When the footballers have won two straight Nations League victories at home against Romania (2-1) and on Monday night against Poland (3-1), Brighton midfielder Yasin Ayari has been a dominant force in midfield.
"I play with good football players, then I have fun out there. When I have fun out there and don't think, that's when I'm at my best," says Ayari, who turns 23 next week.
“Looking her in the eyes”
Against Poland, he scored the crucial 2-1 goal after just over an hour. The Premier League midfielder was already an important cog in the World Cup this summer, scoring two goals in the 5-1 win over Tunisia - his father's homeland.
Shortly before the championship in North America, he and his partner Sandra Kulusevska - sister of national team star Dejan Kulusevski, who is on his way back after a long injury spell - became parents to a daughter.
Becoming a father has meant a lot to Ayari.
It's a different kind of peace you have in life, of course. When you come home and you forget everything. Just look her in the eyes and have fun. When she laughs, I laugh too, says the midfielder with a smile.
Earlier during the gathering, he said there were no major problems with leaving the baby bubble so quickly for another.
You were so focused on it. You called and FaceTimed a lot, but you were so in the so-called World Cup bubble.
In both Nations League matches, Ayari has formed a central midfield pairing with 20-year-old Tottenham player Lucas Bergvall.
Against Poland, he was especially pleased with the second half.
"He and I dictate the whole game, control the tempo," says Ayari.
"Fantastic"
Centre-back and team captain Victor Nilsson Lindelöf was one of several teammates who paid tribute to Ayari and Bergvall after the victory against the Poles.
Fantastic. His development in recent years has been great. He has matured enormously in his game and assesses situations in a very good way. You need midfielders who can control a game too and it is very important that we have two players who once again have a fantastic match in Yasin and Lucas, says Nilsson Lindelöf.
On Friday, Bosnia-Herzegovina awaits away from home and then the Nations League group ends away against Romania on Monday.
