The Danes will be making their fourth appearance at the World Cup finals in South Africa 2010 after an impressive qualifying campaign which saw them top a group including Portugal, Sweden, Hungary, Albania and Malta. Denmark’s greatest achievement on the international stage came in 1992, when they won the European Championships in Sweden, after being called up as last minute replacements for Yugoslavia. That team relied heavily on star goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and creative midfielder, Brian Laudrup – but current coach, Morten Olsen, does not have players of similar calibre to call on this time around.

Christian Poulsen

Age: 29
Position: Central Midfielder
Club: Juventus (Italy – Serie A)
Caps: 71 (5 goals)

Defensive midfielder currently plying his trade with Serie A giants Juventus. Perhaps not the most stylish of players but Poulsen has been a key man for all his previous clubs including Schalke 04 and Sevilla, winning the Uefa Cup with the latter. His aggressive displays have led to criticism from opposition, particularly former AC Milan coach, Carlo Ancelotti, who felt that Poulsen’s rough-house treatment of Kaka during a 2006 Champions League match was excessive. Made his Denmark debut in the 1-1 draw with Holland in 2001 and has since gone on to become one of coach, Morten Olsen’s, first names on the team sheet.