The immigration boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s has transformed the European Championship into a more culturally diverse event than ever before.
And as the ongoing 2024 edition reaches the quarter-finals, a number the teams remaining can trace part of their success to the performances of players with African heritage.
Kevin Danso, more than most, exemplifies this.
The 25-year-old defender was a lynchpin for Austria, the country of his birth, as they reached the last 16, but grew up in England from the age of six under the wardship of Ghanaian parents, developing in the academies of Reading and MK Dons.
Despite standing at the intersection of three different nations, Danso, who plays for Ligue 1 side Lens, has always stayed connected to his roots.
In June 2022, he visited Ghana for the first time, a trip that left a profound impression on him.
“I’ve been very lucky to call Austria home and Ghana my ancestral home,” Danso told BBC Sport Africa.
“The culture, the food, the people and everything that is Ghanaian makes me who I am. I always follow the national football team and my support is always there for Ghana.”
Taking in Ghanaian culture has also meant adopting its social peculiarities, specifically the enduring food rivalry with West African neighbours Nigeria.
In fellow Austria international David Alaba, who has Nigerian parentage, he has a willing sparring partner.
“He [Alaba] knows Ghana has the best jollof but he will always argue with me.”
