We look ahead to the Euro 2024 meeting between Denmark and England, with a place in the last 16 within touching distance for the Three Lions. Read on for our Denmark vs England prediction and preview.
Denmark vs England: The Key Insights
- England can reach the last 16 with a win, and they are predicted to get the job done, with the Opta supercomputer handing them a 54.0% win probability.
- These teams have faced each other on three previous occasions at major tournaments, with Denmark failing to win any of those meetings.
- England have kept five consecutive clean sheets in group stage matches at the Euros, which is a tournament record.
England know that the last 16 of Euro 2024 is within touching distance as they head into a reunion with Denmark.
The Three Lions beat the Danes in the semi-finals at Euro 2020, coming from behind to win 2-1 after extra time.
Harry Kane was England’s hero as he converted a rebound from a missed penalty, though spot-kicks would of course go on to prove to be their downfall in the final against Italy.
There is less on the line when England face Denmark again on Thursday, though Gareth Southgate’s team will progress to the knockout stage should they win. But do not expect a goal fest.
England only had 12 touches in Serbia’s box in their 1-0 win on MD1, their lowest total of touches in the opposition box in a European Championship game since 2012 against Ukraine (also 12).
Indeed, the England vs Serbia match saw only 11 shots (five for England, six for Serbia) – that tally is the lowest on record in a European Championship match, fewer than every one of the other 322 matches in the competition since 1980.
England have also kept a clean sheet in each of their last five group-stage matches at the European Championship finals, the longest such run in the competition’s history.
One major goal threat is Jude Bellingham. He came into Euro 2024 with the pressure and hype ramped right up. He is the face of this England squad, and there is an onus on him to deliver.
The youngster started on the right foot, scoring in the 13th minute to seal that 1-0 victory over Serbia.
Bellingham displayed the kind of chance-sniffing instinct he has demonstrated so brilliantly during his first season at Real Madrid, getting on the end of Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross and powering home with his head.
Having become the first player to play at two European Championship tournaments before the age of 21, he is also the second England player to score at two major tournaments before turning 21 (also scored vs Iran at the 2022 World Cup), along with Michael Owen, who scored at the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000.
Bellingham was crucial in every aspect against Serbia. He led England for touches (93), while only Declan Rice (81) and Kyle Walker (77) attempted more passes than the 20-year-old, who also competed in a team-leading 16 duels, winning 10 of them, and was successful with two of his three tackles.
Southgate’s system seems designed to allow Bellingham to flourish, though has that come at the expense of Phil Foden?
The Manchester City star struggled when he did find space against Serbia, though there is perhaps a case that the Premier League Player of the Year is being shoehorned in out of position, too.
Kane, meanwhile, had just two touches in the opening 45 minutes, before finishing with 24 – exactly half that of Jordan Pickford and the lowest of any England outfielder who started the match. The Bayern Munich striker did have a header tipped onto the crossbar, but that was his only chance of the game. Southgate needs to get him more service.
England average 1.9 goals per game under Southgate at major tournaments, the best ratio of any Three Lions boss, but there could be so much more to come from this star-studded attack.
Stopping Christian Eriksen will be the big task for England defensively. Eriksen scored his maiden goal at the European Championship in Denmark’s 1-1 draw with Slovenia.
At 32 years and 123 days old, he became the oldest Dane to score at the Euros and oldest at a major tournament since 33-year-old Jon Dahl Tomasson at the 2010 World Cup.
It was a clever run and deft finish from the Manchester United playmaker, who created seven chances from set-pieces in the match, the most by a player in a European Championship fixture since Gary McAllister in 1992 for Scotland against Germany (eight).
Despite their run to the last four three years ago, Denmark have won just one of their last six group-stage games at the Euros (D1 L4), beating Russia 4-1 at Euro 2020 to ensure qualification to the round of 16.
Denmark vs England Head-to-Head
This will be the fourth encounter between Denmark and England at a major tournament. Three of those will have come at the Euros, and one at the 2002 World Cup.
Denmark won none of the previous three meetings (D1 L2), scoring only one goal in the process, Mikkel Damsgaard’s free-kick in the semi-final of Euro 2020.
There have only been five goals scored in the last four meetings between Denmark (two) and England (three) in all competitions.
Denmark vs England Prediction
England are, unsurprisingly given their record against the Danes, made the favourites by the supercomputer, which ranks their chances at 54.0%.
Denmark’s win probability stands at 20.7%, with a higher chance of a draw (25.3%).
Denmark vs England Squads
Denmark
Frederik Rønnow, Kasper Schmeichel, Mads Hermansen, Alexander Bah, Andreas Christensen, Jannik Vestergaard, Joachim Andersen, Joakim Mæhle, Rasmus Kristensen, Simon Kjær, Victor Kristiansen, Zanka, Christian Eriksen, Christian Nørgaard, Mathias Jensen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Morten Hjulmand, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Thomas Delaney, Anders Dreyer, Andreas Skov Olsen, Jacob Bruun Larsen, Jonas Wind, Kasper Dolberg, Rasmus Højlund, Yussuf Poulsen.
Head coach: Kasper Hjulmand
England
Aaron Ramsdale, Dean Henderson, Jordan Pickford, Ezri Konsa, Joe Gomez, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker, Lewis Dunk, Luke Shaw, Marc Guéhi, Adam Wharton, Conor Gallagher, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Kobbie Mainoo, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Anthony Gordon, Bukayo Saka, Cole Palmer, Eberechi Eze, Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Jarrod Bowen, Ollie Watkins, Phil Foden.
Head coach: Gareth Southgate
Denmark vs England Predicted Lineups
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