The match had just kicked off, and Riyadh Sharahili was already barking orders from midfield. The tempo was quick, and the opposing team looked hungry. But Sharahili thrived in the chaos.

“Stay tight. Don’t give them space!” he shouted, pointing with a sharp gesture as he closed down an advancing midfielder.

He intercepted the pass with perfect timing, chesting the ball down before sweeping it wide. One of his younger teammates gave him a nod of thanks.

“Man, how do you always know where the ball’s going?”

Sharahili cracked a small smile. “Because I listen to the game. It always speaks before it moves.”

With every tackle, every interception, he reminded everyone that the midfield was his territory—and he wasn’t about to give up an inch.