With several veterans and big names missing or retired, Riemer has turned toward younger and less experienced players for upcoming fixtures like the UEFA Nations League matches against Norway, Portugal and Wales.

The group that has defined the national team for more than a decade, with players like Kasper Schmeichel, Christian Eriksen, Thomas Delaney and Simon Kjaer who led the Danes all the way to the European Championships semi-final in 2021, is all gone, and it has left an enormous vacuum in the Danish national team. 

"I’ll be honest: I do find that a bit of a shame. It feels like it was only yesterday. We had a sense of unity and a bond, and we achieved the results we did because of the team we had—and the players and personalities involved," says Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg to dr.dk.

"It’s as if the rug has been yanked from beneath our feet. The old key players are gone, and I can certainly feel that. It’s different. It’s new. You have to reintegrate and build new relationships while also performing. It can be a bit tough, but also exciting."

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg made his debut for the Danish senior national team in 2014 and has since played 97 international matches. He is likely to get his 98th cap when Denmark face Norway in Oslo tomorrow.