Kevin Danso (born 19 September 1998) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Ligue 1 club Lens and the Austria national team.
 Danso with Lens in 2021 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 19 September 1998 | ||
| Place of birth | Voitsberg, Austria | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Lens | ||
| Number | 4 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Reading | |||
| –2014 | Milton Keynes Dons | ||
| 2014–2016 | FC Augsburg | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2016–2018 | FC Augsburg II | 5 | (0) |
| 2017–2021 | FC Augsburg | 41 | (3) |
| 2019–2020 | → Southampton (loan) | 6 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | → Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) | 32 | (2) |
| 2021– | Lens | 107 | (4) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2013 | Austria U15 | 2 | (2) |
| 2013 | Austria U16 | 4 | (0) |
| 2015 | Austria U17 | 7 | (2) |
| 2015–2016 | Austria U18 | 7 | (3) |
| 2016 | Austria U19 | 3 | (1) |
| 2018–2020 | Austria U21 | 20 | (3) |
| 2017– | Austria | 24 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 November 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 14 November 2024 | |||
Formerly a youth international at various levels from under-15 to under-21, Danso made his debut for the Austria senior team in 2017.
Early life
editDanso was born in Austria to Ghanaian parents before moving to Milton Keynes in England at the age of six.[1]
Club career
editEarly years
editDanso joined the academy of Milton Keynes Dons at under 9 level having previously been a striker in the Reading academy,[2][1][3][4] staying at the club until 2014 before moving to FC Augsburg in Germany.[5][6]
FC Augsburg
editOn 3 March 2017, Danso made his Bundesliga debut for FC Augsburg at the age of 18 years and 165 days old, becoming the youngest player to make a league appearance in the club's history.[7][8] A week later, he signed a new four-year contract with the club.[9]
Southampton loan
editOn 9 August 2019, the day after the Premier League transfer window closed, it was announced that Danso signed for Southampton on a one-year loan, with the option to buy at the end of the 2019–20 season.[10]
Fortuna Düsseldorf loan
editOn 18 August 2020 he went to Fortuna Düsseldorf on loan.[11][12] He left Fortuna upon the expiration of his contract on 24 May 2021.[13]
Lens
editOn 6 August 2021, Danso joined Ligue 1 side RC Lens.[14] On 19 March 2022, he scored his first goal with Lens against Clermont.[15]In 2024, he made it onto the list of the Top 100 Stars of the transfer window because he attracted interest from top clubs, and there was a high-profile failed transfer to Roma.[16]
International career
edit
Danso was eligible to represent Ghana or Austria internationally.[17][18] He represented Austria's U15, U16, U17, Austria U18, and U19 youth teams.
In May 2017, he received his first call-up to the senior national team.[8]
Career statistics
editClub
edit- As of match played 23 November 2024[19]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Augsburg II | 2015–16[20] | Regionalliga Bayern | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 2[a] | 1 | 4 | 1 | |||
| 2017–18[20] | Regionalliga Bayern | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
| Total | 5 | 0 | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | |||||
| FC Augsburg | 2016–17[20] | Bundesliga | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2017–18[20] | Bundesliga | 16 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 16 | 2 | ||||
| 2018–19[20] | Bundesliga | 18 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 21 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 41 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 44 | 3 | |||||
| Southampton (loan) | 2019–20[21] | Premier League | 6 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 10 | 0 | ||
| Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) | 2020–21[20] | 2. Bundesliga | 32 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 2 | |||
| Lens | 2021–22 | Ligue 1 | 33 | 2 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 36 | 2 | |||
| 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 37 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 1 | ||||
| 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 7[b] | 0 | — | 38 | 1 | |||
| 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1[c] | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |||
| Total | 107 | 4 | 5 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | — | 120 | 4 | ||||
| Career total | 191 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 214 | 10 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Regionalliga relegation play-offs
- ^ Six appearances in UEFA Champions League, one appearance in UEFA Europa League
- ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
International
edit- As of match played 14 November 2024[22]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austria | 2017 | 5 | 0 |
| 2018 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 8 | 0 | |
| Total | 24 | 0 | |
Honours
editIndividual
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2022–23[23]
References
edit- ^ a b "England scouts urged to check Augsburg whizkid Kevin Danso". tribalfootball.com.[dead link]
- ^ "Danso ließ England-Karriere sausen". Bild.de. 7 March 2017. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ "Jadon Sancho, Ademola Lookman: Why Premier League youngsters are choosing the Bundesliga". Sky Sports. 27 February 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ "Kevin Danso: Alli's friend, Batshuayi's foe, Augsburg's Austrian wonderkid". bundesliga.com. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "Kevin Danso". football-wonderkids.co.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
- ^ Frimpong, El Akyereko (9 May 2015). "Kevin Danso: Austria U17 coach says Ghanaian midfielder is irreplaceable in his squad". Ghanasoccernet. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ Langner, Wolfgang (4 March 2017). "Kevin Danso ist nach seinem Debüt ein gefragter Mann". Augsburger Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ a b "Baum über Danso: "Es ist eine Sensation"" (in German). 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ Yeboah, Thomas Freeman (10 March 2017). "Ghanaian youngster signs 4-year deal with Bundesliga side Augsburg". Pulse Ghana. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- ^ "Kevin Danso: Southampton sign defender on loan from Augsburg". BBC Sport. 9 August 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "FCA verleiht Kevin Danso nach Düsseldorf". FC Augsburg (in German). Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "Fortuna leiht Innenverteidiger Kevin Danso aus". Fortuna Düsseldorf 1895 (in German). Retrieved 19 August 2020.
- ^ "SAISONAUSKLANG IM KREISE DER MANNSCHAFT" (in German). Fortuna Düsseldorf. 24 May 2021.
- ^ "Kevin Danso, de la puissance en defense !" (in French). 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- ^ "Lens vs. Clermont". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
- ^ "Top 100 Stars 2024". Transferfeed. Retrieved 13 September 2024.
- ^ England scouts keep to tabs on Augsburg youngster Kevin Danso[permanent dead link]
- ^ Youngster Kevin Danso picks Austria over Ghana
- ^ "K. Danso". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Kevin Danso – Player profile". dfb.de. Deutscher Fußball-Bund. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "Games played by Kevin Danso in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- ^ "Danso, Kevin". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 26 July 2020.
- ^ "Messi, Rongier, Danso... L'équipe type de la saison de Ligue 1". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 29 May 2023.
External links
edit
- Kevin Danso at WorldFootball.net
- Kevin Danso – French league stats at Ligue 1 – also available in French