Denmark-Spain matches

Denmark-Spain matches 1920-2024

Denmark have an amazingly negative record against both Spain and Portugal.
Three of the most important encounters between Denmark and Spain are remembered for a single player only. The first round match at the 1920 Olympics was the first ever official international for Spain and laid the basis for Ricardo Zamora's reputation as the greatest continental goalkeeper during the interbellum (succeeding Just Göbel, the best custodian on the continent before the Great War). The semi-final shoot-out in Lyon was personified by Preben Elkjær-Larsen, the only player to miss; to this day, Danes refer to a heartbreaking penalty miss as en Preben Elkjær, while a blind pass back to the 'keeper, intercepted by an opposing attacker, is en rigtig Jesper Olsen in reference to the horrendous mistake leading to the Spanish equaliser in Querétaro two years later, in the first ever World Cup match between the two teams.
All matches are friendlies unless stated otherwise.

Game Date        Venue      Result                      Remark

  1. 28- 8-1920  Brussel    Denmark     0-1 Spain       [Olympic Games]
  2. 25- 9-1974  København  Denmark     1-2 Spain       [European Champ. Qual.]
  3. 12-10-1975  Barcelona  Spain       2-0 Denmark     [European Champ. Qual.]
  4. 14-11-1979  Cádiz      Spain       1-3 Denmark     
  5. 21- 5-1980  København  Denmark     2-2 Spain       
  6. 11- 4-1984  Valencia   Spain       2-1 Denmark
  7. 24- 6-1984  Lyon       Denmark     1-1 Spain       [European Champ.; aet, 4-5 pen]
  8. 18- 6-1986  Querétaro  Spain       5-1 Denmark     [World Cup]
  9. 11- 6-1988  Hannover   Denmark     2-3 Spain       [European Champ.]
 10. 31- 3-1993  København  Denmark     1-0 Spain       [World Cup Qualifier]  
 11. 17-11-1993  Sevilla    Spain       1-0 Denmark     [World Cup Qualifier]
 12. 16-11-1994  Sevilla    Spain       3-0 Denmark     [European Champ. Qual.]
 13. 11-10-1995  København  Denmark     1-1 Spain       [European Champ. Qual.]
 14. 31- 3-2004  Gijón      Spain       2-0 Denmark     
 15. 24- 3-2007  Madrid     Spain       2-1 Denmark     [European Champ. Qual.]
 16. 13-10-2007  Århus      Denmark     1-3 Spain       [European Champ. Qual.]
 17. 20- 8-2008  København  Denmark     0-3 Spain
 18. 12-10-2024  Murcia     Spain       1-0 Denmark     [European Nations League]
 19. 15-11-2024  København  Denmark     1-2 Spain       [European Nations League]

Total record:

Spain                19 14  3  2  37- 16  31
Denmark              19  2  3 14  16- 37   7

Denmark - List of International Matches
Spain - List of International Matches

About this document

Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation

Author: Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 28 Sep 2025