CoachTalk: The Interview with Steffen Højer

Steffen Højer has been part of the Danish Football Association for several years. In January 2023, he took over as head coach of the U21 national team, following more than three years as assistant coach. Prior to his time with the Danish FA, he worked at Viborg FF, where he served both as assistant and head coach.

In this exclusive interview, Steffen offers fascinating insights into his coaching philosophy, his work with young talents, and his expectations for the upcoming European Championships.

In all your previous coaching roles, your teams have consistently shown a high percentage of ball possession. This is also reflected in the COACHINSIDE data, where "possession" accounts for 25% of your overall playing style — your most prominent trait. What role does ball possession play in your tactical philosophy? How do you want your teams to act in possession? And what key principles do you pass on to your players in that context?

Steffen Højer: We want to be a team that dominates and controls the game — but our possession must always have a clear purpose that the players understand. When we face teams of a lower level, it's about breaking them down with passes between the lines, smart rotations, changes in tempo, and always with the goal of creating chances and scoring. It starts with players being sharp in their positioning — even a meter can make a big difference — so that they always have multiple options on the ball, and we’re in a good position to win it back quickly when we lose it. I also emphasize playing dynamic football — especially in transition. When we win the ball, we must be ready to attack and reach the final third quickly. Against top teams, possession serves another purpose. For example, teams like Spain are at their best when they control the ball. So, it's crucial not to give it away too easily when we win it. We must be brave in possession — again, with good structure and positioning — and put them in uncomfortable situations to disrupt their rhythm and impose our own. For me, it’s essential to be clear so that the players understand why we play this way — and how to execute it.

With Denmark’s U21 national team, you've used a 4-3-3 formation in all qualifying matches, resulting in a 100% Tactical Index. What strengths do you see in this formation? How much freedom do your players have within this structure? And how flexible is the system — both in and out of possession — when it comes to in-game adjustments?

Steffen Højer: I believe the 4-3-3 formation offers us a lot of possibilities. It provides clear structure in many phases of the game. For example, everyone knows how we defend the box, how we handle runs in the half-spaces, and which principles guide us in difficult situations. Offensively, the system allows us to combine structure with space for individual creativity. The players have quite a lot of freedom in attack. We use many rotations, and it’s a key requirement that they have the courage to take on opponents and make decisions based on the situation. I want to see their creativity — and they know that behind that freedom lies a clear team structure. So when we lose the ball, everyone knows what to do. As for flexibility, it’s a big part of our approach. It’s about being smart and adapting to the challenges we face. For instance, against a team playing 4-4-2, we might choose to build up in a 3-box-3 — and there are several ways to do that. So overall, our 4-3-3 is a starting point for how we defend and a foundation for how we build our attack — but with plenty of variations and room for creativity.

What is it like to work with the young top talents. What do you see as the most important things to get them to perform at their best. And what has been the difference between coaching a club team and a national team?

Steffen Højer: For me, it’s been fantastic to work with the top talents in Denmark. It’s energizing to work with players who are already at a high level but still hungry to improve. The challenge is to build a strong team while helping each individual perform at their best. That’s why it’s important for me to get to know the players — not to be their friend, but because it helps me understand how to motivate and challenge them in the best possible way. My experience is that players appreciate having high demands placed on them. But those demands also require clear and consistent action from both coach and player. Sometimes that means being tough, other times it requires a different approach — but it always requires clarity. As for the difference between working with a club and the national team, the key factor is time. In a club, you have time to work in detail, to develop players over the long term, and to prepare week by week for matches. With the national team, you typically have seven training sessions and two matches, five or six times a year. The players come from many different clubs and systems — some play 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 3-4-3, or 3-5-2 — and each club might interpret those formations differently. So when we come together, it’s crucial to deliver clear tactical training and ensure that everyone understands: “This is how we play here.” We need to be sharp in our meetings and very precise in what we ask of the players. Fortunately, they’re well-educated at their clubs, and I think they’re very good at taking on input and applying it, even if it’s different from what they’re used to.

Finally, what are your goals for the U21 European Championship?

Steffen Højer: With the Danish U21 national team, we have two main objectives: To develop players for the senior national team — and in that regard, we’ve already seen 10 players of U21 age selected for the senior squad. To qualify for the European Championship, so that our players gain experience in a major tournament — and we’ve succeeded in that by finishing ahead of a strong Czech side. So in many ways, we’ve already achieved our main goals. But now that we’re at the tournament, it’s all about winning as much as we can. We’re not going to the European Championship just to protect a respectable result — we’re going there to attack, to be brave, and to give everything we have. Our first goal is to advance from the group stage and reach the quarterfinals. After that, anything is possible. We are humble — we know we’ll face very strong opponents — but I have great belief in the team. We have talented individuals, and most importantly, we have a strong collective.

Many thanks for your time, Steffen, and good luck at the European Championships!