Kevin Danso, who had a challenging stint at Southampton, is now rated as the best performer for his nation

Kevin Danso, who previously played on loan for Southampton, was recognized as Austria’s top performer in their first Euro 2024 match.

All three of Southampton‘s current players have lost their first fixtures of the tournament in Germany.

Scotland, represented by Che Adams and Stuart Armstrong, faced a 5-1 defeat against host team Germany in their Euro 2024 opener, while Jan Bednarek’s Poland lost 2-1 to the Netherlands.

Given Armstrong’s upcoming departure from St Mary’s club at the end of June alongside Adams, whose contract also ends then, Bednarek might be the sole player from the Euros still with Southampton next season.

Whilst the club may not be well represented in terms of current players, there are a number of former players representing their country’s this summer.

Dusan Tadic, a former fan favorite, showcased his skills coming off the bench for Serbia against England. Kevin Danso, another player, has demonstrated his abilities for Austria against France, indicating what Southampton might have missed out on.

Kevin Danso, who previously spent the 2019/20 season on loan at Southampton from Augsburg under fellow Austrian Ralph Hasenhuttl, stood out as Austria’s top performer against France.

Despite facing formidable opponents like Kylian Mbappe, Marcus Thuram, Ousmane Dembele, and Antoine Griezmann, Danso performed admirably in Austria’s 1-0 loss, attributed to a Max Wober own goal.

The National News awarded Danso the highest rating among Austrian players, with only France’s N’Golo Kante scoring higher with eight out of ten.

The commentary accompanying Danso’s rating highlighted his strengths: “Good clearing header from a dangerous Griezmann free kick. Muscular physical presence in the center of defense. Strong as an ox.”

When Danso first joined Southampton at 20 in 2019, he was recognized as a player with immense potential. However, he faced stiff competition with Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens, Jannik Vestergaard, and Maya Yoshida ahead of him.

Nevertheless, he has now arguably surpassed them all in terms of ability.

Kevin Danso, who has earned 20 caps for Austria, played a crucial role in Lens securing Champions League football for the 2022/23 season and competing in the tournament the following season.

His pace and evident strength make him a valuable asset in defense, but he was often played out of position under Hasenhuttl’s management.

Out of Danso’s ten games in all competitions, only four were at center-back, with three at right-back and two at left-back.

Despite acknowledging Danso’s young age when he arrived at St Mary’s and his subsequent development, it feels like Southampton might have missed out on fully utilizing his potential.