Christian Eriksen has played 151 matches and scored 46 goals for Denmark, and no Danish men’s player has more caps. He made his debut at 18 in 2010, has played at six major tournaments and took the caps record from Simon Kjær at Euro 2024. His latest international was the friendly against Ukraine in Odense on 7 June 2026. He is also absent from the November squad announced on 4 November 2026.
Christian Eriksen for Denmark: debut in Vienna, first goal in Reykjavik
Eriksen made his debut on 3 March 2010 in a friendly against Austria at the Ernst-Happel-Stadion in Vienna, which Denmark lost 2-1. He was 18 years and 17 days old, and the coach was Morten Olsen. UEFA lists him as Denmark’s third-youngest debutant, Wikipedia as the fourth – either way the youngest since Michael Laudrup. That summer he went to the World Cup in South Africa as the youngest player at the tournament, wearing number 21.
His first goal came on 4 June 2011 in a 2-0 Euro qualifying win in Iceland, making him the youngest Dane to score in European qualifying – nine days younger than Laudrup in 1983.
Christian Eriksen caps and the Denmark record
His 100th cap came on 14 October 2020 at Wembley, where his penalty beat England 1-0 in the Nations League. At 28 years and 243 days he was the youngest Dane to reach 100. He became Denmark’s most-capped men’s player on 25 June 2024 at Euro 2024, passing Simon Kjær with his 133rd cap against Serbia. He now has 151 caps.
| Year | Caps | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 10 | 0 |
| 2011 | 10 | 2 |
| 2012 | 11 | 0 |
| 2013 | 11 | 2 |
| 2014 | 7 | 1 |
| 2015 | 8 | 1 |
| 2016 | 9 | 6 |
| 2017 | 9 | 9 |
| 2018 | 10 | 4 |
| 2019 | 10 | 6 |
| 2020 | 8 | 5 |
| 2021 | 6 | 0 |
| 2022 | 11 | 3 |
| 2023 | 6 | 1 |
| 2024 | 14 | 3 |
| 2025 | 7 | 3 |
| 2026 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 151 | 46 |
As of 7 June 2026 (his latest international). Source: DBU and Wikipedia.
2024 was his busiest year with 14 caps, while 2021 brought only six: after his cardiac arrest in June he did not play for Denmark again until March 2022. Full numbers are on the Christian Eriksen stats page.
The goals: a hat-trick in Dublin
His most famous night for Denmark was 14 November 2017, when he scored a hat-trick in a 5-1 win over the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in the World Cup play-off second leg; he scored 11 goals in that campaign. With 46 goals he is third on Denmark’s men’s scoring list according to landsholdskortet.dk, behind Poul “Tist” Nielsen and Jon Dahl Tomasson (52 each). His most emotional goal came on 26 March 2022 in Amsterdam, within two minutes of coming on in his first international after the cardiac arrest. His latest so far came in a 5-0 win over Lithuania in Odense on 10 June 2025.
Six major tournaments
No Dane has played at more major tournaments. At the 2018 World Cup he set up the goal against Peru and scored against Australia, but his penalty was saved in the shoot-out defeat to Croatia. At Euro 2020 he played only the opening match against Finland, where he suffered his cardiac arrest.
| Tournament | Apps | Goals | Shirt | Denmark reached |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Cup 2010 (South Africa) | 2 | 0 | 21 | Group stage |
| Euro 2012 (Poland/Ukraine) | 3 | 0 | 8 | Group stage |
| World Cup 2018 (Russia) | 4 | 1 | 10 | Round of 16 |
| Euro 2020 (played 2021) | 1 | 0 | 10 | Semi-final |
| World Cup 2022 (Qatar) | 3 | 0 | 10 | Group stage |
| Euro 2024 (Germany) | 4 | 1 | 10 | Round of 16 |
Six major tournaments – more than any other Danish player. At Euro 2020 he played only the opening match against Finland.
At the 2022 World Cup he played every minute and captained the side against Australia. At Euro 2024 he scored against Slovenia in his first Euro match since 2021, set the caps record against Serbia and went out after a 2-0 defeat to Germany in the round of 16.
World Cup 2026 qualifying and the penalty in Prague
Without a club in September 2025, he was left out under Brian Riemer’s rule that players must have one, and returned to the squad on 30 September 2025 after joining Wolfsburg. Denmark finished second behind Scotland after losing 4-2 at Hampden on 18 November 2025. In the play-off semi-final on 26 March 2026 they beat North Macedonia 4-0 at Parken, with Eriksen setting up a goal for Nørgaard off the bench. The final in Prague on 31 March ended 2-2 after extra time and Czechia won the shoot-out 3-1; Eriksen, on in the 72nd minute, scored Denmark’s only successful penalty. Denmark did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Danish Player of the Year: two different awards
Denmark has two player-of-the-year awards with different winners. Eriksen has won DBU’s Årets Spiller four times – 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2017 (DBU). According to Wikipedia he has won the players’ union award at the Dansk Fodbold Award, voted for by the players, five times – 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 and 2018. He also won the Laureus Comeback of the Year award in 2023.
Christian Eriksen and Denmark today
His latest cap was the friendly against Ukraine in Odense on 7 June 2026, abandoned after he collapsed and his ICD delivered a shock; it counts as his 151st cap – see the 2026 collapse. He was not in Riemer’s 24-man squad named on 15 September 2026; Riemer said Eriksen had not been playing football and that they had been in regular dialogue, and on 23 September he did not rule out a future call-up if Eriksen plays at a high level again. Without him Denmark lost 3-2 in Oslo and 4-2 to Portugal at Parken, and beat Wales home (2-0) and away (1-0). Denmark’s next match is Portugal v Denmark (UEFA Nations League) on Saturday 14 November 2026 at 20:45 Danish time. Eriksen is also absent from the November squad announced by the DBU on 4 November 2026.
On 4 November Riemer told Tipsbladet that they had spoken about a week earlier. A future call-up depends on Eriksen choosing to continue and performing at a suitable level again.
Denmark are due to face Portugal in Braga on 14 November and Norway at Parken on 17 November. These games have not yet been played and are not a scheduled Eriksen comeback. See the dated update on the Christian Eriksen news page. His club situation is covered separately on the new club page.
Questions about Eriksen and Denmark
How many caps does Christian Eriksen have?
Christian Eriksen has 151 caps for Denmark, the most of any Danish men’s player. He took the record from Simon Kjær with his 133rd cap against Serbia at Euro 2024.
How many goals has Eriksen scored for Denmark?
He has scored 46 goals for Denmark. The first came against Iceland in 2011 and the latest against Lithuania in Odense on 10 June 2025.
When did Christian Eriksen make his Denmark debut?
On 3 March 2010 in a friendly against Austria in Vienna, which Denmark lost 2-1. He was 18 years and 17 days old.
What shirt number does Eriksen wear for Denmark?
He has worn number 10 since the 2018 World Cup. He wore 21 at the 2010 World Cup and 8 at Euro 2012.
Is Christian Eriksen still in the Denmark squad?
He is not in the November squad announced on 4 November 2026. Riemer has left open the possibility of a later call-up, but no comeback has been announced. A possible future selection and a place in the current squad are different things.