A (somewhat unimaginative)
wikipedia
article once used to rank the rivalry between Sweden and Denmark
as Nordic Derby 4, thus ranking it behind those involving
Norway and Sweden
(there listed as Nordic Derby 1),
Sweden and Finland
(there considered Nordic Derby 2), and
Denmark and Norway
(there numbered Nordic Derby 3), but in footballing
terms this is the only serious one, with both contestants fairly evenly
matched after more than a century of matches.
(In contrast, Sweden's rivalry with Finland is played out in (ice) hockey and that
with Norway in various (winter) sports, in particular cross country ("nordic") skiing.)
In spite of both countries claiming a viking heritage and converting to lutheranism
early on, Denmark and Sweden fought each other in various wars for centuries, in particular
over Norway and Scania (Skåne in both Danish and Swedish), now the southern part of
Sweden but Danish until the middle of the seventeenth century, creating a solid basis for
some lasting ill-feeling.
Both countries took to football early (in the 1870s), initially restricted to the cities of Copenhagen and Gothenburg. The Danes were the first to make an impression, winning silver medals at the 1908 and 1912 Olympics (losing both finals to Great Britain), and they also won the first five meetings with their neighbours, outscoring them 24-0 in the process. However, the Swedes quickly caught up, winning the bronze medals at the 1924 Olympics after thrashing title holders Belgium 8-1 and defeating the Netherlands, three times bronze medalists, in the bronze medal match (after a replay) before impressing at the first two World Cups held in Europe, reaching the quarter-finals in 1934 (defeating Argentina and narrowly losing to Germany) and the semi-finals in 1938. Sweden also dominated the Nordic Championship, winning it nine times in succession (after both Denmark and Norway had claimed it once) in a period stretching more than four decades (between 1933 and 1977).
After World War II, Blågult owned De Rød-Hvide for decades, winning 22 (and losing just 3) of the 32 encounters between 1947 and 1975. However, as both countries remained faithful to the amateur ideal for much longer than most others, their best players sought greener pastures abroad (most famously the Gre-No-Li forward line at Milan) and the national sides fell somewhat behind, in spite of Sweden reaching the final at the 1958 World Cup they organised. Nevertheless, both remained dangerous opponents for anyone, and in spite of having been eliminated in the qualifying tournament, the Danes were crowned European champions in 1992 in Sweden, where they lost their group match against the hosts but eliminated the Netherlands (the reigning champions) in the semi-final, after a penalty shoot-out, and surprised Germany (semi-final winners against Sweden) in the final.
All matches are friendlies unless stated otherwise.
Game Date Venue Result Remark 1. 25- 5-1913 K�benhavn Denmark 8-0 Sweden 2. 5-10-1913 Stockholm Sweden 0-10 Denmark 3. 6- 6-1915 K�benhavn Denmark 2-0 Sweden 4. 31-10-1915 Stockholm Sweden 0-2 Denmark 5. 4- 6-1916 K�benhavn Denmark 2-0 Sweden 6. 8-10-1916 Stockholm Sweden 4-0 Denmark 7. 3- 6-1917 K�benhavn Denmark 1-1 Sweden 8. 14-10-1917 Stockholm Sweden 1-2 Denmark 9. 2- 6-1918 K�benhavn Denmark 3-0 Sweden 10. 20-10-1918 G�teborg Sweden 1-2 Denmark 11. 5- 6-1919 K�benhavn Denmark 3-0 Sweden 12. 12-10-1919 Stockholm Sweden 3-0 Denmark 13. 10-10-1920 Stockholm Sweden 0-2 Denmark 14. 9-10-1921 Stockholm Sweden 0-0 Denmark 15. 1-10-1922 K�benhavn Denmark 1-2 Sweden 16. 14-10-1923 Stockholm Sweden 1-3 Denmark 17. 15- 6-1924 K�benhavn Denmark 2-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 18. 14- 6-1925 Stockholm Sweden 0-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 19. 3-10-1926 K�benhavn Denmark 2-0 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 20. 19- 6-1927 Stockholm Sweden 0-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 21. 7-10-1928 K�benhavn Denmark 3-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 22. 16- 6-1929 G�teborg Sweden 3-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 23. 22- 6-1930 K�benhavn Denmark 6-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 24. 28- 6-1931 Stockholm Sweden 3-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 25. 19- 6-1932 K�benhavn Denmark 3-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 26. 18- 6-1933 Stockholm Sweden 2-3 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 27. 17- 6-1934 K�benhavn Denmark 3-5 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 28. 16- 6-1935 G�teborg Sweden 3-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 29. 14- 6-1936 K�benhavn Denmark 4-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 30. 3-10-1937 Solna Sweden 1-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 31. 21- 6-1938 K�benhavn Denmark 0-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 32. 1-10-1939 Solna Sweden 4-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 33. 6-10-1940 Solna Sweden 1-1 Denmark 34. 20-10-1940 K�benhavn Denmark 3-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 35. 14- 9-1941 Solna Sweden 2-2 Denmark 36. 19-10-1941 K�benhavn Denmark 2-1 Sweden 37. 28- 6-1942 K�benhavn Denmark 0-3 Sweden 38. 4-10-1942 Solna Sweden 2-1 Denmark 39. 20- 6-1943 K�benhavn Denmark 3-2 Sweden 40. 24- 6-1945 Solna Sweden 2-1 Denmark 41. 1- 7-1945 K�benhavn Denmark 3-4 Sweden 42. 30- 9-1945 Solna Sweden 4-1 Denmark 43. 23- 6-1946 K�benhavn Denmark 3-1 Sweden 44. 6-10-1946 G�teborg Sweden 3-3 Denmark 45. 15- 6-1947 K�benhavn Denmark 1-4 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 46. 26- 6-1947 Solna Sweden 6-1 Denmark [SPL's 40th Anniversary] 47. 10- 8-1948 London Sweden 4-2 Denmark [Olympic Games] 48. 10-10-1948 Solna Sweden 1-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 49. 23-10-1949 K�benhavn Denmark 3-2 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 50. 15-10-1950 Solna Sweden 4-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 51. 21-10-1951 K�benhavn Denmark 3-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 52. 11- 6-1952 Oslo Sweden 2-0 Denmark [NFF's 50th Anniversary] 53. 22- 6-1952 Solna Sweden 4-3 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 54. 21- 6-1953 K�benhavn Denmark 1-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 55. 10-10-1954 Solna Sweden 5-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 56. 16-10-1955 K�benhavn Denmark 3-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 57. 21-10-1956 Solna Sweden 1-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 58. 30- 6-1957 K�benhavn Denmark 1-2 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 59. 26-10-1958 Solna Sweden 4-4 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 60. 21- 6-1959 K�benhavn Denmark 0-6 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 61. 23-10-1960 G�teborg Sweden 2-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 62. 18- 6-1961 K�benhavn Denmark 1-2 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 63. 28-10-1962 Solna Sweden 4-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 64. 6-10-1963 K�benhavn Denmark 2-2 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 65. 28- 6-1964 Malm� Sweden 4-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 66. 20- 6-1965 K�benhavn Denmark 2-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 67. 6-11-1966 Solna Sweden 2-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 68. 25- 6-1967 K�benhavn Denmark 1-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 69. 27- 6-1968 Solna Sweden 2-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 70. 25- 6-1969 K�benhavn Denmark 0-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 71. 25- 6-1970 G�teborg Sweden 1-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 72. 20- 6-1971 K�benhavn Denmark 1-3 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 73. 29- 6-1972 Malm� Sweden 2-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 74. 26- 4-1973 K�benhavn Denmark 1-2 Sweden 75. 3- 6-1974 K�benhavn Denmark 0-2 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 76. 25- 9-1975 Malm� Sweden 0-0 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 77. 11- 5-1976 G�teborg Sweden 1-2 Denmark 78. 15- 6-1977 K�benhavn Denmark 2-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 79. 5-10-1977 Malm� Sweden 1-0 Denmark 80. 16- 8-1978 K�benhavn Denmark 2-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 81. 9- 5-1979 K�benhavn Denmark 2-2 Sweden 82. 7- 5-1980 G�teborg Sweden 0-1 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 83. 14- 5-1981 Malm� Sweden 1-2 Denmark [Nordic Championship] 84. 5- 5-1982 K�benhavn Denmark 1-1 Sweden [Nordic Championship] 85. 6- 6-1984 G�teborg Sweden 0-1 Denmark 86. 11- 9-1985 K�benhavn Denmark 0-3 Sweden 87. 26- 8-1987 Solna Sweden 1-0 Denmark 88. 31- 8-1988 Solna Sweden 1-2 Denmark 89. 14- 6-1989 K�benhavn Denmark 6-0 Sweden [DBU Centenary] 90. 5- 9-1990 V�ster�s Sweden 0-1 Denmark 91. 15- 6-1991 Norrk�ping Sweden 4-0 Denmark [Scania 100 Tournament] 92. 14- 6-1992 Solna Sweden 1-0 Denmark [European Championship] 93. 26- 5-1994 K�benhavn Denmark 1-0 Sweden 94. 14- 8-1996 G�teborg Sweden 0-1 Denmark 95. 28- 5-1998 Malm� Sweden 3-0 Denmark -. 31- 1-2000 La Manga Sweden 1-0 Denmark [!] 96. 26- 4-2000 K�benhavn Denmark 0-1 Sweden 97. 22- 6-2004 Oporto Sweden 2-2 Denmark [European Championship] 98. 2- 6-2007 K�benhavn Denmark awd Sweden [*] [European Champ. Qual.] 99. 8- 9-2007 Solna Sweden 0-0 Denmark [European Champ. Qual.] 100. 6- 6-2009 Solna Sweden 0-1 Denmark [World Cup Qualifier] 101. 10-10-2009 K�benhavn Denmark 1-0 Sweden [World Cup Qualifier] 102. 11-11-2011 K�benhavn Denmark 2-0 Sweden 103. 28- 5-2014 K�benhavn Denmark 1-0 Sweden 104. 14-11-2015 Solna Sweden 2-1 Denmark [European Champ. Qual.] 105. 17-11-2015 K�benhavn Denmark 2-2 Sweden [European Champ. Qual.] -. 11- 1-2018 Abu Dhabi Sweden 1-0 Denmark [!] 106. 2- 6-2018 Solna Sweden 0-0 Denmark 107. 11-11-2020 Br�ndby Denmark 2-0 Sweden 108. 5- 6-2024 K�benhavn Denmark 2-1 Sweden [!] match official for Sweden but not for Denmark (who in both cases fielded their League XI) and therefore not included in the overviews [*] match abandoned at 3-3 in 89' due to attack on referee and awarded 0-3
Total record: Denmark 108 42 20 46 176-187 104 Sweden 108 46 20 42 187-176 112 Some more stats: Pd Dk D Sw DG- SG In Denmark: 51 25 8 18 101- 82 In Sweden: 54 17 11 26 71- 97 Elsewhere: 3 0 1 2 4- 8 Pd Dk D Sw DG- SG 1911-1920 13 10 1 2 37- 10 1921-1930 10 5 2 3 21- 11 1931-1940 11 4 2 5 22- 27 1941-1950 16 4 2 10 26- 45 1951-1960 11 1 3 7 18- 33 1961-1970 10 1 3 6 12- 20 1971-1980 11 4 2 5 11- 15 1981-1990 8 5 1 2 13- 7 1991-2000 6 2 0 4 2- 9 2001-2010 5 2 2 1 4- 5 2011-2020 6 3 2 1 8- 4 2021-2030 1 1 0 0 2- 1
Denmark - List of International Matches
Sweden - List of International Matches
Prepared and maintained by Karel Stokkermans for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Author: Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 15 Feb 2025
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Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2017/25
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