Denmark World Cup 2022 preview - prediction, fixtures, squad, star player

Among the more vocal nations opposing their hosts' staging of football's global gathering, the Danes will nonetheless target a place in the knockout stages as a minimum - and may even dream of ultimate glory, given their superb run through qualifying.

With the irreplaceable Christian Eriksen back pulling the strings in midfield, the country crowned European champions against the odds in 1992 arrive in the Middle East with ambitions and expectations at an all-time high, but can their performances now match?

Here, Sports Mole assesses Denmark's chances at the 2022 World Cup.

GROUP

A relatively kind first fixture sees Denmark taking on Tunisia, who qualified without impressing and were recently thumped by Brazil, so the Danes will expect nothing less than three points on Group D's opening day.

They have already shown they can defeat reigning champions France, after a couple of tussles between the sides in the Nations League earlier this year both went in Denmark's favour. That surely means there will be absolutely no inferiority complex when they reconvene with Les Bleus in Doha.

Qualification for the last 16 may still be on the line when Australia are the opposition on November's final day, which also sees the conclusion of Group D. The Socceroos are short of the quality available to Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand, and should instead present a tough team to break down when the pressure is on.

FIXTURES

November 22: Denmark vs. Tunisia (1pm, Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan)

November 26: France vs. Denmark (4pm, Stadium 974, Doha)

November 30: Australia vs. Denmark (3pm, Al Janoub Stadium, Al Wakrah)

HOW THEY QUALIFIED

Presented with a favourable section, Hjulmand's side simply strolled through qualifying; topping Group F by four points, ahead of closest challengers Scotland.

Indeed, Denmark won nine of their 10 games and finished with an impressive goal difference of +27 by the time the process concluded last November.

Conceding for the first time only in their penultimate fixture, their route to Qatar took the path generally trodden by Europe's elite, of which they could currently be considered a member.

Austria, Israel, Moldova and the Faroe Islands were all dispatched both home and away, and the Danes' only loss of points came at the hands of Steve Clarke's Scots, in a dead-rubber on the final day.

Therefore tying with Germany as Europe's most emphatic qualifiers on 27 points, Denmark produced goals from all quarters of a talented team and further established themselves as a team to be feared.

RECENT FORM

After crushing all-comers in qualifying, Denmark were intermittently impressive in a testing Nations League group - losing twice to Croatia but also enjoying those two wins over France.

In Paris, Hjulmand led his side to a memorable 2-1 victory against a strong French team, as they fought back from behind to seize three points thanks to a late double from substitute striker Andreas Cornelius.

Then, in their most recent competitive outing, a vibrant Parken Stadium witnessed them complete the double over 2018's global champions, surging to a 2-0 win in Copenhagen with first-half goals from Kasper Dolberg and Andreas Skov Olsen.

From his advanced midfield role, Christian Eriksen put on perhaps one of his greatest displays in a red Denmark shirt, as Les Bleus' multi-talented squad were out-thought and overrun by some real Danish dynamite - perhaps a taste of things to come?

SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin), Frederik Ronnow (Union Berlin)

Defenders: Simon Kjaer (Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Daniel Wass (Brondby), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Rasmus Kristensen (Leeds United), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Alexander Bah (Benfica)

Midfielders: Thomas Delaney (Sevilla), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham), Christian Norgaard (Brentford), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford)

Forwards: Yussuf Poulsen (RB Leipzig), Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt), Andreas Cornelius (Copenhagen), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim)

STAR PLAYER - CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN

Despite his modest approach to the game, rising above all others in a squad drawn from across Europe's top leagues is one man that embodies the spirit of Denmark's journey through the past few years.

Marrying talent, experience and an ability to produce under the most intense pressure, midfield maestro Christian Eriksen has recovered from the traumas of 2021 to once more reach heights he captured as one of Tottenham Hotspur's star players and an influential piece of the jigsaw in Inter Milan's Scudetto-winning team.

Capping his comeback to top-tier football via Brentford and a memorable return to the Danish squad, the 30-year-old's move to Manchester United has seen his profile rise again, and already with over 100 international caps, he now aims to make more history for his nation.

Featuring from a more advanced role than he has recently occupied at club level, with both Inter and United, his ability to influence games among the elite was never more in evidence than in September's defeat of France.

Constantly threatening from set pieces and effortlessly controlling the rhythm of the game, any remaining doubters were reminded of why he had scored 11 goals in qualification for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, going on to star in Denmark's run to the last 16.

MANAGER - KASPER HJULMAND

Considered one of Europe's most tactically adept and emotionally aware coaches, for his feats at the helm of his nation Kasper Hjulmand has become synonymous with Denmark's rise to prominence.

Flexible enough to switch his favoured 3-4-3 setup for a more attack-minded 4-3-3 against so-called lesser sides, the former Mainz manager makes full use of Christian Eriksen's ability to play between the lines, and has also been known to send teams out in a 4-2-3-1 formation.

The 50-year-old from Aalborg is a coach in the modern mould - preferring high pressing and a compact shape. That lends itself to quick counter-attacks, with which the Danes have torn open several opponents during recent times.

Boasting a win-rate of 67% in charge of his nation, Hjulmand took the Denmark job in 2020, replacing the vastly-experienced Age Hareide.

In his first tournament in charge, Euro 2020, he led his team through the aftermath of Eriksen's brush with death to reach the semi-finals, where they were eliminated by a controversial extra-time penalty against England. Since then, momentum has only built further - along with expectations.

WORLD CUP RECORD

Best finish: Quarter-finals (1998)

Denmark have reached the last 16 in four of their previous five appearances, including their very first, back in 1986. On that occasion, the 'Danish Dynamite' team of Preben Elkjaer and Michael Laudrup caused quite a stir in the opening round before their exit to Spain. Six years later, they would be crowned champions of Europe.

The 1998 World Cup saw both Laudrup brothers - Michael and Brian - participate in their last international tournament, and after negotiating a group featuring hosts and eventual champions France, the Danes defeated Nigeria 4-1 in the last 16. They exited, though, in the following round - beaten by Brazil.

At the 2002 World Cup, Denmark's run was by ended by England in the last 16, the same stage as Age Hareide's side reached some 16 years later.

In Russia, it was finalists Croatia who beat them to a place in the quarters, after a 1-1 draw which saw a late Luka Modric penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel in dramatic style. Denmark were then beaten in the penalty shootout.

PREDICTION

Now able to name a deep squad of players regularly performing in Europe's top leagues - a handful of whom have featured in this season's Champions League - Denmark have the resources to qualify for the knockout stages and even contend for Group D's top spot.

Highly-organised and familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses, Kasper Hjulmand has forged a cohesive unit which is flexible enough for the rigours of tournament football.

While they should be confident of advancing to the last 16, if they fail to pip France to first place, a meeting with hotly-tipped Argentina could await - and that may be where their journey ends for a fifth time in the World Cup finals.

VERDICT: Last 16