Denmark European Championship Classic XI: Euro '84 & Euro '92 Cult Heroes

Denmark have a special place in the history of the UEFA European Championships. A cult team that became known as ‘Danish Dynamite’ reached the semi-finals in 1984, before a defensively well-drilled side won the whole thing in 1992, despite initially failing to qualify and only being invited to make up the numbers when Yugoslavia were forced to pull out.

A handful of Danish football legends do not feature in this classic Euro XI, which is made up of star performers from the 1984 and 1992 generations.

The renowned Allan Simonsen was at Euro '84, but the 1977 Ballon d’Or winner broke his leg in the opening game and played just 45 minutes. Michael Laudrup, meanwhile, was one of the greatest European midfielder of his generation, yet he was famously absent from Euro '92 and was still at the very start of his career when he played in 1984 as a 20-year-old.

Jan Heintze played over 100 times for Denmark and was a European Cup winner with PSV Eindhoven in 1988, but injury saw him miss Euro '92, having already had a rocky relationship with coach Richard Moller Nielsen. The absence of both Laudrup and Heintze made Danish success in that tournament all the more remarkable.

That’s who didn’t make the cut, but here’s a look at who did…

Goalkeeper & Defenders

Peter Schmeichel (GK) – Already at Manchester United by the time of Euro '92, Schmeichel was soon thought of as the best goalkeeper in the world. He was named in Team of the Tournament and scooped UEFA’s Goalkeeper of the Year prize for 1992, 1993 and 1998.

John Sivebaek – The right-back was a junior member of the Euro '84 squad and later a starter at Euro '92, playing every game as either a wing-back or more conventional full-back. Between tournaments, he’d endured a difficult spell at Manchester United, but found his feet in France.

Morten Olsen – An international player for 19 years and later the national team manager for 15, Olsen captained the 1984 team in what was Denmark’s first major tournament since 1964. He was also skipper at the World Cup two years later at the peak of ‘Danish Dynamite’.

Lars Olsen (pictured) – Of the same name but no relation, Lars Olsen was captain of the champion Danish side in 1992. He had previously established himself as a star at Brondby and had been named Danish Player of the Year for 1988.

Henrik Andersen – The left-back started each of Denmark’s games at Euro '92 except the victorious final. His tournament had cruelly been prematurely ended at the semi-final stage when a collision with Marco van Basten left him screaming in pain clutching his knee.

Midfielders

John Jensen (pictured) – A cult hero at Arsenal - who signed him after Euro '92 - ‘Faxe’ Jensen scored Denmark’s opening goal in the final against Germany with a driven effort from the edge of the penalty area. He had previously been named Danish Player of the Year in 1987.

Kim Vilfort – Scorer of Denmark’s second goal in the Euro '92 final, sealing the win over Germany, Vilfort’s tournament was an emotional one. He missed the last group game against France to be with his young daughter in her fight against leukaemia, but returned in time for the semi-final. His story at the tournament is one of the central themes of the film Sommeren ’92.

Frank Arnesen – Arguably better known these days as a sporting director from past associations with Tottenham and Chelsea, Arnesen was named in the Euro '84 Team of the Tournament. He scored in crucial group stage wins over Yugoslavia and Belgium.

Brian Laudrup (pictured) – Having initially quit the national team alongside his brother, Laudrup returned in time for Euro '92. He was named in the Team of the Tournament, as well as finishing fifth in the 1992 FIFA World Player of Year standings and sixth in the Ballon d’Or.

Henrik Larsen – The midfielder three of his only five international goals at Euro '92, including both Danish goals in the semi-final against the Netherlands that was eventually decided on penalties. He also netted his team’s first goal in the decisive 2-1 group stage win over France.

Forward

Preben Elkjaer –The star of the ‘Danish Dynamite’ generation, Elkjaer was voted third in the 1984 Ballon d’Or following his European Championship exploits, and second in 1985 after helping club side Hellas Verona to the Serie A title. At Euro '84, he scored the late winner in the final group game that put Denmark into the semi-finals.

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter and Facebook!