* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
Ireland fans won’t need any introduction to Denmark, but the less said about that the better… Denmark’s finest hour came at Euro ‘92 when the late replacements for Yugoslavia only went and won the whole thing. Since then, the best they’ve managed is a quarter-final in 2004, but they’ll be well fancied to at least match that this time around.
GROUP:
B
FIXTURES
Finland – Copenhagen, Sat, June 12, 5pm
Belgium – Copenhagen, Thu, June 17, 5pm
Russia – Copenhagen, Mon, 21 June 21, 8pm
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HOW THEY QUALIFIED
Denmark qualified unbeaten and finished second behind Switzerland, with a 1-1 draw against Ireland at the Aviva in the last round of games enough to see them through. They were unbeaten in the eight matches and, to be blunt, Ireland did well to take it down as far as the last game. Switzerland and Denmark were drawn as the top seeds and deservedly so.
MANAGER
Kasper Hjulmand came into the role to replace the well-respected Åge Hareide last year after Euro 2020 qualifying. He led Nordsjælland to their first and only Danish league title in 2011/12 before getting a big move to replace Thomas Tuchel at Bundesliga side Mainz.
His time there was short-lived and he was sacked after just nine months in the job. He returned to Nordsjælland and stayed until the national team came calling. Last year’s Nations League was his first campaign in charge, and Denmark finished runners-up in the group behind Belgium, taking four points from England in the process.
SQUAD
Denmark will likely play a 4-2-3-1 or a similar variation, and the line-up will be full of players playing week after week at the top level. At the back they have one of the best goalkeepers at the tournament in Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester), and a top-class centre-back partnership of Simon Kjær (Milan) and Andreas Christensen (Chelsea).
In front of them will be a holding pair of Thomas Delaney (Dortmund) and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham) giving Christian Eriksen (Inter) the freedom to roam. Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona) and Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig) are the main threats in attack.
KEY MAN
An easy one to answer here, by a distance Denmark’s most important player is Christian Eriksen. The former Spurs man played a key role in Inter’s first Serie A title in 11 years, and will be equally central to Denmark’s hopes at Euro 2020. With Spurs Eriksen was playing 90 minutes most games, but at Inter he was generally the first man subbed after the hour mark when they had a lead to hold on to.
After such a packed season this could make a big difference in keeping Eriksen fresh and Denmark could profit. He’ll be on most of the set pieces and will look to set the two wide men Braithwaite and Poulsen through into space whenever he can.
ONE TO WATCH
Jonas Wind. It remains to be seen who’ll be given the nod up front, with the main two candidates being Kasper Dolberg of Nice and Jonas Wind of FC Copenhagen. Dolberg is the more established name but Hjulmand has favoured Wind in recent games.
He’s repaid his manager’s faith, scoring twice in his three competitive starts and putting himself in contention to get the nod this summer. He has a real knack for getting on the end of crosses and with quality deliveries coming in from Eriksen, they could be a lethal combination.
STATS
Here’s all the key data on Denmark’s squad.
- Squads and statistics correct at time of data sheet creation.
TOURNAMENT PROSPECTS
A quarter-final place will be the barometer of success here for Denmark, and it’s hard to see anything less being celebrated too wildly on the streets of Copenhagen. Looking at the knockout path, a runner-up spot in the group sets up a potential reunion in the Last 16 with Switzerland (who they beat in qualifying), where the Danes would certainly fancy themselves to advance.
Should they progress, their most likely quarter-final opponents would be the Netherlands, who’ve drifted in the market in recent months with Virgil Van Dijk not making the squad.
BEST BET: Denmark to Reach the Semi-Finals
Denmark’s best XI will compete with anyone at the tournament, and with the Netherlands their most likely quarter-final opponents, I think they’re great value to reach the last four.
* All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change.
READ MORE ON EURO 2020
- Euro 2021 tips: Who to back – and avoid – to be group winners
- Euro 2021 tips: Who to back – and avoid – to be the tournament’s top goalscorer
- Euro 2021 tips: Who to back – and avoid – to be Young Player of the Tournament
- Euro 2021 tips: Who to back – and avoid – at this summer’s tournament
- Euro 2021 tips: High or low? Here’s where your goalscoring bets should go
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