The week following the Supercup miracle was a whirlwind of media attention and public adoration. Mateo found himself on the cover of sports magazines across Europe, his game-winning performance dissected and celebrated in equal measure.
The narrative was irresistible: the 17-year-old mute prodigy, once rejected by Barcelona, had single-handedly dismantled the mighty Bayern Munich. It was a fairy tale, a legend in the making.
But inside the quiet confines of the Dortmund dorm, life remained blessedly normal. Lukas, ever the grounding force, treated Mateo with the same brotherly affection and gentle teasing as always. "Don't get a big head," he signed one evening, as they watched a news report praising Mateo's performance. "You still have to do your share of the laundry."
