Women's World Cup: Denmark Women's Team Profile

Denmark have not featured at a Women's World Cup since 2007, so there will be plenty of excitement around the camp when the team heads to Australia and New Zealand for this year's tournament.

Spearheaded by talismanic forward Pernille Harder, the Danes can be a tough nut to crack for any opponent and were runners-up at the Euros as recently as 2017.

They have been drawn in Group D for the 2023 Women's World Cup and will be up against Euro 2022 winners England, Haiti and China.
 

Denmark's World Cup record:

Denmark have been missing from each of the last three editions of the Women's World Cup, having last played in the tournament in China back in 2007.

On that occasion, they crashed out in the group stages with just one win picked up from their three matches and they exited at the same point in the USA in 1999.

Their only other two Women's World Cup appearances were in the first two tournaments in 1991 and 1995, when they made the quarter-finals, although there were only 12 teams competing in each of those tournaments.

They have fared much better at the UEFA Women's Championship, having finished as runners-up in the continental competition in 2017 and been third in both 1991 and 1993.

Denmark have played 14 matches at the Women's World Cup finals, winning only three, drawing one and losing 10.
 

How Denmark qualified:

Although their overall Women's World Cup record leaves plenty to be desired, Denmark left nothing to chance when it came to qualifying for the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand.

Drawn in Group E in European qualifying, Denmark won all eight of their matches, scoring 40 goals and conceding only twice.

They finished 13 points clear of second-placed Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Montenegro, Azerbaijan and Malta making up the rest of their qualifying section.

Injury has kept star forward Harder away from the team but Signe Bruun impressed during qualifying with 13 goals. Only Belgium's Tessa Wullaert and Germany's Lea Schuller bagged more.
 

The Manager - Lars Sondergaard:

Lars Sondergaard has been in charge of the Denmark women's team since 2017 and his tenure has featured both highs and lows.

The former Austria Wien, Viborg and Sonderjyske boss was unable to lead the Danes to qualification for the last World Cup in 2019.

However, three years later they appeared at Euro 2022 after a superb qualifying campaign, which saw them win nine of their 10 games and finish above Italy in their section.

At the tournament itself, Denmark were dumped out in the group stage but were put in a challenging group with Germany and Spain and at least picked up a win over Finland.

Denmark have since kept the faith in Sondergaard, who will lead the team into their first World Cup since 2007.

In April, the 64-year-old oversaw successive friendly wins over Sweden and Japan, just a couple of months after they beat Norway and Uruguay in the Tournoi de France.

In recent months has had to lean on less experienced players in the absences of Harder and Nadia Nadim through injury.
 

Confirmed Denmark squad:

The following players made the official squad for the Women's World Cup training camps:

Goalkeepers: Kathrine Larsen, Maja Bay Ostergaard, Alberte Vingum, Freja Thisgaard.

Defenders: Katrine Veje, Rikke Sevecke, Sofie Svava, Sara Thrige, Luna Gewitz, Sara Holmgaard, Emma Faerge.

Midfielders: Sanne Troelsgaard, Sofie Junge, Frederikke Thogersen, Nicoline Sorensen, Emma Snerle, Kathrine Kuhl, Karen Holmgaard, Josefine Hasbo, Sofie Lundgaard.

Forwards: Pernille Harder, Signe Bruun, Amalie Vangsgaard, Olivia Holdt, Cecilie Floe.
 

Denmark's Key Players:

If fit, forwards Harder and Nadim will be crucial to Denmark's cause at the upcoming tournament.

Captain Harder has struck 70 goals in 140 appearances for her country, has won numerous top-flight titles with Wolfsburg and Chelsea and has finished runner-up in the Women's Champions League on three occasions.

Both Harder and Nadim, who plies her trade for Racing Louisville at club level, were also part of the Denmark team which reached the final of Euro 2017.

Another player to keep an eye on in the Denmark squad is creative midfielder Kathrine Kuhl.

Kuhl is only 19 but joined Women's Super League giants Arsenal in January after three full seasons in the Elitedivisionen with Nordsjaelland. 

Considered one of the leading teenage talents in women's football, she is able to drop into pockets of space and unlock defences with her fine eye for a pass and could be key going forwards for the Danes.
 

Denmark's Group fixtures:

Group D

Denmark v China, Perth, 22nd July 2023

England v Denmark, Sydney, 29th July 2023

Haiti v Denmark, Perth, 1st August 2023