‘We showed we are clearly better than Ireland’

Denmark’s players — including Christian Eriksen — were all in agreement that class told in the end as Ireland’s World Cup ambitions came to a crashing halt in the most humiliating circumstances.

Ireland’s captain for the night David Meyler made much on the eve of the game about his team’s supposed superior desire and spirit but football matches were won mainly with feet rather than heads.

Danish boss Age Hareide left himself open to ridicule by predicting the match would be won without the necessity for penalty kicks and it appears the optimism was shared by his players.