Denmark women aim to emulate EURO '92 heroes
Friday, August 4, 2017
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"We get goosebumps when we watch it," says Katrine Veje of Denmark's EURO '92 victory, and the heroes of that win are urging on the women of 2017 in Sunday's final.
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Twenty-five years on from Denmark's most famous football triumph, the nation's women could be about to repeat history.
Although Denmark had a strong team in the 1980s, their true breakthrough came in EURO '92, where they famously received a late entry to the finals in Sweden and won. Richard Møller Nielsen's side beat holders the Netherlands on penalties in the semis before seeing off Germany to lift the trophy.
There are parallels this time around. Like 1992, Denmark have beaten the holders en route to the final (Denmark's quarter-final win against Germany was an upset equal to any their male counterparts achieved). They too won a semi-final shoot-out and, if they do triumph on Sunday, the 2017 Danes will have seen off both Germany and the Netherlands.
It has naturally become a talking point in Denmark, as their players told UEFA.com …
Denmark's women of 2017 on the men of 1992 ...
Katrine Veje:
"It would mean a lot. We never dared imagine this and we have heard so much about the summer of '92. We get goose bumps when we watch the movie about that summer which came out recently. It would be a big thing."
Frederikke Thøgersen:
"It's something we've been talking about in Denmark ever since it happened. It would be amazing if we could do something similar. We talk about it a lot and we are hopeful."
Denmark's men of 1992 on the women of 2017 ...
Henrik Larsen:
"We beat the German world champions in the finals, the women's team has defeated champions Germany in the quarter-finals, and I believe Denmark can go all the way. I hope they will celebrate and party as we did, and it will be fine if they are also invited to the town hall!"
John Sivebæk:
"When I've watched with my wife and seen the fighting spirit against Norway and Germany, I think back to 1992. I can easily see how the players work and fight for each other, as we did. And there are many good players in the team. It is rare to see such an elegant player as Katrine Veje. Nadia Nadim is a skilled dribbler and I was impressed by how Theresa Nielsen could run up and down and join in so much. The captain Pernille Harder is really good. It's great that she can get around the whole pitch. And, to me, Simone Boye was insanely strong against the Germans. She binds it all together and is good with the ball. "
- Either the Netherlands or Denmark will become only the second nation to have won both the men's and women's EURO titles after Germany.
