EXCLUSIVE: Austria's Kevin Danso relishing 'biggest dream' of playing at World Cup

[p]28 years. That's how long it took [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a] to return to a World Cup. An entire generation separated Vienna from this event, and it's precisely a generation - that of Rangnick, Sabitzer, [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/danso-kevin/z1MBQMNN/"]Danso[/a] - that finally brought the country back.[/p][p]Tottenham's central defender is approaching, perhaps, the most important tournament of his life with calmness. In his mindset, a quiet conviction: Austria haven't come just to survive.[/p][p][b]Flashscore: Kevin, in a few weeks you'll be playing in a World Cup. When you hear those words today, what's the first emotion that comes to mind?[/b][/p][p]Danso: "A lot of pride. When you're a child, the World Cup is the biggest dream you can have. I've worked my whole life to experience moments like this. Today, I mostly feel gratitude towards everyone who helped me get here, but also a lot of excitement at the thought of representing my country on the biggest stage in world football."[/p][image alt="Austria's upcoming games" id="fda46ab0-834f-4bcf-aeb1-9dfe8dd6e677" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="a6931ae3-9c90-4a3e-b044-0530b2302bfe" original-width="1200" original-height="1200" /][p][b]⁠Austria are back at a World Cup after a 28-year wait. Do you feel a special excitement around this generation?[/b][/p][p]"Yes, definitely. We know we have the chance to write an important chapter in Austrian football history. There's a lot of excitement around this team because people sense there's something special about this group. We have talent, but above all, real unity and a strong collective mentality."[/p][p][b]Do you feel that this World Cup is coming at the best moment of your career?[/b][/p][p]"I think so. I've had different experiences, in several leagues, and each step has helped me progress. Today, I feel more complete, more mature, and calmer than ever. I trust in my abilities but also in the experience I've gained over the past few years."[/p][p][b]Do you see yourself as a leader in this group?[/b][/p][p]"I'm not someone who talks just for the sake of talking. I mainly try to lead by example every day, through my work, my attitude, and on the pitch. With experience, you naturally take on more responsibility. If I can help the younger players or bring stability to the group, I do it gladly."[/p][p][b]What is the identity of the Austrian national team today?[/b][/p][p]"Our identity is based on intensity, courage, and collective discipline. We're a team that works incredibly hard for each other. No one is above the group. We want to be aggressive in a positive way, press high, play with energy, and set our own tempo."[/p][embed guid="94d31a9d-e112-4243-8d02-f46b1f3a2571" url="https://x.com/oefb1904/status/2066732608025772530" social-type="twitter" /][p][b]What has Ralf Rangnick changed since he arrived?[/b][/p][p]"He brought a very clear philosophy. Every player knows exactly what's expected of him. He gave us a strong identity and an ambitious mentality. He constantly pushes us to step out of our comfort zone and believe we can compete with the best nations."[/p][p][b]How would you define your playing style?[/b][/p][p]"I like to defend going forward. I'm a player who enjoys duels, who likes to protect his team and impose a physical presence. But modern football also demands a lot of composure on the ball and good decision-making. So I try to combine aggression, defensive intelligence, and quality in building from the back."[/p][p][b]What would a successful World Cup look like for Austria?[/b][/p][p]"The first step is obviously to get out of our group, but we don't want to set any limits for ourselves. In a tournament like the World Cup, anything is possible when you have a united and ambitious group. We respect every team, but we're going there with the ambition to achieve something great for our country."[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/austria-naHiWdnt/jordan-vNcmJoU2/?mid=OO27CLhe"]Follow Austria's first match with Flashscore.[/a][/b][/p][image alt="Pablo Gallego - Senior News Editor" id="5cbab824-59ad-47d9-a302-1979599b3418" credit-line="Flashscore France" guid="1285aeef-21b6-4939-9054-706c019af577" original-width="1200" original-height="381" /]