The away dressing room at the Volkswagen Arena felt smaller and more hostile than usual as Mateo prepared for what everyone knew would be a different kind of challenge.
Wolfsburg had studied the tapes, analyzed his movement patterns, and developed a specific strategy to neutralize his creativity.
At sixteen, facing targeted tactical attention was both flattering and intimidating but there was something else bothering him today, something physical that he couldn't quite shake.
His jersey felt different.
Tighter across the shoulders, shorter in the sleeves. When he'd put it on an hour ago, he'd noticed that the number 19 sat higher on his back than usual.
Dr. Braun had mentioned something about a growth spurt during his last medical check, but Mateo hadn't paid much attention. Now, as he stretched and moved around the cramped dressing room, he could feel the truth of those words in every movement.
