World Cup 2022 Team Preview: Denmark
Headed into the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Denmark is a team that fans should note. They may not win the trophy but they will be a tough team to beat. As of August, they are the 10th-highest national team ranked by FIFA.
Great Form Heading to World Cup
Denmark has worked its way to where it is now in the rankings over the last few major world and European tournaments. They did not qualify for the 2014 World Cup or the 2016 Euros, so their success in 2018 was a surprise.
In a group that featured the 2018 World Cup winners France, Denmark came in second to qualify for the Round of 16. During the first knockout round of the tournament, they pushed eventual runner-up Croatia to a penalty shootout.
That success carried them to a semifinals in the 2020 Euros, losing to England in extra time. Denmark only won one game in the group stages and had an easier road than most, beating Wales and the Czech Republic, but they still managed a deep run.
Their form has not slowed down. In the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League, they sit atop a group that consists of Croatia, France, and Austria, with nine points and one loss. They beat defending champion France 2-1 in their first meeting of the tournament.
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Older, Defensive Squad
It has been around four years of constant play from Denmark, leading to a well-meshed team. The downside is that they are a little bit older now, but their style of play might let that be a strength.
In recent years, Denmark’s attacking front has become more talented, but the backbone of the team has remained the defense, primarily through the midfield. The pairing of Thomas Delaney and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been crucial to the national team’s success. They both have experience playing as single-pivot defensive midfielders for their club teams. Together they can control the midfield and protect the backline.
Center-back Andreas Christensen has become a staple of the back line as he moved from Chelsea to Barcelona, two of the biggest European clubs. Joachim Andersen has only 17 international caps at 26 years old, but he has been impressive for Crystal Palace in the Premier League.
There is still a lot of attacking threat on Demark’s side, despite not being the primary source of their success. Since Christian Eriksen suffered a heart attack in the first match in the 2020 Euros, he has regained his place as one of the best creative players in Europe.
Martin Braithwaite has been one of the main strikers for the team for a while, but when Yussuf Poulsen is healthy, the combination of them with Eriksen is dangerous, especially on the counter-attack. They also have a young winger in 22-year-old Andreas Skov Olsen, who has been impressive for Club Brugge.
Friends in Group D
Denmark has been drawn into Group D, which consists of Tunisia, Australia and France. Australia and France were in Denmark’s group in the last World Cup, drawing with both sides.
Denmark will get multiple up-close looks at France ahead of the World Cup after beating them in the UEFA Nations League. They also have to play them one more time before the World Cup starts in November. This could give them an advantage over one of the top teams in the world that the other opponents in Group D will not have.
Denmark World Cup Betting Prediction
In the group stage, Denmark has the second-best odds to top Group D at +300 and the 10th-best 2022 World Cup odds to win the whole thing at +2800. Their defensive style could keep them in games against talented opponents, but they also have enough skill and talent in their attacking front to be a threat.
If they can look good against France in their upcoming match, it is possible that they could upset their group and top it. However, beyond that and in the following stages of the tournament, they probably won’t get that far.
