EURO 2020 inside track: Denmark

Group B fixtures

12/06: Denmark vs Finland (Copenhagen)
17/06: Denmark vs Belgium (Copenhagen)
21/06: Russia vs Denmark (Copenhagen)

Team profile

Coach: Kasper Hjulmand
Captain: Simon Kjær
Nickname: Danish Dynamite
How they qualified: Group D runners up (W4 D4 L0 F23 A6)
EURO best: winners (1992)

Where they could play their knockout games

Round of 16: Seville, Amsterdam, Bucharest or Glasgow
Quarter-final: Saint Petersburg, Baku, Rome or Munich
Semi-final: London
Final: London

Final 26-man squad

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester), Jonas Lössl (Midtjylland), Frederik Rønnow (Schalke)

Defenders: Jens Stryger Larsen (Udinese), Simon Kjær (AC Milan), Andreas Christensen (Chelsea), Joachim Andersen (Fullham), Daniel Wass (Valencia), Mathias Jørgensen (Copenhagen), Joakim Mæhle (Atalanta), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton), Nicolai Boilesen (Copenhagen)

Midfielders: Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Nørgaard (Brentford), Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (Tottenham), Thomas Delaney (Dortmund), Anders Christiansen (Malmö), Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan), Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim)

Forwards: Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona), Andreas Cornelius (Parma), Andreas Skov Olsen (Bologna), Yussuf Poulsen (Leipzig), Kasper Dolberg (Nice), Jonas Wind (Copenhagen)

UEFA.com Denmark team reporter: Sture Sandø

This is my first EURO as a reporter. Ever since sitting on my father's shoulders as a five-year-old when Denmark went all the way and beat Germany in the 1992 final, this tournament has meant something special to me. Watching Denmark's captivating 3-2 loss to Portugal live in Lviv in 2012 is another emotional EURO memory. But given the team Denmark are bringing this time, I actually believe this could be their best EURO since 1992.

How they play

Kasper Hjulmand tends to start off in a 4-2-3-1, but one of his trademarks is to keep changing formation during the match, since Joakim Mæhle and Daniel Wass have no problem playing as wing backs. The Danes are not afraid to press high, but they also know how to sit back and let their opponents show if they are capable of beating Kasper Schmeichel between the posts.

Key player: Christian Eriksen

King Christian is a threat to any opponent. He has a great finish from distance and in the box, he knows how to set up his team-mates perfectly, and he also shows nerves of steel when taking penalties. Part of the team since debuting aged 18 in 2010, the newly crowned Scudetto winner has now played over 100 matches for his country.

Coach: Kasper Hjulmand

It's always interesting to watch the team Hjulmand is coaching. But you need to be on your marks because he is a skilled tactician who uses all the means at his disposal to outmanoeuvre the opposition. Having taken over in the summer of 2020, he has steered Denmark through a hectic year while still obtaining great results and managing to leave his mark on how they play.

One to watch: Andreas Skov Olsen

With three goals and four assists in his first five appearances Skov Olsen has done what he can to show Hjulmand that this level is not too high for him. Despite his young age, the 21-year-old Bologna striker has proved to be a player that can make a difference for Denmark with his pace and finishing skills.

Can they win it?

Sure they can! Denmark's squad contains players from some of the biggest clubs in the world and the spirit behind the scenes is remarkably good. The backbone of the team is at peak age and the young players are breathing down their necks. On top of that, the Danish Dynamite have the advantage of playing all their group stage games at home in Copenhagen.