Peter Schmeichel was far from an ordinary goalkeeper, and Denmark’s route to winning Euro 92 was equally extraordinary. This is a look back at what made the record-breaking Danish great truly remarkable.

A commanding presence between the posts whose bite matched his bark, Peter Schmeichel is regarded as one of the finest goalkeepers the world has ever seen. While fans in England best remember him for his heroics with Manchester United’s dominant side of the 1990s, some of Schmeichel’s most iconic performances came while wearing the Danish national colours.

Schmeichel played a crucial role in Denmark’s astonishing Euro 92 victory, a campaign that began only after they were invited at the last moment to take the place of war-torn Yugoslavia, who were disqualified due to the outbreak of civil conflict. The 28-year-old goalkeeper was in outstanding form throughout the tournament, producing a string of vital saves to frustrate some of Europe’s strongest teams. He denied England in a goalless opener and kept favourites France at bay in a must-win group-stage clash.

His defining moment came in the semi-final against defending champions the Netherlands. Schmeichel’s courage and lightning-fast reactions forced the match into a penalty shootout. When Dutch star Marco van Basten stepped up, having netted 25 goals in Serie A during the 1991–92 season and on the verge of winning his third Ballon d’Or, Schmeichel guessed correctly, diving to his left to make a stunning save.

In the final, Schmeichel was once again at his brilliant best, stretching his left arm while moving backwards to tip over a powerful Jurgen Klinsmann header, helping Denmark secure a historic 2-0 victory over West Germany. Although Denmark could never quite replicate that success again, Schmeichel’s unique goalkeeping style—stretching and sprawling like a human starfish to cover every inch of the net—became a hallmark of his career and was seen across four European Championships.

The Manchester United legend went on to become Denmark’s most-capped player, amassing 129 appearances, including 30 as captain. He even found the scoresheet once, converting a penalty in a Euro 2000 warm-up game in Belgium. Although he occasionally fell victim to audacious lobs, Schmeichel’s impact and personality made him truly one of a kind.