2018 World Cup Odds and Prediction: Denmark Team Betting Preview

But this year’s edition of the national team has high hopes as the Christian Eriksen-led roster enters Group C action as one of the favourites to advance. Denmark comes in having missed out on two of the previous three World Cups.

 2018 Denmark World Cup Betting Odds

Odds to advance: -165

Odds to win World Cup: +8,000

World Cup wins: 8

Best result: Quarterfinals (1998)

FIFA World Ranking: 12

Manager: Age Hareide

Captain: Simon Kjaer

Denmark Players to Watch

Christian Eriksen: In truth, Eriksen is the only real “player to watch” on the Danish side after putting together an incredible run during World Cup qualifying, scoring eight goals – second most in UEFA Group E – and adding three more in the winner-take-all playoff with the Republic of Ireland. It’s no surprise he’s a +200 favourite to lead his team in goals at the World Cup.

Nicolai Jorgensen: If Eriksen is contained, someone else will need to do the scoring – and Jorgensen is the top bet to do just that according to oddsmakers, who have him at +500 to pace Denmark in goals. Jorgensen scored twice in World Cup qualifying and has eight goals in 28 career international appearances to go with 31 goals in 58 games with Feyenoord.

Kasper Schmiechel: The 31-year-old Copenhagen-born goalkeeper faces plenty of pressure as the backbone of a Danish entry that will need to make every goal count – and he could very well be the right man for the job, twice named national player of the year while helping lead Leicester City to a most improbable English Premier League title in 2016.

World Cup Formation and Projected Starting 11

Formation: 4-3-3

Projected Starting 11: Kasper Schmeichel; Henrik Dalsgaard, Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Jens Stryger Larsen; Lasse Schone, Christian Eriksen, Thomas Delaney; Yussuf Poulsen, Nicolai Jorgensen, Pione Sisto

Denmark Strengths

Ball control has been a staple of the top Danish teams in international competition – and this edition is no exception, with Hareide emphasizing crisp passing and a cerebral approach to the attack. The Danes would be content to play a string of low-scoring games if it means reaching the quarterfinals, so bettors should consider taking the under; if Denmark gets a lead, it will be incredibly difficult for opposing teams to draw even.

Denmark Weaknesses

Eriksen means so much to the Danish side – and that is a major problem for a team that relied on their sensational midfielder to provide 44 percent of their goals in World Cup qualifying and the playoff encounter with Ireland. If Eriksen is contained, injured or playing at less than full strength, the Danes will struggle mightily to produce any offence – making those +3,300 odds on Denmark scoring the fewest goals in the World Cup seem not so ridiculous.

Denmark News

Denmark is moving forward without striker Nicklas Bendtner and defender Andreas Bjelland, both of whom are battling injuries. Bendtner came in as the fourth favourite to lead the team in goals at +800, but he’s nursing a nagging groin injury. Bjelland, who started six qualifying and playoff games for the Danes and was expected to be in the starting 11 in Russia, is dealing with an undisclosed injury.

Denmark Betting Prediction

To say the Danes will only go as far as Eriksen takes them seems disingenuous to the rest of the 23-man roster, but it couldn’t be more true. Having one of the best midfielders in the world is a great way to go into Russia, and with winnable games against Peru and Australia awaiting Denmark in group play, taking this team to reach the elimination round is a good bet at -165.

For them to advance any further, however, they would likely need to get past Lionel Messi and Argentina – and with all respect in the world to Eriksen, that probably isn’t happening. Doubling down with a World Cup bet on Denmark advancing and then being eliminated in the Round of 16 (+165) looks like a strong play here – provided that the Danes can score enough to escape the group.