reached Lukas at the edge of the box.
He danced around one defender and fired low—
Saved by the Spanish keeper's fingertips.
Rebound bounced to Mateo,who took one step—
And winced.
His ankle almost gave out.
He barely kept his balance.
He passed instead of shooting.
The ball was cleared.
The stadium groaned.
Inside the System:
[Damage Spike Detected – Pain Threshold Reached 75%]
Warning: Performance may decline rapidly if strain continues.
Mateo gritted his teeth.
He could feel the edge now.
He was nearing the limit.
But deep in his chest,beneath the pain, beneath the weight—
Burned something else.
Not desperation.
Resolve.
"I made the mistake.""I'll be the one to fix it."
"If I have to walk through fire to do it—""Then so be it."
As the clock ticked into the 70th minute,Mateo glanced up at the scoreboard…
And whispered to himself:
"Twenty minutes. One chance."
Then turned back to face the game,eyes sharpened, body shaking—
But heart unbroken.