Taiwo Awoniyi walks off the pitch and straight into the classroom. The Nigeria striker has recently completed a course aimed at developing future leaders in football, and he is not shy about why he pursued it.
For Awoniyi, the motivation is simple: knowledge is power. He believes that what a player builds between their ears matters just as much as what they build on the training ground, and he has put that belief into action by committing to his education alongside his professional career.
It is a mindset that sets him apart. Many footballers at his level focus almost entirely on performance, but Awoniyi is already thinking beyond the final whistle, positioning himself as someone who could shape the game from the inside once his playing days are done.
Watch this space. If his approach to learning matches his hunger on the pitch, football's next generation of leaders might just have a new name to know.
Originally published by BBC Africa.