Football is a source of entertainment and, more often than not, nothing more. However, there are moments in football that can have a profound impact – a special player, a special moment, a special team.
Denmark – Euro 2020’s special team – left such an impression on us. Emerging from the lowest of lows to soaring the highest of highs, the daring Danes joined Belgium to qualify for the knockout stages from Group B. We dissect some of the key talking points from the group.
Combined XI (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Lukas Hradecky (Finland)
Defenders: Thomas Meunier (Belgium), Simon Kjaer (Denmark), Andreas Christensen (Denmark), Joachim Maehle (Denmark)
Midfielders: Youri Tielemans (Belgium), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Denmark), Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium)
Forwards: Yussuf Poulsen (Denmark), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium), Mikkel Damsgaard (Denmark)
Denmark, unsurprisingly, dominates the combined eleven of the group, despite losing two out of their three matches.
While the circumstances of their first loss were truly remarkable, the Danes put in an excellent display in the loss to Belgium in the midst of exceptional circumstances.
Six from Denmark make the combined team, including three defenders. Four players from Belgium make the squad, including De Bruyne and Lukaku, who helped the team keep their perfect record intact.
Finland’s Hradecky is the only player not from either Belgium or Denmark who makes the combined XI, thanks to his heroics in goal for the tournament debutants.