Euros Preview: Denmark

Above: Denmark poses for a team photo. Image: @dbulandshold on Twitter.

By Alyce Collett (26/6/26).

Denmark are regulars at the Women’s Euros, but after being unable to replicate the highs of 2017 at the 2022 edition, can things go better for the Danes this time around?

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Maja Bay Østergaard (Vaxjo DFF), Kathrine Larsen (Sampdoria), Alberte Vingum (HB Køge).

Defenders: Sanne Troelsgaard (Roma), Katrine Veje (Crystal Palace), Frederikke Thøgersen (Roma), Stine Ballisager (Fiorentina), Sara Thrige (PSV Eindhoven), Sara Holmgaard (Real Madrid), Isabella Obaze (Portland Thorns), Emma Færge (Fiorentina).

Midfielders: Kathrine Kühl (Roma), Janni Thomsen (Utah Royals), Emma Snerle (Fiorentina), Karen Holmgaard (Everton), Rikke Madsen (Everton), Josefine Hasbo (Gotham FC).

Forwards: Pernille Harder (Bayern Munich), Nadia Nadim (Hammarby), Signe Bruun (Real Madrid), Amalie Vangsgaard (Juventus), Sofie Bredgaard (Fiorentina), Cornelia Kramer (Bayer Leverkusen).

Head Coach:

**Above:** Jeglertz on the sidelines. **Image:** UEFA.

Andrée Jeglertz is the current head coach of the Danish team, and will be heading to his first and perhaps only Euros with the team after having been appointed to the role in 2023 after that year’s World Cup.

The Swede was a defender in his playing days, and since retirement has built an extensive managerial career spanning over two decades.

He has coached a number of clubs in Sweden, including taking Umea to the 2004 Women’s Cup title with a squad that included Brazilian legend Marta. On the international stage he also coached the Finnish national team.

His contract with the Danish national team runs out at the conclusion of this year’s Euros, with rumours emerging in recent months that his next assignment will be coaching Manchester City in the Women’s Super League.

Euros History:

Denmark’s history at the Euros is certainly not a straightforward one. The Danes have been a very regular presence at the Euros though, competing at every tournament except the 1987 edition where they failed to make it out of the qualifying stages.

In the earlier editions of the tournament they consistently made pretty deep runs in the tournament, but regularly kept coming undone at most regularly the semi final stage.
They have not had such luck recently though. Since the turn of the century, they have made it out of their groups only three times, and one of those because they were one of the best third placed teams, which is not a rule implemented anymore.

Denmark have made the podium three times in their history. In 1991 and 1993 they finished third, wining the third placed matches over Italy and Germany respectively.
Their best finish at a Euros came in 2017 though, when they finished runners up after losing to the Netherlands in the final.

How they qualified:

Denmark’s path to qualification for the 2025 Euros was a pretty straightforward one. During the Euros Qualifiers edition of the Nations League they finished second in their League A Group, with only two losses to their name – both coming at the hands of Spain.
This meant Denmark were automatically qualified for the tournament and did not have to go through any play offs.

Strengths:

One of the biggest strengths of Denmark as a whole is the versatility and adaptability of theplayers in its squad. For example, it is not out of character for defenders like Katrine Veje and Sara Holmgaard to push higher and play more like midfielders or forwards without taking away from the typical defensive aspects of their games. This gives the Denmark coaching team more options to change things around if things are not going well in a match.

Development areas:

One of the things that should be concerning for Denmark in terms of way they are at the moment is their goal scoring volume. It has gone backwards since the Qualifiers, and with the teams they have in their group having well outscored them in the last Nations League season, the question is going to be how will they generate more goals from their usual sources, and get more players on the score sheet?

Key players:

**Above:** Pernille Harder on the field for the national side. **Image:** Pernille Harder via Facebook.

Pernille Harder is the most well known face in the Danish side and for good reason, starring through midfield and into attack. However if Denmark want to go far in the competition, they cannot afford to rely on Harder’s brilliance alone.

Janni Thomsen could play a crucial role in bringing up Denmark’s scoring rate and subsequently taking the presser off her captain Harder. An attacking midfielder, she and Harder were the equal highest goal scorers for Denmark during the last Nations League campaign. Thomsen is a dynamic midfielder who can work her way around her opponents in a very agile manner.

One to watch:

**Above:** Sara Holmgaard with the Danish National Team. **Image:** Everton Fans via Facebook.

Sara Holmgaard is an intriguing player. She is a defender but is known to push into attack and be very present in attacking manoeuvres. After a strong season with Everton, the question will be if she can continue that kind of momentum into the Euros.

Success would be:

If Denmark can somehow progress out of the group that will be a huge success, even if they
crash out in the very next match. Denmark do not have the easiest of groups, with two of the 2025 UEFA Nations League finalists in the group. But if the Danes can somehow defy expectation and do better than at least one of them, that will be a massive success.

Prediction:

Getting out of this group is not going to be easy for Denmark. Sweden and Germany are
formidable opponents, and Denmark just does not have the high volume scoring power
those two have. The Danes should be able to account for tournament debutants Poland though, so third place in the group is a realistic possibility.