MATT O’RILEY made his family proud last night as he made his senior international debut for Denmark against Northern Ireland.
The Celtic midfielder was called up to manager Kasper Hjulmand’s squad for the last international break but he was made to wait for his first cap after staying on the bench against San Marino.
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He was an unused sub against Slovenia last week too but he made his first start at Windsor Park yesterday in the disappointing 2-0 loss.
It was an unexpected defeat for the table toppling Danes but it didn’t affect their Euro 2024 qualifying hopes as they had already sealed their top spot in Group H.
O’Riley is now expected to be on the plane to Germany next summer and will be hoping to play a part for the tournament dark horses.
And his No1 fan is aiming to be in the country to cheer him on after confessed her disappointment at missing his Denmark debut last night.
His Celtic-mad grandmother, Lis Egeland, has admitted she had to watch the clash on the tv after being ordered not to travel to Belfast for the game by her doctors.
But she did reveal that she issued a demand to the hospital to hurry up with her treatment so she could watch her grandson play in the Champions League last month.
Speaking to Bold.dk: after his debut, she said: “I was hospitalized a month ago, and then I told them to hurry because my grandson plays football and that it was a Champions League match.
“Then I was given a strong painkiller, and then I was allowed to drive home again.
“I would have liked to have been there and I have also been to Celtic a few times, but I have had some problems with some age-related illness and the doctors are a bit after me.
“They say that I have to slow down a bit for a while and that I must not throw myself into airplanes all the time. It is of course very annoying, because of course I would have liked to have been there.
“I watched the national match on TV, and I also have access to Celtic TV, so I watch all matches.”
O’Riley was born in down south but qualifies to represent Denmark through his mother.
Egeland reckons it’s likely her grandson will receive criticism from Danish fans over his English roots but has urged them to stop as O’Riley gets furious when his allegiance is questioned.
She continued: “I know the Danish mentality well, and now I’m saying something that might not be so popular, but I have a feeling that people don’t really like the fact that he didn’t grow up in Denmark.
“I sort of had the feeling that people thought it was better with ‘real Danes’. He gets furious when he hears people say that, because he has a Danish passport.
“I would like to cut through and say that I think he is a fabulous footballer. So I have to say that.
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“He is so intelligent, he reads the game and he passes the balls to the right man if they know each other like at Celtic. Everyone knows where the ball is going when Matt sends it. It is exceptionally good.”
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