Kasper Schmeichel has been matching his father’s remarkable achievements one by one over the last few years, and the European Championship will offer him the chance for another.
Schmeichel, who won the FA Cup with Leicester this year and the Premier League title with the team in 2016, will be in goal for Denmark when its hosts Belgium, Finland and Russia in Group B at Euro 2020. Peter Schmeichel won three FA Cups, three Premier League titles and the Champions League at Manchester United, but perhaps his most astounding accomplishment came when Denmark won the European Championship in 1992.
“I want to achieve success with Denmark. I want to win the European Championship with Denmark,” Kasper Schmeichel said. “I want to try something wild with Denmark, I want to go to the World Cup and play as long as I possibly can.” With their imposing stature and commanding presence, both goalkeepers have excelled with their national team. The 34-year-old Kasper has kept 32 clean sheets in 63 matches for his country, while his father had 38 in 103 appearances.
Twelve of Kasper’s 32 have come in his last 16 appearances for Denmark and his form for the national team and Leicester earned him the Danish player of the year award in January for the second straight season (and third overall). “For me, it’s not about having a good year, it’s about the continuity and stability that my position requires,” Kasper Schmeichel said. “A goalkeeper has to be stable and have a high base level. “I feel that I have had that for many, many years now, and I also think that the teams I play for appreciate that they know where they have me and what they can expect from me.”
Denmark also boasts a lot of other talent, with most of the players plying their trade at Europe’s top clubs. Apart from Schmeichel, there’s Chelsea’s Andreas Christensen in defense, Inter Milan’s Christian Eriksen in midfield and Barcelona’s Martin Braithwaite up front. Eriksen will be the one expected to create scoring chances. The 29-year-old attacking midfielder has made more than 100 international appearances and became a key part of the Inter team that won its first title in 11 years.
Denmark also has something of a lucky charm. Defender Jens Stryger Larsen has never been involved in a defeat in 33 appearances for his country, racking up 20 wins and 13 draws. “It’s true that I have not lost yet, and it is a completely crazy statistic to have,” the 30-year-old Udinese defender said. “I’m happy to have it, and I would like it to continue a little longer.”
Euro 2020: Denmark factfile
Honours: 1992 European Championship
Previous Euro performance: Eight participations, best performance winners 1992
FIFA ranking: 10th
Nicknames: The Red and White, Danish Dynamite
Coach: Kasper Hjulmand
Star players: Christian Eriksen, Thomas Delaney, Kasper Schmeichel
Main clubs: FC Copenhagen, Brondby
How did they qualify: Second in Group D
Euro 2020 Fixtures
June 12 – vs Finland – 9:30 PM IST
June 17 – Belgium – 9:30 PM IST
June 22 – Russia – 12:30 AM IST
26-man squad:
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester/ENG), Jonas Lossl (FC Midtjylland), Frederik Rønnow (Schalke/GER)
Defenders: Jens Stryger Larsen (Udinese/ITA), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan/ITA), Andreas Christensen (Chelsea/ENG), Joachim Andersen (Fulham/ENG), Daniel Wass (Valencia/ESP), Mathias Jorgensen (FC Copenhagen), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta/ITA), Jannik Vestergaard (Southampton/ENG), Nicolai Boilesen (FC Copenhagen)
Midfielders: Mathias Jensen (Brentford/ENG), Christian Norgaard (Brentford/ENG), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham/ENG), Thomas Delaney (Dortmund/GER), Anders Christiansen (Malmo), Christian Eriksen (Inter Milan/ITA), Mikkel Damsgaard (Sampdoria/ITA), Robert Skov (Hoffenheim/GER)
Forwards: Martin Braithwaite (Barcelona/ESP), Andreas Cornelius (Parma/ITA), Andreas Skov Olsen (Bologna/ITA), Yussuf Poulsen (Leipzig/GER), Kasper Dolberg (Nice/FRA), Jonas Wind (FC Copenhagen)
(With AFP and AP Inputs)
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