Denmark – Preview

Coach: Claus Hansen

Key Players: Sebastian Frandsen (Goalkeeper), Niclas Kirkelökke (Right Back)

Road to Qualification: Winners of Men’s Youth World Championship 2013

History in Tournament: 1977: 8^th, 1979: 4^th, 1981: 7^th, 1983: 3^rd, 1985: 7^th, 1987: 9^th, 1989: NQ, 1991: 7^th, 1993: 2^nd, 1995: 9^th, 1997: 1^st, 1999: 1^st, 2001: 6^th, 2003: 2^nd, 2005: 1^st, 2007: 3^rd, 2009: 2^nd, 2011: 2^nd, 2013: 13^th

Overview:

With a strong handball tradition running from the youth and junior ranks through to the senior national teams, Denmark come into the Men’s Junior World Championship in Brazil with a solid tournament record behind them. Having won the title three times (1997, 1999, 2005) and finished with medals on several occasions, the Scandinavians will be looking to improve on their disappointing result at the last championship in Bosnia-Herzegovina, when they finished 13^th.

They are in a strong position to do so – several members of the current junior team were part of the Under 19 squad that defeated Croatia to win the last Men’s Youth World Championship in 2013. It was this title that earned them direct qualification to the Junior World Championship 2015.

The Danes have a formidable squad, with two members of the junior team named in the All-Star team at the Men’s Youth World Championship 2013: Goalkeeper Sebastian Frandsen and right back Niclas Kirkelökke. Their teammate Simon Hald Jensen was voted Most Valuable Player at the tournament. Frandsen has already had an impressive year, being awarded Male Talent of the Year 2015 by the Danish Handball Federation.

Denmark precede their campaign in Brazil with a series of friendly matches against Greenland and participation in the Scandinavian Open Championship held in Norway from July 8-12, where they will play Sweden, Tunisia and Norway.

Group at Brazil 2015:

Group C: Denmark, France, Argentina, Chile, Korea, Algeria

Games at Brazil 2015:

All times local

Monday 20 July:               DEN-CHI (11:45)
Wednesday 22 July:        KOR-DEN (18:30)
Thursday 23 July:              DEN-ALG (20:45)
Saturday 25 July:              ARG-DEN (17:45)
Sunday 26 July:                 DEN-FRA (14:00)