He had to bide his time but, when the opportunity finally arose, one of Unai Emery’s most trusted Aston Villa lieutenants grabbed it with typical confidence and composure.
The question now is whether his manager will continue to keep the faith.
We are not talking about Emery – the man who fielded Ezri Konsa in his starting XI for 35 out of 38 Premier League fixtures last season – but Gareth Southgate.
The Three Lions boss introduced Konsa for his first start at Euro 2024 when Marc Guehi was ruled out of the quarter-final clash with Switzerland through suspension.
And while Guehi will be available again for Wednesday’s last-four meeting with the Netherlands, a penny for Southgate’s thoughts. The England manager has a few dilemmas he must work through in his pre-match preparations.
Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa seizes England chance at Euro 2024
Chief amongst them; does he stick with Konsa, on the back of a stand-out display against the Swiss, or instead return to arguably England’s finest performer at the Euros in Crystal Palace’s Guehi?
And does he continue with the revamped back-three system which appears to suit Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and an exceptional Bukayo Saka far more than the previous set-up?
For Steve Bruce, the former Aston Villa boss who’s departure came less than a year after Konsa’s £12 million arrival from Brentford, it is no coincidence that England found themselves able to play a more aggressive, front-foot gameplan with the London-born 26-year-old starting on the left of a three-man backline.
“How well did he do!” Bruce tells talkSPORT (9 June, 1pm) of Konsa.
“Really, really played well. (Konsa) gave us that sort of pace and power which allowed us to be higher up the pitch as they are not worried about the ball in behind anymore. I thought he was absolutely terrific.
“And arguably our best player of the tournament have been Guehi! Guehi has been terrific. So they are the big plus points for me.
“It’s going to be a big call because (the three-at-the-back system) is the most natural way of getting Foden and Bellingham in their natural positions. Will he stay with it? I have got a sneaking suspicion that he will.”
Gareth Southgate has decision to make vs Netherlands
Danny Murphy, who previously advocated for Liverpool to bring Konsa to Anfield, is another who may be glad he is not in Southgate’s shoes.
“Konsa’s performance was incredible,” the former Liverpool, Tottenham and Fulham midfielder tells BBC Sport. “He just took his chance. Every part of his game was impressive.
“There was no panic. He was replacing someone who had been playing so well so the pressure was even more on him.
“He has given Southgate a huge headache now. Guehi will probably come back in but nobody would be surprised if Konsa stayed in.”
Konsa has always been a defender of obvious potential.
While not quite as headline-grabbing as a Tyrone Mings, for instance, the unruffled, unflappable nature of his game has made Konsa pretty much an ever-present since Aston Villa returned to the Premier League back in 2019 under Dean Smith.
He was excellent both as a centre-half and when asked to fill in at right-back last term. Now thriving for England on the left of a back three, Konsa appears to have added another string to his bow at the European Championships.
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