IT WAS a familiar sight for Cherries fans at the Vitality Stadium – once the team’s warm-ups concluded, Antoine Semenyo would jog over to the touchline as his teammates headed into the dressing room, to pray before the game.
Semenyo left Dean Court in January for Manchester City, but pastor Jon Thomson of Coastline Vineyard in Bournemouth has continued to be something of a "spiritual dad" to the forward.
The Ghanaian will line up for his country tonight against England in the World Cup, and his faith has been a cornerstone of his rise to the top of the global game.
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"I think some people might think, 'Oh well, he's just ended up where he's ended up,'” Thomson told the Daily Echo.
"For a lot of people, it does sound like a miracle story, doesn't it?
"To go from nothing to the highest level of football within probably five years is almost a miracle story.
"But I suppose the God that he worships is in the business of miracles.
"And so, I think what he has been doing, Antoine, in the difficult times, it has been just as important as what he's doing in the times when the contracts are signed and he knows he's going to be playing for Man City and he's going to be playing for his country.
"I suppose I feel like my role is to help him stay humble and live with an attitude of gratitude that that that his life is reflecting his faith.
"Not perfectly, but his life is reflecting his faith and that he is continuing to use the platform that God has given him to essentially share his faith, which he's doing.
"So I think in the journey of professional football, sometimes they lose their way and they can lose their way easily because they have access to, well, everything and anything.
"I think that's one of the things that I really admire about Antoine is that it feels like his faith has rooted his feet to the floor.”
Thomson said Semenyo’s faith has kept him grounded when things have been difficult in his journey in the game, but has also kept him centred when the success has come, with his faith carrying a "beautiful humility.”
The pair’s relationship has carried on after the forward’s move to Manchester, and Semenyo was "adamant" it would, so he has regular contact with Thomson, be that over the phone or on Zoom.
They spent hours together when Semenyo was in Bournemouth after his first game back at the Vitality Stadium since leaving the club, hitting some golf balls, talking and praying.
"I feel that sense of, I feel it with my own congregation, but just that sense of being a bit of a spiritual dad to him,” Thomson said.
"For him to be able to come and talk to me about the things that he's wrestling with and the things that are going on and for us to seek God together for resolve, maybe point his eyes towards what the Bible says about whatever it might be that he's bringing to me.
"I know he wants me to still pray for him.
"So, I'm happy to do that, I'm happy to pray for him before the games. So that's what I've been doing.
"In fact, I've been praying for him for every home and away match that he's played for City. I pray for him for all of those games so far and obviously I'm praying for him while he's at the World Cup.
"Obviously he's having an incredible time over there.
"I suppose as a footballer, it's the greatest honour to be asked to represent your country.”
Thomson said Semenyo’s faith had grown in incredible ways in the past few years, since he joined the church when he arrived in Dorset.
He said the Ghanaian’s relationship with the Bournemouth fanbase underlines the person that he is, and his faith is central to that.
"He really loves the fans, loves the fact that people get enjoyment out of watching him play,” he said.
"I think that's the character of him.
"I think that really spoke to people and really he didn't have to do that, but he chose to do that.
"And, by the way, that wasn't anything I suggested. He did that off of his own back and again, that tells you something about who he is.
"That there is a real sense of gratitude for the for the fans, for the encouragement, for the cheering, in the good times and the great times as it were in his era.”
Semenyo has always been keen to display his faith, like with the praying with Thomson before games at the Vitality Stadium, and in posting a video of his baptism last October on his social media.
"I think the whole thing about him coming to me and asking me to pray for him on the side of the pitch was all part of that building up, leading up to that,” Thomson said.
"'This is who I am, this is what I'm about, this is this is absolutely fundamental to my life, to my football and to the things that are going on in his personal life and I want people to know about it.'
"I think that's a really honourable and bold thing to do.”
Semenyo sees his football as in some ways an act of worship, that he is using his God-given gifts for people to enjoy.
Thomson is looking forward to seeing Semenyo do just that on the global stage tonight.
"It'll be a really interesting game to watch,” he said.
"People always say to me, 'so do you pray for him to win?', pray for him to do this or do that.
"And of course, I don't do that, I wouldn't do that.
"I love football, of course, I want England to progress. But I feel excited for him and for him to step onto that stage and in some ways, the best team will succeed, whoever that may be!”
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