The scar on Juan Foyth's right cheek sums up the young Tottenham Hotspur defender.
The Argentine, who turned 21 last month, wears the thin line on his cheek like a badge of honour.
It was earned in November after his first national squad call-up, colliding with team-mate Walter Kannemann during one of his early training sessions with the group.
There were fears that Foyth would miss out on making his debut against Mexico that week. He wasn't having any of it, insisting he would stay with the group. The gash was stitched up, he started against Mexico and was presented with the man of the match award at the final whistle.
That is
Foyth in a nutshell. He tackles every challenge with gusto and a little bit of flair on top.
On Friday afternoon, the young centre-back was facing a challenge more terrifying than any opponent's flailing elbow - a school assembly hall full of 200 children.
Used to playing in front of thousands, Foyth was still nervous as he stepped into the large hall at Chestnuts Primary School in Tottenham, worried about pleasing his young audience and concerned about his grasp of the English language.
He needn't have worried. Foyth's command of the English language is much better than he gives himself credit for, only using a translator when he wants to really make sure his point gets across.
He's a bright, always smiling young man who soon had the room full of youngsters cheering at his crowd-pleasing answers to their varied and testing questions.
He also helped staff from the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation deliver a PE lesson for a class of children afterwards, as part of the Premier League Primary Stars programme, before teaching another group some choice Spanish phrases and words.
What quickly becomes clear when witnessing him up close is that
Foyth relishes adapting to new situations. It's that versatility that his manager
Mauricio Pochettino craves in his players.
Adaptability could be Foyth's mantra, whether it's adapting to a new country, a new league, a new manager, a new culture and even a new position.
For those who find his ability to dribble and his skill on the ball remarkable for a towering and slightly gangly centre-back, it's because Foyth was an attacking midfielder back home in Argentina until as late as 16-years-old.
It was Martin Gaimaro, the head coach of Estudiantes' U16s, who realised that the rapidly-growing young academy star had all the attributes to become a star at the back.
"I started playing as an attacking midfielder but as time went by I grew taller, because I had been quite short, and maybe I lost a bit of the dribbling ability I had, and that’s why gradually I was moved to a defensive midfielder and then I ended up as a central defender when I was 16. It's late no?" he asked
football.london.
"In the moment I was happy because when we played small-sized games I always said ‘I’m Rio Ferdinand’.
"When I started to play there it was hard because I didn't touch the ball too much, but after a few games it was normal and I enjoyed it."
Foyth's marauding, slaloming runs from the back have already quickly become a trademark element of his performances so far in a Tottenham shirt.
Does his past as an attacking midfielder give him a different insight when it comes to understanding his opponents?
“Maybe yes," he thought. "Maybe it also gives me a bit more confidence on the ball, but the problem is when I play in midfield I want to take the ball every time so maybe I have to be careful."
Foyth's love of both defensive and attacking football is showcased in his wide spectrum of football idols.
"I looked up to [Ferdinand] very much. I used to like his physical strength. Another player I used to watch a lot was Lucio at Bayern Munich – I paid attention to his style," he said.
"But when I was young, Kaka was my idol because I played a bit more forward and he played in the same position. I watched the games he played for Milan against Boca Juniors [in 2007's Club World Cup final and in 2003 in the competition's predecessor The Toyota Cup].
"It’s true that it's unusual for Argentinians to idolise Brazilians, but I liked their style and personality."
In the end though it was an Argentine who would decide the next chapter in Foyth's career.
The young defender had only just broken into Estudiantes' first team and played a handful of matches towards the end of the 2016/17 season when both PSG and Tottenham bid for his signature and sparked a summer long battle for his services.
Word had spread quickly about the then teenage centre-back who had played at the U20 World Cup and the French giants looked to have tied up a deal for him.
However a phone conversation with Pochettino left Foyth in no doubt about his destination.
"I had the chance to talk to Mauricio and he told me I had very good features but that he was going to improve that, and so far I’m learning, slowly, but I have great support," admitted
Foyth.
“More than anything I decided on Tottenham because there was an Argentinian manager, and also the coaching team was from Argentina – or they can speak Spanish. Then also because it was a club that supported young players a lot.
"Another reason that influenced my decision was because the manager was a defender as well so he might have very good recommendations and advice to give me. I think I've improved physically but there’s still room for improvement."
He explained further: "The game in Argentina is quite physical as well but maybe a bit more disorganised so when you come over here, if physically your body is not quite ready for it you really feel the difference.
"I think I've improved in my skills as a defender because I haven't been playing as a defender very long. That area is improving every day."
Settling into life in England was the next challenge
Foyth had to take on and his move from Argentina came with one cost, fragmenting his close-knit family as they looked to support both him and his sister Karen in their endeavours.
Even his fiancée Ariana - Foyth proposed to her last month - has to spend much of her time in their homeland.
"My family is mostly in Argentina. My dad is here supporting me and helping me with all things so I can just play football," explained the Spurs defender.
"It’s what I wanted and it’s my dream so he helps me with a lot of things.
"I’m engaged now but all my family and my girlfriend are still living in Argentina. My sister studies there, my mum has now finished work but my girlfriend is studying as well. Next year my girlfriend, I think she will come."
Foyth once admitted that arriving at Spurs in the summer of 2017 was nerve-wracking because his only previous experience of the club's stars had been playing FIFA as them on his games console.