The aftermath of the Hertha Berlin match was a whirlwind of praise and adulation. The German media, which had been so quick to question Dortmund's title credentials after the Augsburg draw, was now hailing them as unstoppable. And at the center of it all was Mateo, the silent maestro, the seventeen-year-old who was playing with the poise and intelligence of a seasoned veteran.
But for Mateo, the external noise was just that – noise. He was more interested in the internal dynamics of the team, in the quiet satisfaction of a job well done, in the growing bond with his teammates. He found more joy in the post-match celebration in the locker room, in the shared laughter and camaraderie, than in any newspaper headline.
