Denmark are a national team without an international title to their name, with their best-ever result being a runners-up finish at the 2017 Women’s World Cup, but they are also one of the best-performing teams coming into the tournament. During qualifying, they did not lose a single match, winning all eight games in a row and conceding just two goals through a truly impressive performance.

During this edition of the tournament, they will share Group D with China, Haiti and England, with the latter of whom they are joint favourites for the group. After failing to advance from the group stage during the last European Championship, Lars Søndergaard’s team have fine-tuned many significant details and now arrive at the most important tournament in the world with momentum.

Our tactical analysis of Denmark under Søndergaard will take a look at the coach’s ideas and try to determine what Denmark’s impact might be during this tournament while analysing how the team that has provided some surprises in recent months plays.

Predicted starting XI

Denmark have used very different systems in recent tournaments. During the last EURO, they used a 3-4-2-1, but in the rest of their games since then, they have used a 4-3-3 which they have refined as they have played friendly matches, achieving a great performance that enhances the key players in the squad and allows the team to exploit their skills.

Lene Christensen is emerging as the team’s starting goalkeeper. Like Kathrine Larsen, she is a player who stands out for her experience and has been important with the team in the past. However, Søndergaard has used several players in recent matches, so the possibility of Maja Bay Østergaard playing has not been ruled out either.

The defensive line could consist of Rikke Sevecke at right-back (who has also played as centre-back), Stine Pedersen and Simone Boye Sørensen as centre-backs, being a very experienced duo able to adapt to different defensive approaches very solidly, and Sofie Svava as the left-back, a player who stands out for her energy and direct impact in all phases of the game.

Karem Holmgaard is a key player in the team as a defensive midfielder. She is in charge of keeping the balance and being the main distributor of her team in attack. She is also a very clever player to exploit advantages and improve the quality of her team’s attacks. She could play with Josefine Hasbo up close and also rely on Pernille Harder, the team’s main star, focused on creating dangerous chances and dynamising attacks on the inside.

Up front, Nicoline Sørensen could be a very important piece in attacking space from the left, something that Sofie Bruun Bredgaard could also exploit on the opposite flank. As a number 9, the presence of Signe Bruun could be key to executing the team’s game plan in the absence of Stine Larsen with an ACL injury.

Attacking phase

Under Lars Søndergaard’s tactics, Denmark try to control the tempo of the game. They are a team that looks to dominate possession and draw the opposition, as once they are pressed by others, they can activate many of their dynamics to progress aggressively behind their opponents’ backs. However, they are also clever in their side-to-side circulation and centre-backs carrying the ball when facing low blocks, so they can adapt their approach to the opponents they face successfully.

Firstly, Denmark are one of the teams that benefits most from opposition pressure. In fact, it is their main intention in order to develop their progressions, which is why the goalkeeper looks to play to the centre-backs short and also use the full-backs deep with the DM close in, in a theoretical 4-1 structure. In doing so, they seek to activate the progressive passing range of the players in the back line and connect with the DM (with time and space to turn) or with the LCM/RCM to carry out third-man concepts so that Holmgaard, usually the distributor, can organise the attacks.

However, it is not only the coordination and timing in the movements of the defenders and midfielders that stand out, but Lars Søndergaard has built a team that recognises this type of situation very well so that all players perform key functions through their movements to attract or draw opposing players out of position and create space through which the team can progress.

Denmark do not always face opponents who are looking to press high, especially after so many games where they have gained big advantages by luring the opposition in the build-up phase. In fact, it is expected that during the 2023 World Cup, not all the teams they face will fall into their attraction traps and face more lower-mid blocks.

In this sense, the centre-backs can carry the ball for several metres and try to activate the attackers by running into the back of the defensive line through tense passing. The team has very powerful players who can gain great advantages with their speed, so this is a resource they use frequently, often taking advantage of the opposition’s attrition after several minutes of play.

Generally, they look to exploit the spaces behind the back line with their wingers, as the number 9 is usually more focused on creating passing lanes on the inside and activating players on the outside, especially against teams that do not cover the danger options through the inside channels. In addition, this is also a resource to overcome opposing lines that the team uses frequently.

Denmark look to go deep down the flanks frequently. In order to do so, they follow two main premises — accumulation of players on the inside and constant switching of channels between full-backs and wingers. In this way, the team often manages to narrow/compress the lines of the opposing block and then progress with fast and free players on the wing.

Defensive phase

Søndergaard’s Denmark are capable of varying their defensive approach according to the opposition they face, although they are not a team that often seek to press high. In this way, they seek to set up a midfield block to draw the opposition and not give them the option of passing inside with the aim of the opposition looking to link up with wide players or force complex passes to win the ball back and counterattack.

The team tend to use a 4-1-4-1 structure in the defensive phase when using a middle block. In this way, the DM is responsible for coordinating the lines and keeping the block compact, thus reducing the capacity for opposition progression inside and forcing the centre-backs to move forward and look to play on the outside (with a greater chance of losing the ball in a 1v1).

Central midfielders can vary their positioning according to the opposing players in close proximity — sometimes they must accompany their backline, but generally, they are not very long runs to focus on blocking passing options through the inside channels.

They can also press high with good energy and coordination, but this is not the best scenario for the team. Moreover, on many of the occasions they do so, the distance between their backline and the midfield is often too great, something the opposition can exploit to win second balls.

Both Danish centre-backs, Pedersen and Boye Sørensen, are very dominant players in a lower-mid block. There, as well as defending the box with very good concepts, they exploit their power to anticipate and win duels over short distances. When defending large spaces behind them or having to chase down opponents who are making unmarked moves, they are not quick enough to reach forwards who excel at speed.

Denmark know how to adapt to different scenarios, something that will be key in the development of the competition. Although they are a very time-controlling team, which excels in their structure to protect turnovers in the opposition half, they can also move up their block and take more risks to press high and intensely if the game demands it.

Transitions

Denmark’s attacking transitions are very beneficial to the team. Having such fast attacking players and midfielders/defenders with good progressive passing ranges allows the team to progress quickly and aggressively when winning the ball back in their own part of the pitch.

In this way, the team does a lot of damage through quick counterattacks where they look to activate their players out wide and attack space. In addition, in general, wing players can activate their pass and go, as RCM/LCM prioritise being close to create passing lanes and attract markers and then activate their teammates through their passing.

However, a remarkable aspect of this team is how they control the tempo of the game. While they gain many advantages when they are able to counterattack aggressively, they also know when to drop back or restart the play. In addition, if the opposition is looking to counterpress, this can enable scenarios where they run third-man dynamics to progress and create large spaces inside to comfortably move forward.

The team’s defensive transitions vary considerably depending on the area where the ball is lost. If it is in the opposing part of the pitch, it is sometimes possible to counterpress with a lot of intensity in a collective exercise. However, there are many occasions where the front line of the block takes on this role while the rest of the team is tidied up.

Denmark seek to be tidy in all phases of the game and, from this, they attack by prioritising maintaining a good structure in the event of a loss, something for which Holmgaard’s good positioning is key to keeping the team balanced. In this way, they do not tend to have large spaces on the inside through which the opposition can progress when they win the ball back.

Attackers

Denmark have many of their most talented players in attack. Although the loss of Stine Larsen is not an insignificant issue, the team has different profiles to carry out their idea and be able to dominate their opponents in different scenarios.

They have very productive wide players, such as Nicoline Sørensen and Sofie Bruun Bredgaard. In addition, Signe Bruun also enables the team to develop their attacking dynamics with fluidity, a role in which Amalie Vangsgaard also excels. In addition, players such as Olivia Holdt and Rikke Madsen have very good technical and tactical attributes to contribute.

Midfielders

In midfield, Denmark has many different profiles, which are of great importance for them to be a dominant and time-controlling team. Karem Holmgaard is the main player who keeps the team organised and is a key player in distribution.

Josefine Hasbo is also a very intelligent player who can be of great use in the second phase, creating passing lanes and helping to dynamise attacks frequently. In addition, Pernille Harder, the team’s top star, is also expected to play with a focus on appearing in the inside channels and creating dangerous opportunities frequently.

Kathrine Kühl or Emma Snerle, despite their youth, are also very useful players to adapt to the team’s game idea and have a good impact.

Defenders

The Danish backline is very solid and experienced. Having two centre-backs like Stine Ballisager Pedersen and Simone Boye Sørensen makes this a very solid team when defending their box, but also in the lower-mid block, as both are imposing players in duels and through the air.

Rikke Sevecke, who has also played as a centre-back, is a very useful player as a deep right-back, as she can exploit her passing range to contribute to her team’s progressions. Meanwhile, Sofie Svava is a very dynamic LB capable of energising attacks by receiving in different areas of the pitch and even going forward on the wing.

Key player

There is no doubt that Denmark’s key player is Pernille Harder, the player with the most goals (69) in the history of the national team. She is also a technically and tactically brilliant player who will be of great importance to the team because of her ability to create or finish dangerous chances.

In a team that manages to progress inside on many occasions, her presence will be key to dynamising attacks and being able to exploit advantages in the opposition half, especially receiving with space and time. Her mobility is good and she will have great players behind her to activate her frequently.

Tournament prediction

Although Denmark have never won an international tournament in their history, the team has the potential to win their first title. Their performance in the qualifiers for the tournament has been really good and they arrive with many players at a high level, as well as having a lot of experience in each of their lines and having polished details over the last few months to optimise the attributes of the main stars of the squad.

A very good result for Denmark would be to reach the semi-finals, considering that they have never made it past the quarter-finals of the World Cup and have failed to qualify for the last three editions. However, this is a team that could provide surprises.