OPINION: Brian Riemer should pay the price for biggest Danish disaster in football history

Denmark will miss its seventh chance to compete in a FIFA World Cup as the grandest event in football unfolds across the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer. This outcome follows Michal Sadilek's decisive penalty that sailed past Danish goalkeeper Mads Hermansen during the intense shoot-out in the closing play-off qualifier in Prague on Tuesday evening.

Frankly, I have not sensed such emptiness since Jose Maria Bakero deliberately collided with Peter Schmeichel, enabling Fernando Hierro to find the net on that heartbreaking night in Seville, where Denmark lost its shot at the 1994 World Cup despite having a numerical advantage for much of the game.

Yet Spain was already emerging as a global force back in 1994, and given the calibre of opponents faced recently, last night's loss feels far more crushing. Indeed, Brian Riemer's efforts in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers will be remembered as the greatest catastrophe in Danish football history.

As a top-seeded team, Denmark entered the campaign as one of the strongest contenders to secure a spot in the tournament. Matched against Scotland, Greece, and Belarus, the Danes found themselves in what appeared to be the most straightforward group possible for qualification.

It is not truly a catastrophe to fall short in Prague to a team that arrived unbeaten in 18 outings before the crucial clash. However, it is a catastrophe to manage only a draw against Belarus right in your home ground when a simple victory would have sealed direct entry to the World Cup.

In the end, the blame for this shortfall rests with head coach Brian Riemer and the Danish FA's Football Director, Peter Moller. After Kasper Hjulmand stepped down following EURO 2024, the Danish FA appointed Brian Riemer back in October 2024. As Jakub Dvorak, Senior News Editor for Flashscore's Czech edition, pointed out to me yesterday, such a choice would never occur in the Czech Republic, and it should not have happened here either.

Riemer had served as head coach at just one club, Anderlecht, prior to taking the national role, but the Danish FA opted for the most budget-friendly option. Despite clear alternatives like Thomas Frank, Bo Henriksen, and maybe even Michael Laudrup among the Danish prospects, the FA selected the newcomer with the least experience, and now they face the consequences.

Truthfully, at most two players from the Czech side might have cracked the Danish starting eleven, but only Rasmus Hojlund performed anywhere near his typical standard on Tuesday night.

This has been a persistent issue for Denmark throughout the qualifiers, failing to deliver consistently, which falls squarely on Riemer's shoulders. The Danes outclassed Belarus, Scotland, and the Czech Republic in those key fixtures, yet they could never convert that edge into results.

In Prague, Denmark struggled to construct attacks from deep despite boasting numerous stars who feature regularly at top clubs worldwide. In contests of this nature, one must confront pressure head-on, but Riemer and assistant Daniel Agger appeared frozen on the sidelines during a game where the team lagged a pace behind, even with superior ball control. The players' reluctance to step up was glaring in the penalty shoot-out, with three of four attempts failing.

The most shocking moment, however, unfolded not during the match but right afterwards, when Danish FA Football Director Peter Moller declared that Riemer's position remained secure. Astonishingly, the FA had already extended Riemer's deal through to after EURO 2028 in October of the previous year, well before the qualifying process concluded.

It promises to be a drawn-out summer, and the pain deepened knowing both Sweden and Norway secured their places. Five weeks of the sport's premier event, yet devoid of Denmark. Sitting at 20th in the global rankings, the Danes still could not join the 48 teams heading to the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Utter despair, nothing less.