Chapter 8: Beckenbauer cant sit still anymore
After Maxi's incredible performance against Utsiktens BK, around 2,000 to 3,000 fans spontaneously decided to watch Bayern's next match as well.
Their next opponent, already determined before the previous game, was the Dutch team FC Groningen. Maxi was particularly excited because one of Groningen's most famous youth products was Arjen Robben, one of Maxi's favorite players. Robben had joined Bayern just last season, in 2009.
In the afternoon, the second and final match of the third day began.
From the moment the whistle blew, one thing became clear—Bayern was in control. Most people expected Bayern to dominate, but few realized just how dominant they would be, especially how calm and composed Maxi was. While "dominant" might describe Bayern's play, "calm" was the perfect word for Maxi's approach.
Groningen played with frantic intensity, pressing high and running at full speed to suffocate their opponents. This aggressive, high-pressure tactic was highly effective in youth and amateur leagues.
But while Bayern faced heavy pressure, they had an anchor to steady the ship: Maxi. Every time the pressure mounted, Bayern passed the ball to him.
On him, the pressure seemed non-existent.
Two players rushed toward him, but with a perfectly timed La Croqueta, Maxi slipped past them with only a hair's breadth of space.
Suddenly, there was a huge opening in front of him. The absence of the two players left a noticeable gap. Desperately, one of Groningen's center-backs tried to close him down, but that only tore their defense further apart.
Maxi immediately saw the opening and sent a trivela pass to the striker, who found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. A calm finish put the ball in the back of the net.
Maxi caught the eye of his striker after making that perfect pass. A quick nod of understanding passed between them—no words needed. They knew what they had to do, and they did it well. This was what teamwork was all about.
This happened time and time again. Maxi's ability to remain composed under pressure was nothing short of remarkable. The question remained: could this calmness carry over to the professional level?
The match ended in a commanding 5-0 victory for Bayern, with another outstanding performance from Maxi.
The recording of the game soon found its way to Franz Beckenbauer's desk once again.
As Beckenbauer watched, he realized he liked the boy more and more. Maxi's unique combination of calmness and adrenaline-filled play made him stand out. There was something special about this young player—something intangible—but no one could quite put their finger on what it was.
After the game, Bayern's U13 team went to watch another match—Atalanta's youth team against Hamburg. Atalanta's youth academy, Centro Bortolotti, fielded a strong team, winning 4-1.
Maxi and his teammates watched closely, knowing the winner of this match would be their opponent in the round of 16.
That evening, the Bayern team had dinner together at their hotel, discussing the best strategies for playing against Atalanta. The conversation continued until 8 p.m., when it was time for lights out.
But the chatter didn't stop there. In their shared room, Maxi and his teammates kept talking, breaking only when the coach came in to check if they were asleep. After successfully pretending to be asleep, they resumed their animated discussions, unaware that the coach was smiling at the door, amused by their antics.
The next day, the match against Atalanta began.
Maxi immediately noticed that Atalanta had no standout solo players. Their strength lay in their technical skill and excellent teamwork, making them a difficult opponent. Even Maxi occasionally struggled against their crisp, short passes.
The game was tight from the start. Bayern found it hard to break down Atalanta's well-organized defense, and Atalanta's precise passing struggled to find a way through Bayern's back line.
This stalemate lasted for about 10 minutes until Atalanta broke through.
After a series of passes, their midfielder spotted the striker making a run behind Bayern's defense. A perfect through ball put the striker one-on-one with the keeper. With a clever stepover, the striker wrong-footed the goalkeeper and tapped the ball into the empty net.
For a moment, Maxi stood frozen, watching the ball roll into Bayern's net. A wave of doubt hit him—what if he couldn't turn this game around? But no. He wasn't that kind of player. Not anymore. He shook off the feeling, his focus sharpening. There had to be a way, and he would find it.
He began analyzing their passing patterns, watching carefully as the ball moved around the pitch. To some, it might have looked like Maxi was frozen or overwhelmed, but in reality, he was processing the game.
"That's it!" Maxi shouted, suddenly accelerating. He made a sharp turn and, in the blink of an eye, intercepted an opponent's pass. Maxi found himself between the two center-backs, easily slipping past them thanks to the gap created by the passing error.
As Maxi's foot connected with the ball and it smashed into the back of the net, a surge of adrenaline washed over him. The crowd's roar was deafening, but inside, he felt an overwhelming sense of calm. This is where he belonged—at the center of it all. He could almost feel the weight of his own expectations lifting. For a brief moment, it was pure joy, before he locked his focus on the next goal.
He quickly retrieved the ball from the net, urging the referee to restart the game.
Maxi continued to disrupt Atalanta's passing, having cracked their biggest weakness. Their players, despite being well-drilled, were predictable. They had grown too reliant on their structured passing and lacked individual creativity. Once Maxi figured out their patterns, the game changed.
In the final minutes, Maxi scored two more goals, completing a hat trick and securing a 3-1 victory for Bayern.
Every time Maxi scored, he thought of the countless hours spent practicing in the backyard, the distant voice of his father reminding him that talent alone wasn't enough. Every goal wasn't just a victory; it was proof—to himself and everyone watching—that he was more than just potential.
This match, too, found its way to Beckenbauer's desk.
Beckenbauer leaned back in his chair, but his mind was racing. There was something in this boy—something raw and untapped. He had to be the one to shape him, to guide him to greatness. It was no longer just admiration. It was a mission. He had achieved everything there was to achieve—he had been one of the greatest players, one of the greatest coaches—and now, he wanted one more thing.
He wanted to be the one to bring the greatest player of all time onto the pitch.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone