Christian Eriksen’s collapse was the shocking moment of the sporting year 2021. But the Dane fought his way back to life – and could even play football again soon.
Christian Eriksen works for his personal miracle. The dream of returning to professional football drives the 29-year-old, day after day he works hard on his comeback, which was hardly thought possible. “The future looks bright”, his advisor Martin Schoots recently announced the happy Christmas message. Eriksen feels “great”. There is “no reason” for his protégé not to hope to continue to be a professional footballer.
At the beginning of December, the Danish idol returned to the training ground at his hometown club Odense BK, and for the first time football-specific exercises were on the program again.
On the evening of June 12th, hardly anyone would have thought that possible. What were those anxious minutes in the fight for life and death in the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen when Eriksen collapsed as if struck by lightning in the European Championship preliminary round match against Finland in the 43rd minute (Here you can find out more about the EM tragedy)?
Pictures from the European Championship game after the tragic incident: Before the Denmark game against Belgium, Eriksen’s XXL jersey is worn on the pitch. (Source: Ulmer Pressebildagentur / imago images)
The midfielder lay motionless on the lawn after a cardiac arrest, emergency doctors fought for his life with a defibrillator for minutes – the football world held its breath. This shock will stay “forever,” said captain Simon Kjaer.
Eriksen has got his zest for life again
Only after a good hour did the hospital give the all-clear. The day after, Eriksen was given a permanent pacemaker, and the father of two quickly found his zest for life again.
He quietly indulged himself in the company of his loved ones, but his flaming passion for football never grew cold. “He loves football. It’s his life. He’s still up for it,” said teammate Yussuf Poulsen of the “Süddeutsche Zeitung”: “It would be nice if he could play football again – wherever.”
In Italy it is forbidden to do so with a defibrillator in place. That is why Eriksen recently agreed to terminate his contract with his previous club, Inter Milan.
Christian Eriksen: His contract with Inter Milan has now been terminated. (Source: Independet Phot Agency / imago images)
Schoots told Ekstra Bladet newspaper that it was “too early” to say something about his client’s next steps: “Italy is the only country he cannot play in, but there are four interested clubs.”
Eriksen works “hard”
Among them is one from his Danish homeland. In any case, Eriksen works “hard, and I’m glad that he has been able to do this in peace over the past few months,” explained Schoots.
In any case, his national team colleagues are fully behind him. What they did “for Christian” in 2021 was worth all honors. First the privacy protection during the treatment measures on the field, then the wonderfully open handling of your own emotions and, last but not least, sporting brilliant achievements in the touching victory march up to the semifinals or the flawless World Cup qualification.
And maybe Eriksen can even help his teammates at the World Cup in Qatar in terms of sport.
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