DOHA, Qatar — It was standing-room-only in the media tent at Denmark‘s base. The staff had predicted this influx of interest in the player put up for interview, and when Christian Eriksen quietly slipped in, appearing at the top table, the room fell silent.
Those in attendance wanted to hear about the man whose heart stopped for five minutes on the pitch during the last major men’s international tournament, Euro 2020, which was played in 2021 due to the pandemic. They were keen to comprehend his journey, one that brought him from receiving CPR on the pitch in Copenhagen to starring for Manchester United and, now, leading another Danish charge for major honours just 18 months later, here in Qatar. And doing it as their best player, again.
“From the first interview I did, [reaching the World Cup] was my first aim from day one, when I knew about the possibility of being able to come back,” Eriksen said.
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“Christian is very humble, and a lot of people look up to him,” Denmark assistant coach Morten Wieghorst says. “A lot of people took inspiration from the way he has rebounded.”
You sense he’s done talking about what happened at the Parken Stadium on June 12, 2021. He calls it the “accident” when asked, but his focus is simply being back in the red of Denmark. And according to those close to him, he’s better than ever.
It feels as though everyone connected with football or Denmark has their stories and memories of where they were when Eriksen collapsed. But some are done talking about it, either keen to focus on the future, or reluctant to recall the moment, as it’s too raw.
Eriksen spoke to the media in Qatar on Saturday, four days before Denmark’s opening match against Tunisia. Their training camp is based to the west of Doha at Al-Sailiya Sports Club, housed amid vast construction projects stretching across a barren landscape. The highways are barely finished, with some exits leading to little more than rubble.
As Denmark train behind the metal fences and temporary hoardings intended to block public view, there is a sole supporter outside waiting to catch a glimpse of his heroes. Victor, who’s come all the way from Vejle in Denmark, is hoping to see his hero, Thomas Delaney, but as he starts talking about Eriksen and remembering that day, he gets goose bumps.
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On June 12, Denmark were playing Finland in their opening match of the Euros. It was Day 2 of the tournament, and some were fancying Denmark to make a deep run. They started fairly well against Finland, building momentum in front of a packed crowd in Copenhagen, and then, the “accident” happened.
