KANSAS CITY -- There are footballers whose careers seem preordained from the moment they enter an elite academy, and there are others whose rise has been built through patience, perseverance, and an unwavering belief that the destination matters more than the timetable.
Ghana's Brandon Thomas-Asante falls firmly into the second category.
The Black Stars forward's journey has taken him from non-league football and the lower reaches of the English pyramid to the Premier League with Coventry City and now, to the biggest stage of all - representing Ghana in the World Cup knockouts.
As Thomas-Asante knows, success doesn't also arrive according to schedule.
"They say that sometimes it takes a long time for things to happen overnight," the 27-year-old told ESPN.
"It's definitely a case of holding out and holding out, pushing, pushing. I'm grateful to God that the breakthrough has happened -- to be in the Premier League now, which is where I've always wanted to be, and believed I can be."
The words encapsulate a career that's been defined by persistence rather than instant glory. Born in Milton Keynes to a Ghanaian father and a Jamaican mother, Thomas-Asante joined Milton Keynes Dons as a 12-year-old, but eventually departed for non-league Ebbsfleet United in 2019 after struggling to establish himself as a League One player.
He'd previously spent time on loan at the lower reaches of the pyramid with Sutton United and even Oxford City -- then in the sixth tier of the English game -- but ultimately returned to the EFL with Salford City.
Impressive form in the fourth tier secured him a move to Steve Bruce's Championship West Bromwich Albion, where he was the club's top scorer in his debut season, before eventually moving on to Coventry two years later.
It's understood that Netherlands international of Ghanaian extraction - George Boateng - then working in Coventry's backroom staff, was influential in convincing Thomas-Asante to sign.
Coventry's promotion to the Premier League under Frank Lampard this season has provided the forward with another landmark, scoring 13 goals en route to completing a climb that few could have anticipated for a player still playing non-league so late in his career.
"The intention is not just to be in the Premier League," he continued. "It's to be top of the Premier League and to be the best.
"But I already have the opportunity to do that now, because I get to be on the pitch at the World Cup. I want to prove that I belong at the top of world football."
It's an ambitious statement, but ambition has been a theme throughout the career of Thomas-Asante, who was an avid street dancer as a youngster, and even travelled around Europe competing in competitions with his troupe.
He appears to have never doubted that he'd one day reach these heights, and international honours soon followed when he was capped by Ghana in June '24.
"This was my intention," he continued. "I would have loved to be in the Premier League or to push forward to the top of football sooner. I've always seen myself as being destined for that.
"I can only thank God for the journey; sometimes it knocks you back, it's very easy to stumble, and a lot of people give up, but I can only give glory to God because that's where the strength comes from to persevere.
"Now I want to make the most of that and be faithful with the opportunity I'm given."
The forward clearly isn't content to sit on his laurels.
Even after Ghana's 0-0 draw with England in Boston during the group stage, he was spotted chasing down Harry Kane in the mixed zone, with Thomas-Asante also benefiting from the England captain's specialist finishing coach -- Alan Russell -- as he looks to refine his cutting edge in front of goals.
BAT added: "We have the same strikers coach, so I wanted to point out to Kane a familiar face and say 'I work with him as well.' Alan Russell is an amazing coach and really helps with my analysis of my game and to take me to the next level.
"He's worked with Kane, and on a personal level, working with people who work with the likes of Kane and the people at the top of football give me a taste of where I want to reach and higher."
It's another indication that the forward is serious when he talks about making up for lost time refusing to place ceilings on his development.
Lampard has praised Thomas-Asante regularly during the season, with the attacker revealing that he's appreciated his manager's words of encouragement as Ghana have progressed in North America.
He now wants to reward Lampard and his Sky Blue teammates by bringing home the World Cup title.
"Yeah, they've been in touch," Thomas-Asante smiled. "When the games are coming there'll be a little flurry of messages, which I'm very grateful for.
"It's been such a successful year, and a lot of my teammates at club level are part of the reason why I've been able to come to play in this team and this squad.
"I called one of my friends from the pitch after the last game just to let him be there as well, but there'll be nothing better than to bring home some extra silverware for them."
Having advanced through the group stage to set up a Last 32 showdown with Colombia in Kansas City on Friday, Thomas-Asante believes that Black Stars can continue to defy pre-tournament expectations.
He's done it through his career, Coventry did it in the Championship this season, and Thomas-Asante, whose decisive late assist for Caleb Yirenkyi set Ghana on their way to a 1-0 victory over Panama, believes that the Black Stars can continue to enjoy their campaign.
"I want to win the tournament. We have this opportunity and I don't take it lightly," he added.
"I believe in my team. I believe that together, we can go as far as well want. I know a lot pf people wrote us off early.
"A lot of people might laugh now, but all you can do is push for it and we'll see what happens.
"The overall feeling is that we want to go and win the game and make a statement for our fans back home. We want to make a new dawn of really going for it in tournaments and being the powerhouses that we know we are."
He's more aware than most, however, that ambitions rarely unfold in straight lines. The road from Milton Keynes to the Premier League has included rejection, non-league pitches, long coach journeys and years spent proving doubters wrong.
Now, with the top flight awaiting, and a World Cup knockout showdown with Colombia to look forward to, Thomas-Asante stands exactly where he believes he belongs.
The breakthrough may have taken years to arrive, but Thomas-Asante appears determined to ensure it's only the beginning of his success.