The Ciudad Real Madrid training facility sprawled before Mateo like a monument to footballing excellence, its pristine white buildings gleaming in the late afternoon sun of September 4th, 2013.
As the taxi carrying him and Sarah wound through the security gates of Real Madrid's Valdebebas complex, the irony wasn't lost on him as he was about to train with the Spanish national team at the home of Barcelona's greatest rivals, wearing the colors that transcended club loyalties.
Two days had passed since the life-changing phone call that had summoned him to the Spanish camp, and now, as he stepped out of the vehicle with his kit bag slung over his shoulder, the magnitude of the moment hit him with full force.
This wasn't just about joining a football team this was about becoming part of La Roja, the family that had conquered the world.
