Eriksen’s miracle: from cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 to staring at Qatar 2022

Christian Eriksen will be a popular figure at the FIFA World Cup, among the most beloved players which will be involved in the tournament, after his traumatic experience at the last European Championship. On 12 June 2021, the Danish midfielder collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest during the game against Finland. After receiving a ball, Eriksen fell to the ground. There was immediate concern. Denmark captain Simon Kjaer realized the severity of the problem and pulled his teammate to the side to ensure his airway was open. During a defibrillator was used on the pitch, fans of Denmark and Finland chanted Eriksen’s name. A global TV audience watched, horrified, as Denmark’s star player, in his own words, “died for five minutes” before the Parken paramedics succeeded in restarting his heart.

However, his love for football was too great to end his career here. Immediately after the incident, Eriksen had a cardiac defibrillator implanted and a long recovery followed. And after about 8 months of recovery, he returned to the field. He could no longer continue in Serie A at Inter Milan and had to terminate his contract. However, several clubs wanted his services then. In the end, he chose Brentford and the Premier League to return to an optimal level. And his choice was very inspired. With his developments, he helped the London club avoid relegation. Eriksen also immediately attracted the attention of big clubs, and in the summer he accepted an offer from Manchester United.

He returned to the field with the dream of helping at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Christian Eriksen’s return to the pitch was always underpinned by a major medium-term goal of playing at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“I want to play. I think about it all the time. It’s my goal, it’s my dream. If I get called up, that’s another thing, but I want to come back. I’m sure I can come back because I don’t feel any different. Physically, I am in the best shape. That is my goal and I still have some time left. Until then, I will play football and prove that I am back to the level I was at,” said Christian Eriksen at the beginning of the year.

In the meantime, he has become a mainstay for the Denmark national team, for whom he has played 6 games since the spring, also contributing a goal and an assist. From the moment Christian came back, the impact was immediate, he made a difference. The midfielder helped his team to have good results in the UEFA Nations League. And in the match against France at the end of September, which Denmark won 2-0, he was imperial. He dominated the midfield against much younger players Eduardo Camavinga and Aurelien Tchouameni from Real Madrid. He provided several key passes, half the crosses, and did not lose the ball when in control. 15 months away after fighting for his life, Eriksen’s resurgence has been remarkable. Not to mention that Manchester United is also taking full advantage of his skills during this period.

Eriksen is the soul of Denmark today

Today, coach Kasper Hjulmand cannot imagine that he could start the tournament in Qatar without Eriksen. The coach is aiming high after a consistent year with very good results which saw Denmark climb to 10th place in the FIFA rankings.

“Denmark is better with Christian Eriksen than without. His calmness is contagious, so the whole team is better able to make the right decisions. We see signs of relaxation and ease in Christian’s game, which is fantastic,” Kasper Hjulmand said recently. The Denmark coach continued: “I think everyone knows now how good he is. What he does looks easy, but he could play on any team in the world,” Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand told Reuters in an interview.

The Manchester United midfielder already has 117 caps and 39 goals for Denmark and looks extremely relaxed ahead of the big competition in Qatar. He is just about ready to fulfill his dream. And he wants to enjoy the moment to the fullest. Fate took away this chance at Euro 2020. Now he will not have a single nation behind him, but an entire world.