Kasper Schmeichel says Denmark winning the World Cup would be a “miracle” similar to Leicester claiming the Premier League title in 2016.
Denmark’s goalless draw against France on Tuesday was enough to see the team book their place in the round of 16, where they will play a Croatia side who won all of their group matches.
Schmeichel was part of the remarkable Leicester side who defied odds of 500/1 to clinch the Premier League crown in the 2015-16 season.
And the 31-year-old said his title-winning campaign with the Foxes shows anything is possible as Denmark target their first quarter-final since 1998.
Speaking after the goalless draw with France in Moscow, Schmeichel told Standard Sport: “[We feel] A lot of pride, it was one of our objectives to get out of the group. We accomplished that and now we move on.
“We have to wait and see [who we will face]. Everyone’s money is on Croatia but we enjoyed tonight and we will move on tomorrow.
“We are organised, well compact...We are happy to be through to the last 16.
“From that season on [when Leicester won the title], everyone can believe in miracles and for us to win the World Cup would be a miracle. So why not believe?”
In Pictures | Denmark vs France, World Cup | 26/06/2018
Denmark’s draw with France, who had already qualified, lacked the kind of entertainment that has been present at the World Cup so far.
The dull nature of the game resulted in many fans booing throughout the contest, but Schmeichel insists the most important thing was that Denmark did not lose the match particularly as the players did not know the score in Australia’s game with Peru.
“Obviously people want to see entertaining football but we are here to get a result,” he told Standard Sport when asked whether the booing bothered him.
“We weren’t aware of the Peru result, we played a professional game. The objective, not knowing that result, was not to give away a goal and not to lose so that was mission accomplished.”
