World Cup: Christian Eriksen playing in Qatar after his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 a 'fairytale' - Nigel de Jong

ByEurosport

Updated 22/11/2022 at 13:25 GMT

Only 18 months ago Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland. After surviving the incident, Eriksen had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted to regulate his heart and returned to competitive action in February. Nine months later and he is starting at the World Cup. Nigel de Jong believes Eriksen's comeback is a "fairytale".

Christian Eriksen

Image credit: Getty Images

Nigel de Jong believes it is a "fairytale" seeing Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen playing at the World Cup 18 months after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch at Euro 2020.

Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's Euro 2020 clash with Finland at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen and had to have a device - an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) - fitted to regulate his heart.

Eriksen returned for the first time since suffering the cardiac arrest in February when he came on as a substitute in Brentford's Premier League clash against Newcastle United.

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On Tuesday, the 30-year-old was named in the starting line-up against Tunisia as Denmark got their Group D campaign underway at Education City Stadium.

Former Netherlands midfielder De Jong believes his return has been remarkable and has praised Eriksen's humility since the incident took place.

The 2010 World Cup finalist told ITV Sport: "Can you just imagine as a parent seeing your kid fall down. You'd think there's no way you're going to play football again.

"His parents, friends and family will have been saying 'just retire'. You're financially independent. Don't worry about anything and just find something else. Also to have the mental strength to think and overcome that as well says something about his personality.

"You can hear how he talks about it. His interviews, how humble he is and how he always strives for more.

"What's funny for me is that he said: 'I was more annoyed that I was not part of that game that we were winning than thinking about my health'.

"That says something about him as a person. Fairytales do still exist!"

Denmark forward Nadia Nadim, who is also a physician, says that by having and ICD fitted Eriksen is safer now than most players on a football pitch.

She said: "Suffering a cardiac arrest and now six months later playing. I remember his first return to the national team and his first goal against Netherlands. It's amazing.

"For people who don't really understand is that he is actually probably safer than most other players because he has this device - an ICD - that monitors his heart if there's any disregularity in his heart or signals, it gives him a little shock and then he's going so for me he's super safe.

"The technology is amazing to see that you can have that nowadays."

Speaking ahead of today's match, Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand said Eriksen was the "heartbeat of the team".

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Former Wales striker Hal Robson-Kanu says that Eriksen's journey back from his cardiac arrest will have lifted the mood of his national team-mates.

He said: "It's a credit to everyone and that spills out into the group and into the team and everyone around him. Even the impact that he has had at club level as well. You can see the form that he is in so it's really unique what he has done.

"I, along with millions of other people, were watching that and was thinking the worst.

"Actually for him to come through that now and to be starting a World Cup game 18 months later is a fantastic story."

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