Ah, the long and winding career journey of John Souttar, born 25 September 1996 on our wonderful Scottish soil. A lad who decided that frolicking about a football pitch as a central defender sufficiently filled his cup of joy. His career from Dens Park to Murrayfield and finally to Ibrox rings volumes about his ambition. You can spot the lad on the pitch, primarily because he's about 6ft 2in (1.88m) tall and a slim trim fella, tipping the scales at 11st 11lb (75kg). He parades in the number 5 jersey that gives him some semblance of recognition amongst the sea of players.
Back in July 2012, wee Souttar started at Dundee United in the Premiership, a fresh-faced trainee dreaming big. He was a vision of persistence and consistency on the pitch till he was snagged by Hearts for a paltry £150k. It's like buying a house in the midst of a housing crisis. It's always fascinating how these numbers are dictated by lads kicking a ball in a field, isn't it?
Souttar strutted his stuff at Hearts, with his big break coming in the 2021 - 2022 season where he scored four goals. Now, if you're scratching your head and asking, "four goals... that's a big deal?" - Well, genius, remember he's a defender not a striker.
Finally, the wanderlust struck again, and off he went in July 2022 to Rangers of all places. Despite the scepticism, the lad held his own at Ibrox, scoring an average of a goal a season between 2022 - 2025. This most current season (2025 - 2026), though, he's yet to put one to bed.
If you've been under a rock and you're not aware, our chap Souttar also turned up for international duty for Scotland. His exploits ranged from the Euro Qualifiers in 2022 - 2024, the Europa League in 2023 - 2024, the Champions League Qualifiers in 2025 - 2026 and the Nations League in 2024 - 2025. How about mapping out his journey next time as a holiday trip for the family?
So there you have it, the tale of John Souttar as best as a story about footballers can be told, complete with all the plot twists and turns, ups and downs, and... goals, yeah, don't forget those goals. Welcome to the world of football - where uncertainty is the only certainty.
