Christian Eriksen has made it clear that it is his intention to return to playing football and he wants to represent Denmark at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. That goal has come closer to fruition.
After suffering cardiac arrest during a match at Euro 2021 and subsequently being fitted with a defibrillator, Eriksen has returned to play and could be a candidate to play at the 2022 World Cup, an extraordinary achievement.
Back in early January, with Eriksen yet to return to the field, he stated his goal was to represent Denmark at the 2022 World Cup. What then seemed like a mountain to climb may now be nothing more than a molehill.
Looking forward to the future 🇩🇰🙏🏻 pic.twitter.com/sIZsBPWNgH
— Christian Eriksen (@ChrisEriksen8) January 4, 2022
Eriksen was called up for Denmark's pair of friendlies during the March international window, a critical step in returning to the fold for the winter World Cup.
Eriksen called up to the national team
It has been over two months since Eriksen made his formal announcement of an intent to return to play, indicating he wished to return to the national team.
"My goal is to play in the World Cup in Qatar. I want to play," Eriksen said in an interview with Danish station DR1 in early January. "That's been my mindset all along. It's a goal, a dream.
"Whether I'll be picked is another thing, but it's my dream to come back," he said. "I'm sure I can come back because I don't feel any different. Physically, I'm back in top shape. That's been my goal and it's still some time away. Until then, I'm just going to play football and prove that I'm back at the same level."
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"[The national team is] very important. I want to play on the national team in the World Cup. My dream is to rejoin the national team, play at Parken [Stadium] again and prove that it was a one-timer and that it won't happen again. I want to prove I've moved on and that I can play on the national team again. Again, it's up to the manager to assess my level, but my heart is not an obstacle."
That dream has been realized as he has been included by manager Kasper Hjulmand in the squad to face the Netherlands and Serbia later this month.
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“I expect Christian to go in and be a deciding factor for our team,” Hjulmand told the Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet. “I did not expect him to play right now, realistically I thought he would be ready by the summer. However Christian is with the squad because he is the best in that position.”
Eriksen's return to play with Brentford
Eriksen's return to the field has been a fantastic success to this point. The 29-year-old has been a revelation for Brentford, everything the Bees had hoped for since he first stepped on the field against Newcastle on February 26.
What a special moment 🌟
— Jay Harris (@jaydmharris) February 26, 2022
The entire stadium stands up and applauds Christian Eriksen who returns to competitive action 259 days after suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 👏🏽🇩🇰@TheAthleticUK #BrentfordFC #BRENEW pic.twitter.com/qC9W27AWY4
Since returning to play, Eriksen has not only been a feel-good story, but a key contributor as well. In his two starts following the substitute appearance against Newcastle, Eriksen has helped engineer a pair of critical wins for Brentford over fellow relegation candidates Burnley and Norwich City.
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Across those two games, Eriksen touched the ball a total of 138 times, losing possession on just 34 occasions and producing an assist off three key passes. He has succeeded on both his dribble attempts, produced 10 accurate long balls on 15 attempts, and connected on five of 11 attempted crosses.
