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Denmark men's incredible offer for women's team revealed

A bitter pay dispute in Danish football took a remarkable twist over the weekend as the nation's leading male players stood up for their female counterparts.

But their offer to pay for the women's team was shot down by the governing body.

The Danish Football Association (DBU) and Danish Professional Footballers Association (PFA) have been locked in negotiations for nine months.

The women, who were runners-up to the Netherlands at Euro 2017 last month, are on strike and missed a friendly against their conquerers last week.

The Euro 2017 runners-up. Pic: Getty
The Euro 2017 runners-up. Pic: Getty

They are due to play a World Cup qualifier against Hungary on Tuesday but the DBU may be forced to withdraw if no deal -- temporary or otherwise -- is struck.

In a bid to solve the problem, one of the PFA's two proposals sent over the weekend included the men offering to redirect AU$100,000 per year from their deal to the women.

"This was on the condition of the Danish FA securing the same basic rights for the women in their agreement as the men have in theirs," PFA president Jeppe Curth said in a statement.

"The DBU has unfortunately decided to reject both these offers."

The men are locked in a qualification battle for the 2018 World Cup. Pic: Getty
The men are locked in a qualification battle for the 2018 World Cup. Pic: Getty

The PFA is opposing the DBU's proposal that the women's national team players are not employed by the governing body.

Curth claimed the DBU is refusing to budge on its stance, while the football bosses confirmed they had not entertained the men's offer.

"It's a very positive thing the men have done but it is not part of our negotiations," DBU spokesperson Jabok Hoyer told the BBC.