Expectations

That night, after the Vitesse win, Dutch football shows and social media lit up with talk about Amani Hamadi. In a small Utrecht apartment living room, Amani and Malik sat on the couch watching a late-night sports program.

A replay of the match highlights played, and once again, Amani watched himself on screen, coolly orchestrating the midfield. It was surreal. The studio pundits then dove into discussion.

"He's got an incredible temperament for a 15-year-old," said one pundit, a former Netherlands international midfielder.

"Did you see that moment in the 80th minute where he just held onto the ball and waited? That's game intelligence you can't teach at that age."

Another pundit, more cautious, raised a finger. "True, but let's not get carried away. It's been three games. We've seen young talents burst onto the scene and then fade. The real test will be consistency and how he handles tougher opposition keyed in on him."