One of the rising stars of Danish football, a good World Cup would cap a fine first season with Milan for Laursen.

Quick and strong as well as a force to be reckoned with in the air, Laursen has learnt a lot during his four years in Italy.

He rose to prominence with Verona, and moved to the San Siro in the summer of 2001 for £5m after the briefest of spells with Parma.

His consistent form for club and country in the past few months has made him a fixture in the national side - as well as being a rock at the back he is a constant threat when he comes forward for set-pieces.