AUSTRIA

“As a kid, I wanted to be an action movie star,” Danso says. Kylian Mbappé can attest to his imposing physique: the France forward broke his nose after jumping face-first into Danso’s back at Euro 2024. Born in the Styrian town of Voitsberg to Ghanaian parents, Danso moved to England at six but has remained closely connected to Austria. Alongside his godmother, he founded DANnSO, an organisation supporting families in difficult circumstances in his hometown. After a standout season with Lens in 2024, a proposed move to Roma collapsed when medical tests revealed scarring on his heart. Following a minor procedure, he went on to win the Europa League with Tottenham. Known for his authority in the air, his reliability defending crosses earned him the nickname “magnet head” from his former manager, Thomas Frank.

Once an extremely polarising figure in Austria due to run-ins with police, teammates and opponents, Arnautovic has matured into an elder statesman. These days you are more likely to find him in negotiations for a new public holiday with the Austrian president than anything else off the pitch. The 36-year-old demanded a new public holiday after Austria qualified for the World Cup; president Alexander Van der Bellen suggested they might have to win the whole thing for that to happen. In March they met, taking selfies and coming to an agreement, although they did not reveal what it was. Arnautović  surpassed Toni Polster as Austria’s most prolific international goalscorer during the World Cup qualifiers, and is known as a leader in the locker room. He may retire after the tournament but will remain his country’s most capped player for a while – he is currently 20 ahead of second-placed David Alaba.