Denmark 2020 UEFA Euro Betting
The second team pegged to get out of Group B is Denmark. The Danes have been one of the best teams in international competition over the last four years. They are currently one of the top ten national teams in the world per FIFA’s April rankings, and Denmark is seen as the one team that can really challenge Belgium in this group. They didn’t lose a game for two years, earning a result in 15 straight matches from September 2018 to September 2020. They will have the advantage of playing all three of their games at home too.
Denmark Squad Profile
UEFA Euro Odds: +3000
Coach: Kasper Hjulmand
FIFA Ranking: 12
Best Finish: Champions (1992)
Group: B ( Belgium, Finland and Russia )
How They Got Here
Denmark didn’t lose a game in qualifying, but the Danes finished second to Switzerland in Group D because they had four draws in eight matches. Road draws to Switzerland and Georgia stung, but the real issue was that both of their matches against Ireland ended in ties. They were extremely fortunate to earn a draw against the Swiss in Basel though as Switzerland had a 3-0 lead before the Danes rallied with three goals after the 84th minute.
Team Preview
Since the outset, Denmark has been known for its defense. The Danes have never had the same firepower as other continental powers or regional rivals, so they have leaned heavily on their back line to win matches.
That continues to be the case under new manager Kasper Hjulmand. Hjulmand was set to take over Denmark after last summer, and the national federation decided to go ahead and make the switch from Age Hareide despite his successful tenure.
Goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel has followed in his father’s footsteps. The Leicester City mainstay has been the first-choice Danish goalkeeper since 2013, and his father Peter Schmeichel notched a team record 129 caps in net for Denmark between 1987 and 2001. Just as Peter Schmeichel led Denmark to an impossible victory at the 1992 Euros, Kasper Schmeichel played a huge role in Leicester City’s incredible Premier League title five years ago.
Captain Simon Kjaer remains a stalwart in the center of the defense. Kjaer has been a rock in the middle of this back line for over a decade, and he has played against some of the best forwards during his time at Atalanta and AC Milan. Andreas Christensen and Jens Stryger Larsen are solid players in defense too.
Christian Eriksen is the standout player on the team. Eriksen carries one of the biggest burdens for any player on any team at EURO 2020. Denmark relies on him to find the back of the net as he has scored 36 goals in his international career. No one else that will likely be selected has scored more than eight goals, as Yussuf Poulsen has not been as big of a difference maker. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is the other midfielder that can make a difference on offense.
Denmark Schedule
GROUP STAGE
Saturday June 12
Denmark vs. Finland (Copenhagen; noon ET, 6 p.m.)
Thursday June 17
Denmark vs. Belgium (Copenhagen; noon ET, 6 p.m.)
Monday June 21
Russia vs. Denmark (Copenhagen; 3 p.m. ET, 9 p.m.)
Denmark’s History at the European Championships
Denmark has a history of outperforming expectations at the Euros. They finished in fourth place in their debut appearance in 1964, and they made the semifinals of this competition in 1984 due to wins over Yugoslavia and Belgium. They nearly made the finals, but they lost to Spain in penalties.
This country’s greatest international success came at the 1992 Euros. Denmark upset France on the final day of the Group Stage in order to advance ahead of France and England into the knockout rounds. Henrik Larsen notched a brace in regulation to help lead Denmark past the Netherlands on penalties in the semifinals, setting up a showdown with Germany in the finals. The Danes were heavy underdogs, but Schmeichel came up huge with a clean sheet in a 2-0 win to give Denmark its first and only European Championship.
This country hasn’t had anywhere near the same success since that point. Denmark failed to make it out of the Group Stage of the next two Euros, and its best performance since that improbable win came in 2004 when the Danes advanced to the quarterfinals. They failed to make this competition in either 2008 or 2016.
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