Denmark’s Fairy Tale at UEFA Euro 1992

One of the greatest things about football and sports betting respectively is the fact that despite stats having good grounds for suggesting what the outcome of a match should be, no one can tell with certainty what the exact score or even the winner will be. You might have a team that has triumphed over many mighty teams in a winning streak and then, all of a sudden, despite everyone’s expectations, they might lose to an underdog that’s on their way to relegation.

There’s a great example I’d like to give you and it has to do with the European Championship from 1992 I told you about in my welcome post. As you might remember, that European Championship was the first one I remember distinctly and there are a few reasons for that. Firstly, it was the first championship that I was old enough to follow and know what’s going on. Second, it was the first time I actually placed a bet on a sports event or any kind of wager really. Finally, there’s an objective reason for remembering it as well. The curious case of Denmark.

Let me tell you the story of Denmark – how they got to the finals and despite the stats won the championship, snatching the trophy from teams everyone thought were far better-equipped to win it. It’s been 25 years, yet that fairy-tale-like story is still told as one of the most curios moments in the history of European championships. It’s a story of exceptions that make the 1992 Danish team and their win of the Euro 92 remarkable.

The qualifications for UEFA Euro 1992 took place during 1990 and 1991. Denmark were in qualifying Group 4 but didn’t make it through. However, about a week before the Finals in Sweden, Yugoslavia – the winner of Group 4 – was disqualified. UEFA came up with that decision because the country was being torn by a civil war and eventually broke up into a number of states. Denmark, the runner-up, was called to the finals to take Yugoslavia’s place. Denmark’s manager Richard Møller Nielsen had a really short time to get a team ready but this last-minute invitation was a blessing in disguise. Having accepted they would not proceed to the finals, Denmark – both players and fans – had no expectations, hence – no pressure.

At the Finals, they were in Group 1 together with the host Sweden. After a draw with England, a loss to Sweden and a victory over France, they finished as a runner-up in the group which allowed them to advance to the knockout stage. At the semi-final, after extra time and a penalty shoot-out, Denmark knocked out the Netherlands – another favourite for the trophy.

Yet, people still thought it was a windfall and believed the odds were against the Danes. The day of the final came and that’s when I placed my first bet ever – I bet on Germany thinking like so many others that it was a sure thing. Then, on the night of June 26, I watched the broadcast from the Gothenburg stadium in speechless disbelief as Denmark swept away the mighty Germany and became Euro Champions.