The sun beat down on the training ground in Accra, but Thomas Partey moved through the drills like he was born in the heat. Each pass was deliberate, each tackle clean. The younger players kept glancing his way—not because he demanded attention, but because he made everything look effortless.

Coach Addo blew the whistle, calling the team in for a break. As they gathered around the water coolers, one of the younger midfielders nudged closer to Thomas.

"How do you stay so calm when everything’s on fire around you?" the boy asked, still panting from the last drill.

Thomas offered a small smile. “You don’t fight fire with panic. You slow the game down in your mind. Then you control it.”

He took a sip from his bottle, eyes scanning the field. “And when you do that… no one can take the ball from you.”

With that, he stood up and jogged back into position. Training wasn’t over—and neither was the lesson.