SINGAPORE -- Jordan Emaviwe only made his senior international debut in a friendly against Chinese Taipei last month.
He is now part of the Singapore squad contesting the 2024 ASEAN Championship, where they will be hoping to at least reach the semifinals for only the second time since they were last champions of Southeast Asia in 2012.
If he is one of the younger, more inexperienced members in the Lions ranks, it is hardly apparent.
Of course, there is his hulking 1.95-metre frame that has helped him emerge as one of the Singapore Premier League's most in-form centre-backs even while playing for Balestier Khalsa -- who do not garner as much of the limelight as the likes of Lion City Sailors or BG Tampines Rovers but have made a habit of punching above their weight.
But what makes Emaviwe come across older than his 23 years most is in the calmness and maturity he speaks with. An old soul almost.
And perhaps he is indeed a little wiser and more seasoned than most of his peers given all the hurdles he already has had to overcome in his career.
Emaviwe is now preparing to feature in his first senior tournament for Singapore. Earlier this week, Balestier announced that he had earned an overseas move -- with the Thai League 1 his rumoured destination.
Nonetheless, this all seemed a faint hope back when he was struggling to get picked for the National Football Academy's age-group teams -- the most common pathway, and often biggest indicator of success, for aspiring professional footballers in Singapore.
"Part of this journey was also going through a lot of failures," Emaviwe told ESPN.
"I've been through trials for the younger national teams like the U-15s where I didn't get picked. And it was hard at the time.
"The dream was to play for the [senior] national team -- it's every kid's dream. But when I was not getting selected for the NFA, it seemed like it wasn't realistic at all to [dream of] the national team.
"I didn't give up because of the values that my parents instilled in me. I kept trying and trying and I made it to the U-23 squad. Slowly, I just built myself up and now here I am in the national team.
"Having had to work so hard to get here just makes it feel way more valuable."
After the hurdles he had to overcome, playing at the National Stadium would have indeed been "a dream come true".
Emaviwe broke into a smile when talking about the energy he got from the fans, as he did when reflecting on the surreal fact that is now training alongside captain Hariss Harun, a player he undoubtedly would have looked up to as a child.
Adversity might have been what made Emaviwe, but it was family that helped him overcome it.
When he finally made his senior debut for Singapore, he spoke about it being a bittersweet moment given his late mother was not able to witness it -- having done plenty to support his childhood dream.
His father, who hails from Nigeria but moved to Singapore to play for Tampines in 2001, has played his part too.
"I owe it to my parents -- they sacrificed so much for me," Emaviwe said.
"My dad would train me as well. Just me and him, to Pasir Ris Park. Sometimes, my mom would be there as well watching with my sister. It's been a whole family effort.
"For me to be able to play at the National Stadium in front of them when I made my debut, obviously it was unfortunate that my mom wasn't able to see it, but I'm very happy that my dad especially got to see that moment."
Another individual Emaviwe expressed gratitude for was Balestier coach Peter de Roo, whom he says has been regularly giving advice on areas of improvement which he takes onboard.
Under De Roo, Emaviwe has blossomed into a classy ball-playing defender who is always a chance of popping up with a goal at the other end.
Even if he is the sole Balestier representative in the Singapore side, perhaps the greatest value in playing for a less-glamorous club has been the regular first-team football he has been exposed to -- which his peers at other teams do not always get.
It is for this reason that he is determined to show he is not at the ASEAN Championship just to make up the numbers for the Lions.
"That [being ready to be called upon] is one of my expectations," he added. "I don't want to be here just to be part of the team.
"I also want to have an influence on and add value to the team. I don't think I'm that young at 23, so I do have the expectation that I want to show something.
"Obviously, it's a big tournament. I go into it with a lot of expectations for myself. I really want do well because I think this could be a big stepping stone for my career."