The locker room buzzed with chatter, laughter echoing off the walls as the players laced up and tossed banter back and forth. But Tomáš Rigo sat quietly in the corner, headphones in, eyes fixed on the matchday tactics sheet in his hands.

He wasn’t just reading it—he was studying it, visualizing the movement, the angles, the spaces he’d need to control.

Coach Kravec walked by, stopping for a moment to glance at the young midfielder. “You don’t say much, do you?” he asked with a grin.

Tomáš pulled off one headphone. “I figure the game speaks louder than I do.”

The coach nodded. “Well, make sure it shouts today.”

As the team filed out toward the tunnel, Rigo tucked the sheet into his bag, stood up, and followed—silent, focused, and already two passes ahead of everyone else.