Denmark–Sweden football rivalry

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Denmark–Sweden
Soccer in Solna 2009 between Sweden and Denmark.JPG
Sweden fans (in yellow) and Denmark fans (in red) during a clash in 2009.
LocaleEurope (UEFA)
Teams Denmark
 Sweden
First meeting25 May 1913
Denmark 8–0 Sweden (Copenhagen, Denmark)
Latest meeting11 November 2020
Denmark 2–0 Sweden (Brøndby, Denmark)
Next meetingTBD
Statistics
Meetings total107
Most winsSweden (46)
All-time recordSweden wins: 46
Denmark wins: 41
Draws: 20
Largest victorySweden 0–10 Denmark
(Stockholm, Sweden; 5 October 1913)
Largest goal scoringSweden 0–10 Denmark
(Stockholm, Sweden; 5 October 1913)
Longest win streak
Longest unbeaten streakSweden (14)

The Denmark–Sweden football rivalry is a highly competitive sports rivalry that exists between the national men's football teams of Denmark and Sweden. The clashes between the two neighbouring countries has since the very first match in 1913 attracted large crowds that have witnessed several spectacular games and controversial incidents, despite the fact that the two teams very seldom have met in any of the larger international football tournaments. Sweden leads the series 46–20–41.

Memorable competitive matches[]

Euro 1992 group match[]

Hosting the 1992 European Championships, Sweden was playing in only its second-ever game in the tournament's history when they faced Denmark at Råsunda Stadium in Solna. A goal from Tomas Brolin was enough to give Sweden its first-ever Euro victory with a 1–0 win over Denmark. Sweden finished ahead of eventual winners Denmark in the group.

UEFA Euro 1992
Group 1
Sweden 1–0 Denmark
Andersson Yellow card 40'
Brolin Goal 58'		 Report Andersen Yellow card 14'
Attendance: 29,902

Euro 2004 group match[]

UEFA Euro 2004 Group C standings after 2 matches
Team Pld GF GA Pts
Sweden Sweden 2 6 1 4
Denmark Denmark 2 2 0 4
Italy Italy 2 1 1 2
Bulgaria Bulgaria 2 0 7 0
Final tiebreaker standings
SWE DEN ITA GF GA Pts
Sweden – 2–2 1–1 3 3 2
Denmark 2–2 – 0–0 2 2 2
Italy 1–1 0–0 – 1 1 2
See also: UEFA Euro 2004 Group C: Denmark vs Sweden

In the group stage of the UEFA Euro 2004 tournament, the two teams met each other for the first competitive game since the UEFA Euro 1992 group stage, and the first rivalry game since April 2000.

Prior to the game on 22 June 2004, the group C standings were as shown in the adjacent table. Simultaneously with the game, Italy faced Bulgaria. With a win, Italy would advance from the group stage, unless Denmark and Sweden drew their game, causing all three teams to end with five points. The tiebreaker would then be the match results between the tied teams, and with Sweden playing 1–1 and Denmark 0–0 with Italy, a Denmark-Sweden draw of 2–2 or higher would leave Italy with one goal from the tied matches, and send both Sweden and Denmark through to the quarter finals, regardless of the Italian side's efforts.

After a 28th-minute opener by Jon Dahl Tomasson, Henrik Larsson equalised on a penalty shortly after the break. Tomasson brought Denmark one up again in the 66th minute, but just minutes before the final whistle, Mattias Jonson equalised for Sweden to make up the final score of 2–2.[1]

The Italians, meanwhile, had beaten Bulgaria by 2–1 on a goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time, which would have otherwise sent them through. This caused an uproar within the Italian team, with goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Italian football federation president Franco Carraro both accusing the Danish and Swedish team of match fixing.[2] However then-Italian manager Giovanni Trapattoni said that neither he nor the federation would protest against the result. UEFA did not investigate the case.[3]

UEFA Euro 2004
Group C
Denmark 2–2 Sweden
Tomasson Goal 28', 66' Report Edman Yellow card 36'
Larsson Goal 47' (pen.)
Källström Yellow card 63'
Jonson Goal 89'
Attendance: 26,115
Referee: Markus Merk (Germany)

Abandoned 2008 Euro qualifier[]

Main article: Denmark v Sweden (UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying)

The next rivalry games came in the UEFA Euro 2008 qualification group games. The first game was played on 2 June 2007, and started out with the Swedish side going three goals up after two goals from Johan Elmander and one from Petter Hansson in the first half-hour of the game. However, through goals by Daniel Agger, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Leon Andreasen, Denmark completed a remarkable comeback.

In the 89th minute, Denmark's Christian Poulsen hit Markus Rosenberg in the stomach, prompting German referee Herbert Fandel to send him off and award Sweden a penalty kick. Before the penalty kick could be executed, a Danish supporter ran unto the pitch and attempted to punch Fandel, but was stopped by Denmark's Michael Gravgaard. Fandel abandoned the match, Sweden was awarded the match as a 3–0 win, and Denmark was sentenced to play its next two qualifying matches at least 140 km away from Copenhagen. The two teams met for the re-match on 8 September 2007 in Stockholm, which ended in a 0–0 draw. Sweden eventually qualified for the UEFA Euro 2008, while Denmark finished fourth in the group and was eliminated.

UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying
Group F
Denmark 0–3
awarded		 Sweden
Agger Goal 34'
Tomasson Goal 62'
Andreasen Goal 75' Yellow card 77'
Poulsen Red card 89'		 Report Elmander Goal 7', 26' Yellow card 38'
Hansson Goal 23'
Alexandersson Yellow card 44'
Linderoth Yellow card 84'
Attendance: 42,083

2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers[]

Main article: 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 1

The two teams were once more drawn in the same group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification. On 6 June 2009, Denmark defeated Sweden 1–0 in Solna, the first victory for Denmark over Sweden since 1996. Sweden's Kim Källström was given a penalty early in the game, but Thomas Sørensen saved the shot. Denmark's Thomas Kahlenberg scored the only goal in the 22nd minute after a defensive mistake by Mikael Nilsson.

The 10 October 2009 re-match was the first rivalry game at Parken Stadium since the controversial fan attack incident. During the game, Sweden had two goals correctly annulled for offside, before Denmark's Jakob Poulsen scored the only goal in the 78th minute. Denmark won the game 1–0, and secured Danish qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, while Sweden eventually finished third and were eliminated.

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
Group 1
Sweden 0–1 Denmark
Källström Yellow card 43' Report Rommedahl Yellow card 18'
Kahlenberg Goal 22'
Jacobsen Yellow card 89'
Sørensen Yellow card 90'
Attendance: 33,619
Referee: Mike Riley (England)
Group 1
Denmark 1–0 Sweden
Poulsen Goal 78' Report
Attendance: 37,800

2016 UEFA Euro qualifying play-offs[]

Main article: UEFA Euro 2016 qualifying play-offs

Once again both rivals faced for a spot in 2016 UEFA Euro, with Sweden the first leg at home by 2–1 with a 45th-minute goal from Emil Forsberg and a penalty converted by Zlatan Ibrahimović on 50th minute, Nicolai Jørgensen scored for Denmark on the 89th minute.

The return fixture in Denmark saw a 2–2 draw, Ibrahimović scored a brace, scoring in 19th and 76th minute respectively. Yussuf Poulsen opened scoring for Denmark with a goal at the 82nd minute and Jannik Vestergaard scored one at the last minute of the game. Sweden won 4–3 on aggregate.

Sweden 2–1 Denmark
 Report
Attendance: 49,053[4]
Denmark 2–2 Sweden
 Report
Attendance: 36,051[5]

Sweden won 4–3 on aggregate and qualified for UEFA Euro 2016.

Comparison of Denmark and Sweden in major international tournaments[]

Tournament  Denmark  Sweden Notes
1930 World Cup DNP
1934 World Cup DNP 9–16
1938 World Cup 4
1950 World Cup 3
1954 World Cup FTQ
1958 World Cup FTQ 2
1960 Euros DNP
1962 World Cup DNP FTQ
1964 Euros 4
1966 World Cup FTQ
1968 Euros
1970 World Cup 9–16
1972 Euros FTQ
1974 World Cup FTQ 5–8
1976 Euros FTQ
1978 World Cup FTQ 9–16
1980 Euros FTQ
1982 World Cup
1984 Euros 4 FTQ
1986 World Cup 9–16
1988 Euros 5–8
1990 World Cup FTQ 17–24
1992 Euros 1 4 Denmark and Sweden were placed in the same finals group, Sweden won 1–0.
1994 World Cup FTQ 3
1996 Euros 9–16 FTQ
1998 World Cup 5–8
2000 Euros 9–16
2002 World Cup
2004 Euros 5–8 Denmark and Sweden were placed in the same finals group. The teams drew 2–2 and both progressed to the knockout round.
2006 World Cup FTQ 9–16
2008 Euros Denmark and Sweden were placed in the same qualifying group. The match in Denmark was abandoned at 3–3 after a Danish fan attacked the referee, which threw the result 3–0 to Sweden. The teams drew 0–0 in the reverse fixture.
2010 World Cup 17–32 FTQ Denmark and Sweden were placed in the same qualifying group. Denmark won both matches against Sweden 1-0.
2012 Euros 9–16
2014 World Cup FTQ
2016 Euros FTQ 17–24 Denmark and Sweden were placed in the same match in the playoffs. Sweden defeated Denmark 4–3 on aggregate.
2018 World Cup 9–16 5–8
2020 Euros 3–4 9–16

Statistics[]

Tournament Pld Den wins Draws Swe wins Den goals Swe goals
World Cup 0 0 0 0 0 0
World Cup qualifying 2 2 0 0 2 0
European Championship 2 0 1 1 2 3
European Championship qualifying 4 0 2 2[6] 6 7
Olympic tournament[7] 1 0 0 1 2 4
Nordic Championship 49[8] 15 9 25 78 104
Exhibition games[9] 4 1 0 3 7 12
Friendly matches 45 23 8 14 80 56
Decade Pld Den wins Draws Swe wins Den goals Swe goals
1910s 12 9 1 2 35 10
1920s 10 5 2 3 17 10
1930s 10 5 0 5 24 24
1940s 17 4 4 9 30 45
1950s 11 1 3 7 18 35
1960s 10 1 2 7 18 35
1970s 11 3 3 5 11 16
1980s 8 5 1 2 13 7
1990s 6 3 0 3 3 8
2000s 6 2 2 2 4 6
2010s 5 2 2 1 6 4
2020s 1 1 0 0 2 0
Place Pld Den wins Draws Swe wins Den goals Swe goals
In Denmark 50 24 8 18 99 81
In Sweden 54 17 11 26 71 97
Neutral ground 3 0 1 2 4 8
Total 107 41 20 46 174 186

See also[]

References[]

Print
  • Alsiö, Martin; Frantz, Alf; Lindahl, Jimmy; et al., eds. (2004). 100 år: Svenska fotbollförbundets jubileumsbok 1904–2004, del 2: statistiken. Vällingby: Stroemberg Media Group. ISBN 91-86184-59-8.
  • Glanell, Tomas; Havik, Göran; Lindberg, Thomas; Persson, Gunnar; Ågren, Bengt, eds. (2004). 100 år: Svenska fotbollförbundets jubileumsbok 1904–2004, del 1. Vällingby: Stroemberg Media Group. ISBN 91-86184-59-8.
Online

Notes[]

  1. ^ Aftonbladet – Sex matcher vi minns Archived 2007-06-02 at the Wayback Machine (in Swedish)
  2. ^ "Italy angry at rivals' draw", BBC
  3. ^ "Uefa will not investigate", BBC.
  4. ^ "Sweden vs Denmark 2–1". Soccerway. 14 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  5. ^ "Denmark vs Sweden 2–2". Soccerway. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
  6. ^ The match on 2 June 2007 was abandoned at the score 3–3 but Sweden was awarded a 3–0 win by UEFA.
  7. ^ Only Olympic matches that are counted as full A internationals.
  8. ^ Not including the 1–0 win for Sweden in 2000, which was considered an A international by Sweden, but not by Denmark.
  9. ^ FBF 40-year anniversary tournament game in June 1947. NFF 50-year anniversary tournament game in June 1952. DBU 100-year anniversary tournament game in June 1989. SFF's "Scania 100" exhibition tournament game in June 1991.
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