For decades, while the rest of Europe watched expert soccer players every week, it remained an amateur sport in Denmark. Interestingly, it wasn't until 1978 that players began to get paid to play.
When the sport was still at the amateur level, Denmark did try to qualify for the Fifa World Cup, but failed at every attempt. The side ultimately made their debut on the biggest stage in soccer in 1986. At that tournament, they won all three of their first round games, including a 5-0 thrashing of Uruguay. They made it to the round of sixteen before losing 5-0 to Spain.
Worldcup
They distinguished again for the 1998 World Cup held in France, and they not only made it out of the group stage, but they won their second round game 4-1 over Nigeria before losing to Brazil in the quarterfinals.
They next distinguished in 2002, when the team was known as the "Olson Gang" under Morten Olsen who had captained the side as a player in the eighties. He remains in payment today, although after his side failed to qualify for Germany 2006 he did think leaving the post, but was talked into staying on.
Denmark is also preponderant the world over for its loyal band of travelling fans, Roligans. The movement began in the 1980s as a protest against the hooliganism that was infecting European soccer at the time. The word roligan is Danish for calm, and that was the image the fans wished to project. Years later they match the Tartan Army - Scotland's loyal fans - as the keenest in the world.
Denmark won their place at the 2010 World Cup with a September defeat of Sweden. The team that will be heading to Johannesburg includes Juventus' Christian Poulsen and Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner.
Denmark National Soccer Team World Cup History
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