Denmark fans are predicting a victory over England in tonight’s Euro 2020 semi-final as football fever grips Copenhagen and thousands of fans pack out pubs and bars in a sea of red and white.
Football fan Oscar, 21, who was the first to arrive that the big screen set up in the city’s Lumskebuksen pub garden this morning at 8.30am, predicts that Denmark will win 3-1.
Oscar said: ‘We had to show up super early to get a seat. We arrived at 8.30, and we got the last seats – we just did what needed to be done.’
Speaking to Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet, the gap year student went on: ‘The atmosphere when sitting at home cannot compare to watching on a big screen event with hundreds in red and white.’
Football fan Oscar, 21, who was the first to arrive that the big screen set up in the city’s Lumskebuksen pub garden (pictured) this morning at 8.30am, predicts that Denmark will win 3-1
Oscar said: ‘We had to show up super early to get a seat. We arrived at 8.30, and we got the last seats – we just did what needed to be done’
Danish football fans before the semi-final between Denmark and England on the big screen at Sifs Plads in Oesterbro in Copenhagen
Fellow fan Simon Lysholm told how Denmark fans who’d been prevented from travelling to Wembley to support their team were instead scrambling for seats in pubs to make a night of it in Copenhagen
Some lucky fans who ventured to Wembley were decked out in red and white before the match as they cheered on their national team
Fellow fan Simon Lysholm told how Denmark fans who’d been prevented from travelling to Wembley to support their team were instead scrambling for seats in pubs to make a night of it in Copenhagen.
He arrived at Lumskebuksen at 1pm and says he was relieved to managed to get seats such was the demand.
‘People try to block places for friends, but I was just lucky,’ Simon told Ekstra Bladet.
‘The only annoying thing is that I have had all my beers confiscated, which I brought from home!’
Per Kruse said: ‘I am feeling fantastic. It is now 21 years since we last won the European Championships.
‘My feeling is that we are winning. It’s like we’re on an adventure. The English have more higher paid stars on their team. We do not have that. But it’s like it’s something very special for us right now. I feel like we’re winning.’
Meanwhile Tommy Corsden said: ‘It’s amazing. It’s a dream. It is inconceivable that we have reached this point. It’s insane.
‘It is a new way to experience Denmark. Now you see people embracing each other and cheering. Both rich and poor can stand together on something here. Because here everyone is equal.
‘Everyone agrees that we must succeed. You rarely see that. It is an unparalleled experience. Something I wish everyone could experience just once in their life.’
Among the thousands of Danes there will also be some supporting England though.
They are expected to gather at the ‘Old English Pub’ – a pub in the centre of Copenhagen. The barman there is confident of an England win.
Damian Kaminski, 22, told the Mirror: ‘There will an incredible atmosphere at the match’.
Among the thousands of Danes there will also be some supporting England though
Danish fans gather in Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark, before tonight’s match
Denmark fans pictured in Copenhagen wear suits in the colors of their country ahead of the game
Denmark supporters cheer ahead of the UEFA EURO 2020 semi-final football match between England and Denmark at Wembley Stadium
‘We have some English regulars who will be in here for the game supporting England.
‘But I know the Danes will be in here drinking. There won’t be any trouble – it’s always very friendly.’
Denmark’s surprise march to the semi-finals ahead of better fancied teams has sparked football fever across the country with dozens of bars, restaurants and cinemas erecting big screens and laying on extra seating to try to cope with demand.
Most venues offering reservations are already ‘sold out’ after thousands since their win over the Czech Republic booked seats to watch the match among fellow fans rather than at home alone.
Danish flag bunting is flying throughout the capital city and is seen here across the street in Nyhavn
Hundreds of Danish fans have gathered eight hours before the game against England
But for those who missed out on bookings other venues are operating on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – meaning that at many venues vans had gathered and were drinking beer from early afternoon.
The bullish local media have listed venues for desperate fans to contact to try to get a reservation with the confident instruction: ‘You can be lucky to get a place among tons of other football-loving Danes who hope to see the Danish boys defeat the lions from England.’
But there was also concern about the football mania leading to further mass covid contamination in the city.
One unnamed fan quoted in Ekstra Bladet wrote: ‘You see how people just party loose in large gatherings when there are football matches and forget all about keeping their distance… It ends badly.
‘I really hope we lose tonight so there will be no more partying. And I hope that everyone who is considering going out on the streets and getting drunk with a lot of strangers, reads this, and considers what they are doing.’
There are thought to be some 500 big screen events taking place in towns and cities across Denmark tonight,
The largest, a fanzone at Tangkrogen in Aarhus, will hold 5,000 excited supporters alone while a parade ground in Viborg has room for 4,000 fans.
The one most likely to feature in news report is at Tivoli in the centre of Copenhagen. This holds closes 2,000 standing fans but requires pre booked tickets to gain admission.
But for those who missed out on bookings other venues are operating on a ‘first come, first served’ basis – meaning that at many venues vans had gathered and were drinking beer from early afternoon.