Denmark vs Scotland Prediction for 6 September 2025 - Football

🔈 Can Denmark live up to their billing as favorites? In the opening round of the European qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Denmark and Scotland will face off at Parken Stadium. Both teams are considered favorites in their group and, according to bookmakers, are expected to battle for the top spot. However, in this head-to-head clash, the home advantage and a stellar lineup give the "Scarlet Guard" a slight edge: odds for a home win are 1.6, while an away victory is at 6.4.

Head-to-Head

📊 The last time these teams faced off was during the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. Both sides secured home victories with identical 2-0 scorelines. Notably, the "Tartan Army" last triumphed on Danish soil back in 1975 with a 1-0 win during the EURO 1976 qualifiers. Let's take a look at the average goals per match in their head-to-head history: Denmark – 0.78, Scotland – 1.22.

Denmark Team Overview

🔴 Following Kasper Hjulmand's departure from the national team, the results for the "Scarlet Guard" haven't seen significant changes. However, the style of play has evolved, though it still bears similarities to what the previous coach advocated. Currently, the national team is led by Brian Riemer, who was once Thomas Frank's right-hand man at Brentford and managed Anderlecht from 2022 to 2024. Under Riemer's guidance, the Danes managed to reach the playoffs of the Nations League, but a lapse in concentration and poor finishing prevented them from knocking out Portugal (1:0, 2:5 AET).

⚪ Brian Riemer views defense as the cornerstone of his tactical approach. It was largely due to a lack of scoring that he was dismissed from Anderlecht, despite securing a third-place finish in the Belgian league. Utilizing two holding midfielders allows the "Scarlet Guard" to control possession more effectively and maintain solidity in their positional defense.

Scotland Team Overview

⚪ At first glance, the Scots seem to be on par with the Danes. Experienced and well-acquainted with the team, Steve Clarke has established himself on the international stage and is capable of unsettling even top-tier national teams. However, their recent performances have been less than stellar—getting relegated from the top division of the Nations League by Greece (1-0, 0-3), and suffering a defeat to Iceland (1-3) in a June friendly. Yet, credit where it's due—the "Tartan Army" traditionally performs quite successfully and efficiently in qualifying campaigns.

🔵 Scotland's football is built on a solid defense and is characterized by a lot of physical battles. Positional play and creating width on the flanks are not typical of Steve Clarke's team. Defensive midfielders play a crucial role in the team's tactical setup, with Kenny McLean and Billy Gilmour being key figures in this position. How effective Scotland's tactical plan will be against the formidable Danes remains to be seen very soon.

Latest news

Denmark

📊 Denmark's national team are undoubtedly aiming to secure a spot in the main stage of the World Cup and make up for their disappointing performance in Qatar in 2022. Back then, the "Scarlet Guard" managed to earn just 1 point in the group stage, failing to advance to the playoffs. Denmark's best World Cup performance came in 1998 when they reached the quarter-finals in France. On that occasion, they narrowly lost to Brazil (2-3).

📌 Currently, Denmark sit at 21st place in the FIFA world rankings. The "Scarlet Guard" squad is valued at 394 million euros. It's worth noting that the team is undergoing a generational shift, with an average squad age of 26 years. The most valuable Danish players include Morten Hjulmand (50 million euros, Sporting), Rasmus Højlund (35 million euros, Napoli), and Mika Bierith (30 million euros, Monaco).

Scotland

📰 Scotland's national team hasn't participated in a World Cup since 1998. Back then, the "Tartan Army" couldn't offer much resistance to their group opponents and predictably exited the tournament, finishing at the bottom of their group. Moreover, even when the Scots have qualified for the World Cup finals, they have never advanced to the knockout stage. The impressive form of several national team players offers hope that things might change in 2026.

📌 Currently, Scotland sits at 47th in the FIFA world rankings. Notably, this is three spots lower than in April of this year. The leading and most valuable players for the Scottish squad right now are Scott McTominay (€50 million, Napoli), Lewis Ferguson (€28 million, Bologna), and Billy Gilmour (€20 million, Napoli).

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

🟨 Referee and Yellow Cards

The upcoming qualifier will be officiated by German referee Daniel Siebert. It's worth noting that Siebert is quite strict, averaging around 5.1 cautions per match. In the last 8 games involving Denmark, there have been approximately 5 yellow cards per match. Given these statistics, a well-founded prediction would be over 3.5 total yellow cards.

⚽ Goal Prediction

As mentioned earlier, both teams tend to play conservatively on the opponent's half, prioritizing defensive stability to avoid costly mistakes. Over the past year, Denmark's matches have averaged 2.3 goals per game, while Scotland's have seen 2.4 goals per match. Notably, 4 of the last 5 head-to-head encounters have featured no more than 2 goals. Our choice is under 3 total goals.

🚩 Corner Prediction

In 5 of Denmark's last 6 matches, there have been at least 11 corners. On average, Denmark's games over the past year have featured a staggering 11.4 corners. Scotland shows similar numbers and notably concedes around 5.8 corners per game. Our editorial choice is over 8.5 total corners.

It's challenging to predict a winner as both teams lack consistency and a well-defined style of play. Our editorial team is puzzled by the strong favoritism towards the "Red Guard." The Scots have shown solid defensive performances and are unlikely to lose by more than one goal. A final score of 1-1 seems quite plausible, reflecting the current state of both teams accurately. The key pick is Scotland to win with a +1.5 handicap.