However, coach Morten Olsen fears things will not be as straightforward in South Africa - unless they can find a way past European powerhouse Holland.

The Scandinavian nation, who will make their fourth appearance at the World Cup, suffered just one defeat en route to the finals in what was an impressive set of performances in qualifying Group One.

Two victories over neighbours Sweden and an unexpected come-from-behind win in Portugal were the highlights of a campaign which saw them finish two points clear of Carlos Queiroz's men in the pool.

It marked a welcome return to form for the Danes, who had missed out on places at the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008, and earned Olsen a contract extension which will see him remain at the helm for another two years.

Denmark's colourful fans can be expected to turn out in droves in South Africa to give their support to a rejuvenated team which boasts Premier League stars Nicklas Bendtner and Daniel Agger among its ranks.

Supporters' expectations will certainly be high following qualifying and the Danes have proved in the past they can compete on the global stage, having reached the quarter-finals in 1998 in France.

But Olsen's 10 years in charge of the national team has taught him the dangers of complacency, and he has warned of the hard work awaiting them in the finals.

The former Ajax boss is especially cautious about facing the Dutch, with Cameroon and Japan the other teams Denmark will face in Group E.

Holland won all eight of their qualifiers to claim their place in South Africa with the minimum of fuss.

That record has not gone unnoticed by an impressed Olsen.

"There is no doubt Holland will be the favourites to progress," he said. "They're high in the FIFA rankings and obviously we have a lot of respect for them.

"Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder and Robin van Persie are good players, Arjen Robben has been fantastic of late. That's not good news for us.

"Fortunately, they can't use all of their attacking players at the same time. It's a question of how many of them the team can field together. On the other hand, if one of them can't play then someone else can step in and do an equally good job. That's a worry."

However, it is not all doom and gloom for the Denmark coach, who believes there may be a few chinks in Holland's armour.

"We have a chance too. They're a side we perform well against and we're two teams who have no secrets from each other," he explained.

"As has also been the case for Denmark, Holland have recently had a number of players who haven't had much playing time for their clubs. It all comes down to who is playing on the day."

Team fitness and lack of first-team club football is something which concerns many coaches before a major tournament, and Olsen is no exception.

Injuries to several key players, including Bendtner and captain Jon Dahl Tomasson, have been a cause of frustration for the Danes this season, but their record in qualifying shows they can withstand losses - an encouraging sign for a country whose population stands at just over five million.

That does not mean Olsen would be willing to travel to South Africa with anything other than a full-strength squad.

"The most important thing for us is to have all of our players fit and in form, and not have to put up with the same injury problems we had during qualifying," he said.

One concern Olsen has is over Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen who has been included in the squad despite recently suffering a dislocated elbow.

The coach added: "We have some talented players which is essential for the team to stand a chance, bearing in mind the opposition we will come up against."

Olsen has also seen a positive angle to the problem though, and believes having players returning from injury lay-offs could boost his side's chances at the World Cup.

"I'm not worried about those who haven't played many matches this season," he added. "It's important to have players in that position.

"Those who have come into the finals after a long campaign can be tired. That won't give us any advantage at all."

Even with a fully-fit squad, Denmark are not expected to challenge for honours in South Africa.

However, a place in the last 16 is a realistic target even with the likes of Holland and Cameroon barring their way.

If they can manage that, and carry on their momentum from a successful qualifying campaign, the small Nordic nation could achieve big things this summer.