Of course, the story that the Danish footballers came to the 1992 European Championship in flip-flops from the beach and celebrated a burger party at McDonald’s after each win is not entirely true. Nevertheless: The way the replacement from Denmark rocked the event in Sweden was and remains unique.
For example, striker Flemming Povlsen, then employed by Borussia Dortmund, was away with his club on a friendly tour when the call from home reached him. Because the team from Yugoslavia was excluded because of the civil war, the Scandinavians moved up.
“At first I actually had some doubts about whether I should really go there, without any proper preparation,” recalls the offensive player. “Of course you can get a good beating on the cap.”
But that didn’t happen. Because even if they didn’t qualify for the final tournament, the Danish team was definitely filled with excellent footballers who traveled to the tournament relatively relaxed and without great expectations and showed themselves to be an exceptional unit.
“After all, we weren’t amateurs kicking around somewhere on the field,” says Povlsen. The Danes tackled their tasks with an unusual sense of unity, and the reputation of Danish Dynamite arose as a team that won’t be defeated.
It is actually also true that coach Richard Möller-Nielsen let his boys do as they spontaneously came up with the idea one evening to treat themselves to a rather unhealthy meal at McDonald’s. “A side story that was of course always exaggerated in hindsight. But before the final training session for the semifinals against Holland, we actually stopped at McDonald’s,” says Povlsen.
Preparation time of only eight days – Birth of Danish Dynamite
Germany’s Karl-Heinz Riedle against Denmark’s John Jensen.
imago/Horstmüller
Möller-Nielsen had a lucky hand, even in the short preparation period of just eight days, at least swearing in the team to the goal of making a good impression at the final round. Not surprisingly, however, the start failed: After a 0-0 draw against England and a 0-1 draw against hosts Sweden, the end seemed already sealed. But in a remarkable game, the Danes beat France 2-1 and made it through to the semi-finals.
It wasn’t just a good mood and a certain carelessness that helped. The jolly Scandinavians also had brilliant individuals such as Povlsen, Bayern Munich’s Brian Laudrup and striker Henrik Larsen, and then added a bit of luck to the class of play when Dutchman Marco von Basten failed on penalties in the semifinals and the Danes actually made it to the final.
Then Danish Dynamite really ignited, with sweeping attacks and an outstanding goalkeeper Schmeichel in the box. They defeated world champions Germany 2-0 and actually won the title.
The time after this remarkable tournament also proves the great cohesion of this group. Every year on June 26, the players come together with their wives and children and celebrate the success of yesteryear, sometimes with a lively little game, lots of music – and now and then certainly a few burgers.
(This article first appeared in June 2017)
