For Denmark, the news that their long-serving goal keeping hero is likely to face a year on the sidelines could not have come at a worse time with the World Cup just three months away. Kaspar Schmeichel needs shoulder surgery and rehab which means his long career – at 39 years old now – is likely over.
Finally West Ham’s Mads Hermansen will get his opportunity on the world’s biggest stage.
International debut and World Cup qualifier beckons for Hermansen
Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, Hermansen’s name has frequented Denmarks’ international squad announcements since his Leicester City days but the Hammers’ number one always found his path blocked by Schmeichel and has yet to make his debut.
West Ham’s Mads Hermansen suddenly finds his career is exploding into life
Denmark have the small matter of a World Cup qualifier semi-final on 26th March against North Macedonia and Hermansen is surely in pole position to get his well-deserved debut.
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Secretly he must have been in despair on both a domestic and international level, with his West Ham career seemingly in free-fall just three months ago: Indeed he was even spoken of as a candidate for a loan move away from London. However the hugely likeable Hammer appears to have stayed positive through the dark days and always remained ambitious. Just last month he told whufc.com:
“I haven’t really been thinking of the future so much lately,” said Hermansen, who was part of Denmark’s squad at UEFA Euro 2024. “Now I’m just trying to stay in the present and try to just focus on the games and then see where it goes.
“Of course, I still haven’t played for Denmark, for the senior national team, and that’s a big dream of mine, so to do that and go to the World Cup would be incredible!”
With Chelsea’s Filip Jorgensen withdrawing with a groin injury, Hermansen on form alone must be a dead cert for the Danish number one jersey for their crucial World Cup qualifier next week. Just the small matter of Aston Villa first, please Mads – another clean sheet would be perfect preparation.