When Christian Eriksen entered the field of play at the Johan Cruijff Arena on Saturday night, he had already done more than many Danish fans expected. And now, as the 30-year-old prepares to return to Parken less than one year after collapsing on the pitch against Finland, the scale and speed of his recovery is something which few are taking for granted.
There were moments in Copenhagen last summer where a recovery of any kind was no guarantee, let alone one which would see him return to the national team. He had, in his own words, “died for five minutes” after suffering a cardiac arrest, and the road to recovery has been far from simple. And yet, just nine months later, Denmark’s number 10 capped his first international appearance since that dramatic day by scoring with his first touch.
As dream returns go, the only thing missing was a Danish victory. Speaking to Denmark fans outside the stadium in Amsterdam - an arena where Eriksen enjoyed some memorable moments as a teenager in Ajax’s first team - Mirror Football learned that, for many, the mere sight of the talisman back on the pitch was more than enough.
