Denmark World Cup 2022: Players, fixtures, group

Drawn in Group D with Australia, France, and Tunisia, Denmark has a fantastic opportunity to progress to the knockout stages—especially with Christian Eriksen back in the side, following a remarkable recovery from a cardiac arrest suffered playing in their opening game at the European Championship in 2021. Alongside his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Pierre-Emerick Hojbjerg in midfield, chances should fall for seasoned forwards Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol) and Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla). Should France falter in its games, expect the Danes to pounce and seize their opportunity to steal the top spot and a favorable draw against the runner-up of Group C—potentially avoiding a tricky tie with Argentina to play one of Mexico or Poland.

Final 26-man Denmark World Cup 2022 roster

Star players in the Denmark World Cup team

Christian Eriksen should be the first name on this list. Having recovered from a shocking heart attack and given a chance to show his talent at Brentford last season, the 30-year-old midfielder has gone from strength to strength at club level this season with Manchester United and with Denmark’s road to the 2022 World Cup. At just 22 years old, Jesper Lindstrom is one to watch during the tournament in Qatar. Named rookie of the year in the Bundesliga last season, Lindstrom’s performances helped the German team win the Europa League last season. Injury has so far hampered him this season, but a good show in Qatar could bolster his profile on the international stage and propel Denmark into the latter stages of the knockout rounds. 

Who is Denmark’s head coach?

Kasper Hjulmand is the head coach of the Denmark national team and is well-respected at home and abroad for leading the team to the semifinals of the 2021 European Championship—a feat that was applauded given the shock of Christian Eriksen’s injury in the opening game.

Denmark World Cup fixtures and match schedule

Denmark vs. Tunisia

Denmark’s opener comes against a team that’s never made it past the group stages in any of its five appearances at the World Cup. If the Danes (and the French) get their way, it’s likely to be a sixth disappointment for the North Africans. 

France vs. Denmark

The winner of this crucial clash could determine who tops Group D and therefore who gets the more favorable draw against the Group C runner-up instead of a tricky draw against likely Group C winner Argentina. The Danes beat France 2-1 in the Euros last year and will back themselves, but the defending World Cup champions will make it difficult for them.

Australia vs. Denmark

On paper, Denmark has enough quality to take all three points comfortably. Australia is dealing with injuries to key players, while others have struggled to get many minutes for their club sides in the buildup to the World Cup. But on their day, the Socceroos can be a thorn in Denmark’s side, so the Danes need to control possession. 

Denmark national team strengths & weaknesses

Denmark’s tactical flexibility is one of its core strengths. The ability of manager Kasper Hjulmand to shift his side’s formation from a 3-4-3 to a 4-3-3 against world champions France in June was key to the Danes poaching a 2-1 win in their UEFA Nations League clash in June.  

Strengths

At 30, Cristian Eriksen offers Denmark experience and one of the finest touches in Europe. The Danes will need him to pull the strings in midfield and create attacking opportunities. Manager Kasper Hjulmand’s ability to shift Denmark’s tactics mid-game when required will be vital to changing the pace of games to suit Denmark’s strengths against Group D opponents like France. Other veteran presences include Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Christian Nørgaard, while promising young talents like Jesper Lindstrom add freshness and pace to their arsenal. Lindstrom got a taste of success winning the UEFA Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt last season and will be keen to show his abilities on the world stage in Qatar. 

Weaknesses

The biggest weakness facing this talented Denmark side is the lack of a tried-and-true goalscorer. Despite plenty of experienced forwards in the side, the lack of a focal point for the attack may require goals to come from set pieces and midfielders, too. Sevilla’s Kasper Dolberg is a fairly reliable threat on the pitch but has occasionally struggled since being loaned from French side Nice. Yussuf Poulsen and Jonas Wind are recently back from injury, while Martin Braithwaite has operated more as a left winger since leaving Barcelona for Espanyol.

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