laursen's breakthrough with the national team came at the 2002 fifa world cup, when he played full-time in all four denmark games before elimination. laursen scored his first goal for his country in september 2003, in the uefa euro 2004 qualification, an all-important goal in injury time of the penultimate qualification match. his goal levelled the game with romania to 2–2, and kept denmark in the race for a place at the final competition. laursen and the denmark team secured qualification when they drew the last game, thus winning their qualification group. laursen played full-time in denmark's four games at the tournament, playing impressively.