Denmark World Cup guide: Profile on manager, squad list, path to final, team news, latest odds and star man

DENMARK are back at the World Cup for the first time since 2010.

Christian Eriksen struck a classy hat-trick as the Spurs star led his side to a stunning 5-1 demolition of Ireland in the playoffs last November.

Here's all you need to know about the Group C side.

In a nutshell: Nordic nation that took second place in their qualifying group behind Poland.

They’re back in the Finals having missed out on qualification in 2014.

Flag: The Dannebrog features a red background on which a slightly offset white Scandinavian cross.

Stats monsters among you will already know that it holds the record for the oldest continuously used national flag.

Population: 5.7 million

Nickname: De Rød-Hvide (The Red-White). Imaginative.

Manager: Manchester City and Norwich City fans may well remember Age Hareide as the Danish coach played for both sides in the 1980s.
Mind you, if you’re a Manchester City or Norwich City fan that was born in the 1990s you probably won’t.

Star Man: Spurs playmaker Christian Eriksen – by a long, long way.

He scored eight goals in qualifying for the Danes and now has a record of almost one goal in every three games for his country. Irreplaceable.

And with three goals in three games, Nicklas Bendtner could be a big factor.

Rising Star: Keep ‘em peeled for young striker Kasper Dolberg.

The 21-year-old is bagging a goal every other game for Ajax in the Eredivisie and scored his first goal for his country in a 3-1 away win in Kazhakhstan last June.

Most caps: Peter Schmeichel (129).

All-time top scorers: Poul Nielsen and Jon Dahl Tomasson (52).

Nice kit? Hummel are back on board with Denmark for the World Cup and the result is red with a dash of white around the collar and the sleeves.

Most offensive haircut? In a squad of sensible haircuts, Yussuf Poulsen’s pink hairband stands out like, well, a pink hairband.

Any names we can laugh at like kids? Defender Andreas Bjelland is close but no cigar while Lassi Vibe might inspire some R Kelly-influenced chants too.

Rivals? The Swedes. You could say that this Nordic Derby gets a little heated but it’s always cold in Scandinavia so you can’t.

National anthem: Der er et yndigt land translates as ‘There is a lovely country’ and, having been to Denmark, I can fully vouch for that.

Sample lyric:
There in the ancient days
sat armoured Vikings rested
Between their bloody frays
Then they went forth the foe to face,
now found in stone-set barrows,
Their final resting place

National dish: In 2014 the Danish government launched a campaign to find out what their national dish was.

The result, according to 63,000 voters, was fried pork served with potatoes and parsley sauce. I’ll pass.

National drink: The herby spirit Akvavit is hugely popular across Denmark and Scandinavia more generally.

Weirdly, the name derives from the Latin ‘aqua vitae’ meaning ‘water of life’ although it’s doubtful that the players in Russia will be re-hydrating with it.

World Cup Finals Record: P16 W8 D2 L6 F27 A24

World Cup Win Ratio: 50%

Best World Cup Performance: Quarter-finals in France 1998.

FIFA World Ranking: 12

Path to final: The Danes will hope to pip Peru and Australia to second place behind France but then would be unlikely to go further than a second round against Argentina.

Should they get past Messi and co, 2010 winners Spain and 2014 champions Germany would probably await in a brutal run to the final.