Euro 2020 is indeed a source of thousand surprises to occur. Tournaments between European countries are relatively friendly for some contestants who are underestimated as champions. In the last edition, Portugal won without even winning in the group stage. Disturbed by a moth in the final match determined by a one-hit wonder named Nene. Meanwhile, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo was injured in the middle of the match, then took over control of the team by acting like the main coach. That’s how the Selecao das Quinas won their first elite trophy.
While at the 2004 European Cup, Greece was famous thanks to the latch defense. Always win 1-0 in the knockout stages for the champions. The pinnacle of football the land of the gods. The culmination of Otto Rehaggel’s pragmatic football. Who would have thought, they won the European Cup first than the country that invented modern football, England.
Far back, a spectacular surprise occurred at the 1992 European Cup. Taking place in Sweden, the eight best countries competed in the finals of the tournament. There are defending champions Netherlands complete with memories of Marco van Basten’s volley four years earlier.
Meanwhile, Germany wants to prove itself, because it has just experienced unification. On the contrary, the Soviet Union had recently disbanded and competed under the banner of the CIS (Commonwealth of Nations). France is in the era of Eric Cantona. England has young blood in Alan Shearer. Also Scotland who peeked at the glory with Gary McAllister.
However, the top team Yugoslavia failed to leave because of the civil war. Predrag Mijatovic, et al. can only bite the fingers and continue to speculate. Their squad is entering a golden period, after winning the Youth World Cup in 1987. The country disbanded, split into several new countries.
Denmark took Yugoslavia’s share. The Scandinavian nation finished below them by one point in the qualifying group stages. Only 11 days apart from the tournament, Denmark prepared themselves. Rumors circulated, some Danish players were actually relaxing on the beach when they found out about this impromptu participation.
In less than two weeks, De rd-hvide (The Red and White) had to form a team. In a short period, Denmark still had time to test matches with the CIS. They are minus the team’s best player, Michael Laudrup who chose to retire from the national team since the qualifying round. His younger brother, Brian Laudrup, also resigned. Brian finally decides to return to the team for the finals of the tournament. The Laudrup brothers have lost their appetite since the head coach of the national team, Richard Moeller Nielsen.
Their first two matches did not meet to win. Draw with England and knockout from Sweden. The last match against France, they could have considered a breeze. “We cannot (consider) fail, because there is no expectation whatsoever. If we lose 5-0 three times, it doesn’t really matter,” midfielder Kim Vilfort told the BBC.
Vilfort just didn’t play in the duel versus Les Blues. He had to return to Copenhagen, because his seven-year-old son Line was sick with Leukemia. The goddess of fortune intervenes in the fate of Denmark. France they subdued 2-1 through Lars Elstrup’s stoppage time goal. Denmark accompanied Sweden to qualify for the semifinals.
Vilfort’s substitute, Henrik Larsen was able to score the first goal in the dramatic victory. When Vilfort returned to the team, coach Nielsen was apt to use both midfielders in the semi-finals. One of the powerful factors to play draw 2-2 Netherlands in normal time.
Larsen scored two goals. While Vilfort became a midfield general duel with midfielders like Ruud Gullit and Frank Rijkaard. However, the main star is Peter Schmeichel. The goalkeeper, who was only one season at Manchester United, brushed off Marco van Basten’s kick in the penalty shootout. In front of Schmeichel, the Dutch hero at the 1988 European Cup turned into a prisoner.
Abysmal, why didn’t Denmark beat Germany in the final? Is it possible? The die Nationalmannschaft squad is full of players who won the 1990 World Cup with West Germany. Winning the 1992 European Cup was definitely a happy gift for a nation that was experiencing unification. What power, again good luck that year fell for Denmark.
John Jensen opened the scoring with a hard kick that immediately messed up the script for the German champions. The midfielder’s second goal in 49 international games. The reason Arsenal signed him after the tournament, even though his career was shattered in North London.
Colored by many backpasses which is still valid, Denmark tries to maintain victory. The defender passes for the goalkeeper to catch. The goalkeeper passed the defender and then returned to him. Eleven minutes before the long whistle, ecstasy peaked. Vilfort scores the winning goal. Danish dynamite exploded loud and loud. Presenting the first important trophy of the Nordic nation. Two weeks ago, they did not qualify for the tournament. A month later, they came out as champions.
For Vilfort, this victory he dedicated to Line. His own son asked Vilfort to return to the national team to fight in the semifinals. The reason for the fierce performance led to the final goal for the winner. Sadly, a few weeks later Line died of an illness he had.
Vilfort, Jensen, Schmeichel, and seven other personnel the previous season were in the carriage that led Brondby to the semifinals of the 1990-91 UEFA Cup. Together with Nielsen’s pragmatism, this factor is often seen as determining the success of the national team in the 1992 European Cup. It is still difficult to imagine, if you compare it with the Netherlands thanks to the 1988 European Cup team axis. Especially with Germany, which was the foundation of the 1990 World Cup winning team.
“We have a fantastic spirit. The team wants to win and that’s very good at the highest level. When we were under German pressure, that spirit helped us. We didn’t have the best players, but we had the greatest team,” Vilfort recalled.
Until now, this triumph is still the pinnacle of Danish football achievements. Achieved not in the Preben Elkjaer era, minus the presence of the greatest talent named Michael Laudrup, and feels impossible to repeat for generations to come. Nicklas Bendnter just failed. Denmark’s triumph also marked some changes. The legal back pass action met its end, as well as changing the landscape of football tactics. Adjustments to this rule are too drastic.
While the prohibition of Yugoslavia from participating, it still leaves regrets. At the end of May this year, their player who is now coach, Slavisa Jokanovic commented on another possibility that could happen at that time. “We had the European Cup won and never returned. We are a better team than Denmark. We can achieve something big with the star players we have, a month earlier our team was stronger.”
“It was a very bad situation at that time. Many countries are reluctant to conduct trials with us. Two weeks later, they banned us from participating. Very disappointing. We desperately wanted to show what we could, but politics got in the way. It feels bad,” said Jokanovic.
Denmark’s surprising triumph and the story around it successfully enriched the rich story of the European Cup. Tournaments between countries that have never been separated from the impact of continental turmoil. Fertile land for many surprise breeds. Denmark ’92 preceded the shock that followed.
ASL
