Before Arsenal: Thomas Partey Survived on One Meal a Day and Sold Scrap Metal to Chase Football Dream

Black Stars midfielder Thomas Partey has revealed that he endured severe financial hardship as a teenager, at times surviving on just one meal a day while pursuing a career in football.

Speaking in an interview with Kafui Dey, Partey recalled his years in Ashaiman, where he lived under strict academy conditions and often struggled to afford food.

"From the beginning, we ate three times a day," he said. "Then you get to a point, you have to go two. And then it got to a time, one."

To make ends meet, Partey said he and others took on various odd jobs around Ashaiman.

"We go and sell some scraps. We go and look for aluminum," he said.

The midfielder also washed clothes for senior players in exchange for money and occasionally sought support from his father.

"I’m not going for jogging for myself," Partey joked while recalling how he would meet his father near the motorway. "I’m going to get money. Jog for money."

Despite feeling frustrated at the time, Partey now believes those difficult experiences helped shape his resilience.

"At that time, we felt like we were mistreated," he said. "But now you go back and you say, okay, look. It built you."

The Arsenal star's journey from collecting scrap metal and struggling for food in Ashaiman to playing in the English Premier League highlights the sacrifices behind one of Ghana's most successful football careers.