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World Cup Qualification: Denmark vs Scotland
Kickoff Time: 2025-09-06 02:45 (HKT)
Source: REUTERS/Ritzau Scanpix Denmark
This is a match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup European Qualifiers. Denmark is a regular participant in the World Cup, having qualified for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments, and boasts extensive experience in major competitions. In the previous World Cup qualifiers, Denmark was grouped with Scotland. At that time, Denmark achieved a record of nine wins and one loss, finishing ahead of Scotland to claim the top spot in the group. Based on the current squad, Denmark has several key players from Europe’s top five leagues, such as Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund, Monaco forward Mika Biereth, Brentford midfielder Mikkel Damsgaard, Marseille midfielder Matt O’Riley, Manchester United defender Patrick Dorgu, and Barcelona defender Andreas Christensen. The team can field a starting lineup with a total value exceeding €300 million. Without a doubt, Denmark has become a strong team in Europe.
In the previous World Cup qualifiers, Scotland advanced as the group runner-up but unfortunately lost to Ukraine in the playoffs. The team last participated in the World Cup finals back in 1998. According to the squad announced by the Scottish Football Association, the highlight is the return of Brentford defender Aaron Hickey. The young player hasn’t been called up to the national team for nearly two years, with his last appearance for Scotland in October 2023 in a loss to Spain. Since then, he has suffered a series of injuries. The midfield selection is as expected, with Napoli’s Scott McTominay and Billy Gilmour, along with Udinese’s Lennon Miller, all included. The three play in Serie A, complement each other’s styles, and have no issues with chemistry. In the forward line, four strikers have been selected: Che Adams from Torino, Lyndon Dykes (who struggles for playing time at Birmingham), George Hirst from Ipswich Town, and young talent Kieron Bowie from Hibernian. Overall, the midfield can compete with Denmark, but the forward line is relatively average.
Denmark’s home performance has always been strong, as evidenced by their victory over a powerful Portugal team in March this year. In contrast, Scotland only managed a draw against Portugal at home in October last year. This highlights the gap in strength between the two teams. Considering Scotland’s manager Stephen Clarke’s conservative tactical approach, he is unlikely to make significant adjustments unless forced by injuries, and the starting lineup is almost predictable. For this matchup, it is believed that Denmark, playing at home, will not miss the opportunity to secure all three points.
Denmark’s Last 5 Games: WWLWD
25-06-11 Denmark 5-0 Lithuania
25-06-08 Denmark 2-1 Northern Ireland
25-03-24 Portugal 3-2 Denmark (ET 2-0)
25-03-21 Denmark 1-0 Portugal
24-11-19 Serbia 0-0 Denmark
Scotland’s Last 5 Games: WLLWW
25-06-10 Liechtenstein 0-4 Scotland
25-06-07 Scotland 1-3 Iceland
25-03-24 Scotland 0-3 Greece
25-03-21 Greece 0-1 Scotland
24-11-19 Poland 1-2 Scotland
Head-To-Head Record
21-11-16 Scotland 2-0 Denmark
21-09-02 Denmark 2-0 Scotland
16-03-30 Scotland 1-0 Denmark
11-08-11 Scotland 2-1 Denmark
04-04-29 Denmark 1-0 Scotland
Prediction: Denmark to win