Denmark’s earlier triumph as rank outsiders within the 1992 European Championships means they can’t be underestimated by England in Group C.
Within the final match, the Danes reached the semi-finals the place they had been eradicated by Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions, earlier than Kasper Hjulmand’s swashbuckling aspect breezed by means of qualifying for the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Issues have been more durable since, nevertheless.
They crashed out on the group stage in Qatar after failing to fireplace and, though they topped Euro 2024 qualifying Group H, they did so solely on objective distinction forward of Slovenia.
What can we anticipate from Denmark this time round? Strong and unsightly is how they’ve been described whereas Hjulmand confirmed throughout the qualifying marketing campaign a tactical flexibility having modified formation on quite a few events.
The Danes have a very good probability of escaping their group, however they don’t seem to be anticipated to copy the feat of three years in the past. Mikkel Damsgaard, who scored a superb free-kick within the semi-final defeat by England, has seen his profession stall at Brentford on these shores.
Christian Eriksen’s powers additionally look like on the wane whereas it was a shock to Celtic supporters to be taught that Matt O’Riley hadn’t been included within the squad regardless of scoring 19 targets and offering 18 assists this season.
Denmark face Slovenia of their Group C opener
On O’Riley’s omission, head coach Hjulmand mentioned: “I have chosen six other midfielders but it was tight. Damsgaard and Andreas Christensen can also cover positions in the midfield. It has gone beyond Matt, but it was a difficult choice. I know he will play a lot of international matches.”
Pressed on what O’Riley may have executed in another way for Celtic to earn a spot, he responded: “He couldn’t have done anything differently. He could hardly do better than what he did this season.”
Wieghorst: Denmark should discover solution to accommodate Eriksen
Christian Eriksen will look to encourage Denmark to glory
“We had a difficult 2023 in the qualifying campaign – finally, in the end, we qualified, which is the main thing, but we struggled in certain games,” Denmark assistant coach Morten Wieghorst mentioned.
The previous Denmark midfielder mentioned his aspect went into qualifying understanding they’d take pleasure in an unlimited quantity of possession, however, as in Qatar, they typically struggled to interrupt down groups.
That, nevertheless, is unlikely to occur in Germany, the place they tackle England, Serbia and Slovenia in Group C, none of whom are more likely to simply sit again in opposition to the Danes.
“The term ‘easier’ I wouldn’t use but the games are going to be different,” Wieghorst mentioned wryly.
Head coach Kasper Hjulmand is aiming for the knockouts
There have been the highs of successful Euro 1992 to the second which transcended the game within the final match when midfielder Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest.
Regardless of Eriksen’s coronary heart situation, and him not being as fleet-footed as he as soon as was, the 32-year-old continues to be anticipated to play a key position for a workforce during which he has been the dominant artistic power for greater than a decade.
“He can find that space and time to exploit the defences of the opponents, so that’s his major strength. And then in terms of pressing, we have to accommodate a player of his stature,” Wieghorst defined.
One other main power for the workforce would be the estimated 50,000 Danes anticipated to attend the video games over the border in Germany, an asset Wieghorst doesn’t underestimate.
“We want to make it exciting, we want to give them something to shout about, and to have a great party and a great time in Germany,” he mentioned.
How did Denmark carry out in qualifying?
Hjulmand is the second Denmark head coach to steer the workforce in three consecutive main tournaments, after Sepp Piontek (EURO 1984, 1986 World Cup, EURO 1988). Morten Olsen was in cost at 4 main tournaments, however by no means three in a row
Denmark topped their qualifying group with 22 factors, the primary time that they had topped a European qualifier group because the 2012 version. The Danes received all 5 house video games on this qualifying marketing campaign however misplaced two of their 5 away from house (W2 D1).
Expertise might be key in Germany. Croatia’s squad have essentially the most caps within the match, 1,169, with Luka Modric (175) one in all 4 centurions. Portugal are 39 behind with Switzerland and Denmark the opposite groups above 1,000. England’s 651 is the seventh-lowest complete with Scotland ninth-lowest on 744.
Surprisingly, Denmark – together with Albania – are the one groups with no domestic-based participant of their respective squads.
England have a tournament-high 24 home-based gamers, with Madrid star Bellingham and Bayern striker Kane the one exceptions, whereas Italy have 23 – Jorginho and Guglielmo Vicario play in England with Gianluigi Donnarumma at PSG.
How have Denmark’s warm-up video games gone?
Denmark’s coaching base is the Hermann-Saam-Stadium in Baden-Württemberg
Denmark wrapped up their Euro 2024 preparations with a 3-1 win over Norway at Brondby Stadium that noticed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg rating for the third worldwide recreation in a row, with Erling Haaland grabbing a comfort objective for the guests.
Midfielder Hojbjerg obtained Saturday’s proceedings underway with a Twelfth-minute strike from his highly effective proper foot, and the Danes added a second when defender Jannick Vestergaard headed house Andreas Skov Olsen’s nook 9 minutes later.
With Denmark making a slew of second-half adjustments, Haaland had a objective chalked off after a VAR evaluate within the sixty fifth minute however there was no stopping him seven minutes later when an outstanding Martin Odegaard go teed him as much as scale back the deficit. Youssef Poulsen netted a 3rd in second-half stoppage time.
It capped a profitable week of warm-up matches after Eriksen scored a shocking late winner in a 2-1 victory over Sweden at a sold-out Parken stadium 4 days earlier.
It cemented his spot because the Danes’ most potent artistic power forward of the match in Germany, the place they’ll face Slovenia, England and Serbia in Group C, with the Slovenians up first in Stuttgart on June 16.
Can Hojlund hang-out England?
Hojlund notched seven instances in qualifying, greater than every other participant, additionally having essentially the most pictures (23), pictures heading in the right direction (13) and highest xG (5.2) of any Danish participant
Rasmus Hojlund can be motivated greater than most to wrestle prime spot off England after a relatively detached first season within the Premier League as a part of a dysfunctional Manchester United aspect.
The 21-year-old scored 10 league targets in 30 appearances following his £72m transfer from Atalanta – three greater than he scored in qualifying for the Euros – and at worldwide stage, he has not often let his nation down.
His hat-trick in opposition to Finland in March made him the youngest (20 years and 47 days) hat-trick scorer for Denmark in a Euro qualifier since a 19-year-old Michael Laudrup in 1983 in opposition to Luxembourg.
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A glance again at Rasmus Hojlund’s red-hot streak earlier than an harm setback derailed his season
Talking forward of the match, supervisor Hjulmand mentioned on Hojlund: “I played with Rasmus’ father and have known and seen Rasmus since he was very young. I’ve watched many of his matches as a youth player and know where he comes from. His great quality is his personality.
“He’s a type of younger gamers who appears round each single day and thinks: ‘What can I be taught? How can I enhance?’ He has such an open mindset that revolves round: ‘I wish to be higher.’ That is what shapes Rasmus. He continuously needs to turn out to be higher, and he needs to be informed that as effectively.
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Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville disagree over Manchester United’s Rasmus Hojlund because the Danish striker comes in the direction of the top of his debut marketing campaign at Previous Trafford.
“He wants to be challenged, and thrives on getting better. When he didn’t make it to the World Cup, for example, which I thought was just too early, I went down to him in Bergen and showed him some clips regarding running and heading the ball in those situations.
“After which all of a sudden, one winter day, I used to be informed that he was coaching onerous. After which I noticed, for instance, that match in opposition to Finland the place he scored three targets. He strikes extremely effectively and it isn’t by probability that Rasmus takes steps ahead as a result of it is his mindset, it is his persona.
“It’s about leveraging the things that are around him for the better. That personality can take him a long way. We’re already very pleased with him but there’s more to come.”
Who may emerge as a family identify?
Andreas Skov Olsen may emerge as a breakout star
Denmark have produced greater than their fair proportion of goalscoring wingers with the power to captivate followers and the newest is Skov Olsen, who is ready to step out of the shadow of gamers such because the Laudrup brothers.
After breaking by means of at FC Nordsjaelland and spending three seasons with Bologna, the 24-year-old from Hilleroed has rediscovered his greatest scoring type this previous season at Membership Brugge in Belgium, with 26 targets in all competitions.
Skov Olsen’s breakout scoring season in Belgium comes at an intriguing time for Hjulmand’s aspect and should effectively immediate a positional shake-up from the Denmark supervisor in Germany.
Beforehand playmaker Eriksen occupied the area on the proper of midfield that Skov Olsen prefers however the latter’s tempo, shut management and deadly left foot make him an enormous risk as he cuts in from the wing.
As an added bonus, Skov Olsen can also be greater than succesful along with his proper foot as proven by some deft chipped finishes in his membership profession.
Denmark struggled badly to create possibilities on the World Cup in Qatar however Skov Olsen helps fill the void
To really prosper in Germany, Skov Olsen might want to present that he’s in a position to rating in opposition to high-level opposition – he netted solely thrice in 70 video games for Bologna and his final worldwide objective got here in September 2022 in opposition to France.
Like a lot of Denmark’s prime gamers, calls for can be positioned on Skov Olsen’s intelligence and tactical flexibility as his aspect search to navigate their means out of a troublesome group.
If he stays away from harm, Skov Olsen could be the newest in a protracted line of Danish attackers to excite the workforce’s fanatical supporters.
Skov Olsen has had a breakout scoring season in Belgium
By the way in which, maintain an eye fixed out additionally for holding midfielder Morten Hjulmand. There isn’t any relation with head coach Kasper, in case you had been questioning.
The 24-year-old arrives off the again of a stellar season with Sporting as a part of Ruben Amorim’s Portuguese league title-winning workforce.
Hjulmand solely made his Denmark debut in September, so is a little bit of a late bloomer on the worldwide stage.
Full Denmark squad
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Anderlecht), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin), Mads Hermansen (Leicester Metropolis).
Defenders: Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Jannik Vestergaard (Leicester Metropolis), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Alexander Bah (Benfica), Joakim Maehle (Wolfsburg), Rasmus Kristensen (Roma), Victor Kristiansen (Bologna).
Midfielders: Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Thomas Delaney (Anderlecht), Morten Hjulmand (Sporting Lisbon), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford).
Forwards: Jacob Bruun Larsen (Burnley), Andreas Skov Olsen (Membership Brugge), Anders Dreyer (Anderlecht), Kasper Dolberg (Anderlecht), Rasmus Hojlund (Manchester United), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg), Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig).
