Denmark lose friendly against Slovakia with team featuring a salesman up front and a student in defence

Former Arsenal player John Jensen coached the team, who registered just one shot on target

Denmark were beaten 3-0 by Slovakia in a friendly on Wednesday after fielding a team that featured a part-time salesman in attack, an internet freestyle footballer in midfield and a student in defence.

Futsal players were also included in the bizarre makeshift side that took to the field in Trnava as the ugly standoff between the Danish Football Association (DBU) and the country’s senior international stars over a new commercial agreement rumbles on.

The DBU committed to finding alternative players to honour the Slovakia friendly and Sunday’s opening Uefa Nations League match against Wales after failing to settle a long-running dispute with their high-profile internationals, chiefly concerning their right to make individual sponsorship agreements with companies competing against national team sponsors.

Adam Nemec, Albert Rusnak and an own goal from Danish futsal player Adam Fogt were the difference as the Denmark team, managed for the game by former Arsenal player John Jensen in the absence of regular national coach Age Hareide, registered just 27 percent possession, one corner and one shot on target.

Lone striker Christian Offenburg is a part-time salesman who plays for Danish third-tier club Avarta, while midfielder Rasmus Johansson has amassed thousands of followers on YouTube and Instagram with his skill videos. Right-back Simon Vollesen is a student as well as playing in the fifth division.

John Jenson took temporary charge of the heavily changed Denmark team (EPA)

The DBU’s attempts to call up an alternative squad were complicated by the fact that many of the players in the top two tiers of Denmark’s domestic league are members of the same union that represents the likes of Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen and Sevilla defender Simon Kjaer.

“We got 24 heroes who were called in about 48 hours ago and play in a very, very low division compared to the opponent Slovakia who has world-class players,” Jensen said after the game.

“I'm proud, I'm shocked that these players that were on the pitch and also the players that didn't come on the pitch.

“The friendship and what they did tonight is absolutely amazing and I will never forget this defeat. This is the best defeat in my career.”

The same squad will face Wales in Denmark’s opening Uefa Nations League match on Sunday if the dispute is not resolved, as Uefa has already warned the DBU that its teams face expulsion from European competition – including any chance of competing at Euro 2020 – if they are forced to cancel or forfeit another competitive fixture.

Uefa issued the warning in November 2017 after Denmark’s women’s team pulled out of a World Cup qualifier against Sweden during an employment dispute with the federation.