Matt O’Riley has been left out of the Denmark squad despite receiving a late call-up last month.
The Celtic midfielder was dropped from Kasper Hjulmand’s squad yesterday, with Kasper Dolberg, the player O’Riley had previously replaced in the squad, being preferred by Hjulmand instead.
Dolberg withdrew from the squad last month following the birth of his twins, and Hjulmand agreed that it was the right decision for the striker to return to Belgium. This meant O’Riley was in line to make his debut but failed to do so, as Denmark narrowly defeated San Marino 2-1.
O’Riley was also not called up for the Denmark under-21 national side. At 22 years old, turning 23 later this month, he is now beyond the age limit allowed to play international football at the under-21 level. O’Riley made his debut for the Denmark under-21 side in March 2022 against Belgium, and he scored his first goal three months later in a 3-1 win against Turkey.
The Hoops playmaker has been in sensational form this season and is unlucky not to make the squad. He is currently the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership with six goals.
International involvement would have been an opportunity for him to gain valuable experience and understand how Denmark plays and what Kasper Hjulmand expects from his players. However, with established players like Christian Eriksen, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, and Mathias Jensen in the mix, O’Riley faces a significant challenge in trying to secure a place in the squad on a regular basis.
Denmark’s loss is certainly Celtic’s gain, as O’Riley can now train at Lennoxtown during the international break and get some much-needed time to recover having started in all but one Scottish Premiership game this season.
Receive a digest of our best Celtic content each week direct to your mailbox
