Aaron Wan-Bissaka had always prided himself on his defensive skills. His precise tackles and ability to read the game had earned him respect across Europe. But even he was taken aback the first time he faced Mohammed Kudus in training.

Kudus, the Ghanaian sensation, fast and skillful, and with sheer strength.

During a small-sided game, Wan-Bissaka, as usual, positioned himself perfectly to dispossess his opponent. Kudus, dribbling with the ball, seemed unfazed. Wan-Bissaka closed in, extending his leg for what he thought was a perfectly timed tackle. But Kudus shrugged off the challenge with ease, keeping the ball glued to his feet as if it were an extension of his body.

“I knew he was strong,” Wan-Bissaka thought to himself, “but I didn’t realise he was that strong.”

For the rest of the training session, he kept his eye on Kudus, marveling at how hard it was to take the ball away from him. Time and again, the Ghanaian would shield the ball with his body, using his strength to fend off defenders, including Wan-Bissaka himself.

Later, after training, Wan-Bissaka approached him with a grin. “I’m happy to be in the same team with you,” he said, laughing. “It will be good for both of us as we can push each other.”

Kudus smiled back. “Definitely,” he replied. There was an unspoken understanding between the two. Both knew that their partnership on the training ground would translate into a stronger bond on the pitch.