The next destination of our alphabetical world tour is Denmark. The Danes shocked Europe by winning Euro 1992 after entering as a late replacement for Yugoslavia and have enjoyed mixed success on the international stage since.
Several of Denmark’s top talents have turned out for Premier League clubs, however. According to the Premier League website, 63 players have represented Denmark in the Premier League, stretching back to the opening weekend of the very first season.
First Players – Peter Schmeichel & John Jensen (Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City; 1992-99, 2001-02, 2002-03 /Arsenal; 1992-96)
Just months after starring in Denmark’s shock Euro 1992 triumph, both Peter Schmeichel and John Jensen jointly became the first Danish players to appear in the Premier League when they started for Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, on the opening day of the inaugural season.
Schmeichel had been at Old Trafford for a season already and went on to win everything on offer with the Red Devils before he left in 1999. Jensen signed for Arsenal following the Euros and stayed for four years, winning the FA Cup in his debut campaign.
Most Appearances: Thomas Sorensen – 364 (Sunderland, Aston Villa, Stoke; 1999-2015)
A supremely dependable goalkeeper, Thomas Sorensen made 364 appearances over a 16-year top-flight career spanning three clubs.
He came to England in the summer of 1998, brought to Sunderland by Peter Reid with the club preparing for their second consecutive season in the second tier. After winning promotion in his first season, Sorenson remained the Black Cats’ first choice until their return to the second tier in 2003.
He enjoyed further successful spells at Aston Villa and Stoke before joining the Australian side Melbourne City in 2015.
Top Scorer: Christian Eriksen – 51 (Spurs; 2013-20)
Though his last few months in England somewhat soured Spurs’ fans memories of him, Christian Eriksen was among the very best midfielders in the Premier League over the last decade.
One of seven players brought to Spurs in the same window Gareth Bale departed, Eriksen has undoubtedly been the biggest success story. His transfer fee of £11.5 million was one of the biggest bargains of recent times and he helped take Tottenham to their highest league finishes in the Premier League era, as well as the 2018/19 Champions League final.
He left Spurs in January 2020 after previously telling Spurs that he wanted to leave in the summer. Though he has now gone, Eriksen’s 51 Premier League goals remain a record for a Danish player.
Current Players
Six Danish players appeared in the Premier League last season – Philip Billing (Bournemouth), Andreas Christensen (Chelsea), Jannik Vestergaard, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg (both Southampton), Christian Eriksen (Spurs) and Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester).
Trivia
- Three Danes have won the Premier League, all goalkpeepers – Peter Schmeichel, Kasper Schmeichel and Anders Lindegaard.
- Peter Schmeichel conceded the first-ever Premier League goal when Brian Deane put Sheffield United 1-0 up against Manchester United on August 15th. Schmeichel also scored the first-ever Premier League goal by a goalkeeper.
- The four Danes with the most international appearances all played in the Premier League – Peter Schmeichel (129 caps), Dennis Rommedahl (126 caps), Jon Dahl Tomasson (112 caps) and Thomas Helveg (108 caps).
