The Kattegat Derby: Denmark-Sweden matches 1913-2024


Introduction
Official Matches
Overviews

Introduction

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.


Official Matches

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

Overviews

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


About this document

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

Author: Karel Stokkermans
Last updated: 15 Feb 2025

(C) Copyright Karel Stokkermans and RSSSF 2017/25
You are free to copy this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the author. All rights reserved.