Matthew's struggles on the pitch had not gone unnoticed. Rival fans and teams had taken notice of his slump in form, and they were not hesitant to rub it in his face.
As Matthew's team took to the field, he could hear the jeers and taunts from the opposing fans. "What's wrong, Matthew? Lost your touch?" or "You're not the player you used to be!"
Matthew tried to ignore them, but it was hard. He had always been a confident player, but now he was starting to doubt himself. The constant barrage of insults and ridicule was taking its toll.
Even rival teams were getting in on the act. During a match against their arch-rivals, the opposing team's captain, a player named Ryan, made a point to taunt Matthew throughout the game. "You're finished, Matthew! You'll never be the same player again!"
