Denmark fans at euro 2022. Photo credit: UEFA via Twitter.
Denmark’s national team has a surprisingly horrid history at the World Cup. The Danes have won only three total games at the tournament since the inaugural event in 1991, two of those wins came before the turn over the century and the Scandinavians are still yet to win a game beyond the group stages.
This is the country’s first World Cup appearance since 2007, a startling drought given the wealth of Danish talent plying their trade at some of the worlds most elite clubs. Everywhere you look in their 23 player squad for the current tournament there is quality. Players representing Arsenal, Bayern Munich, PSG and Lyon to name a few. This star studded squad is the exact reason a lot of people believe this could be Denmark’s best World Cup showing to date.
The road to qualification backs up those beliefs too, as Lars Søndergaard’s side picked up maximum points from their qualifying group. Eight games, eight wins, 40 goals, 2 goals conceded. So far, the tournament has proved challenging for the Danish side after losing 1-0 to England and beating China 1-0. Denmark now face Haiti in their final group game, and a win is needed otherwise the Round of 16 may be out of sight.
Great to kick off the tournament with a win, proud of the fight from the whole team💪⭐️ pic.twitter.com/ZQQ6yPdj4D
— Pernille Harder (@PernilleMHarder) July 22, 2023
Denmark’s Nicoline Sørensen’s response when asked by FIFA.com for the teams targets at the World Cup.
”The biggest target is to get through the group. That is the goal.”
The Manager: Lars Søndergaard
Søndergaard took over the role as Denmark manager in 2017 and has had a rather underwhelming spell in charge. His predecessor Nils Nielsen had led the Danes to a European Championship Final before he vacated the job, and optimism was as high as ever for the future of women’s football in the nation.
This will be the 64 year old’s second major tournament with the side, having led them to Euro 2022 last year before failing to make it through the competition’s ‘group of death’ that featured both Spain and Germany.
Søndergaard is not renowned for being an attacking manager, and despite their immense tactical talent Denmark tend to surrender possession when playing against perceived better teams. Underlining that fact, his team have won the possession battle only twice in their ten games post Euro 2022.
This will however be Denmark’s last tournament under their current coach, as Sōndergaard’s contract is set to expire after the World Cup. Andrée Jeglertz, currently of Linköping in Sweden, is set to take charge of the side after their Australia journey comes to an end.
The Key Player – Pernille Harder
When you think of the Danish national side, you think of Pernille Harder. Whether that be her scoring her nations only goal at Euro 2022, her countless dazzling performances on the international stage, or most memorably, her Euro 2017 campaign and goal in the final.
It’s not always been smooth sailing for Harder. This World Cup will be her first as a senior player, up until this Summer she was one of the best players to never play on the biggest international stage. The 30 year old is so adored by her country that the national team almost felt they owed it to her to qualify for a World Cup.
After her impressive form for both club and country in recent years, it is clear to see that Captain Pernille Harder is a centrepiece of excellence for Denmark. Although this will be Harder’s first world cup head coach Søndergaard said “This tournament deserves players like Pernille Harder.” While Rikke Sevecke added “She is one of the best players in the world. She is our best player.”
The versatile midfielder made her senior international debut in 2009 and has since earned a staggering 141 caps for Denmark scoring 70 goals, earning her the title of Denmark’s top goal scorer. In November 2022 a hamstring injury saw the superstar side-lined for 5 months, but after coming back in superb form towards the latter end of the domestic season, Harder is already making her mark down under in Australia and New Zealand.
Having recently moved to Bayern Munich, Harder will be looking to once again provide magic in a major tournament for the Danes. Her football intelligence and ability to locate space anywhere on the pitch means she is always one step ahead of the opposition, and the forward will be hoping this World Cup will go down as more than just her first.
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