Eriksen Scores First Goal at Euro 2024 Three Years After His Cardiac Arrest

Summary:

• Christian Eriksen scored Denmark’s first goal at Euro 2024 against Slovenia.
• The goal marks a special milestone for the Danish captain who suffered a cardiac arrest three years ago at Euro 2020.
• He received life-saving treatment on the pitch, was resuscitated, and hospitalized.

Christian Eriksen’s opening goal scored against Slovenia at the Euro 2024 was a brilliant finish that came exactly 1,100 days after the Danish captain went through a life-threatening health incident at the previous tournament in 2021.

“What Should I Say? He Was Gone”

During a group match against Finland at the Euro 2020, the Danish captain suddenly collapsed on the pitch after suffering a cardiac arrest.

He immediately received the necessary treatment on the pitch, was resuscitated, and quickly transported to a hospital.

The shocking and distressing image of the player collapsing on the pitch, surrounded by his protective teammates, has been finally replaced by a grinning image of the same player celebrating his bottom corner goal made possible with Jonas Wind’s spectacular back-heel on his chest on Sunday.

Denmark’s team doctor, Morten Boesen, commented on the incident the following day, explaining the player “was gone”.

We did cardiac resuscitation and it was cardiac arrest. How close were we? I don’t know.

After he received the treatment that saved his life on the pitch, Eriksen was fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator device that works by preventing fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore the regular rhythm of the heart.

At the time of the disturbing incident, Serie A club Inter Milan had contracted the midfielder.

The club informed Erisken would be allowed to move abroad so he could continue his football career, as Italy would not have allowed him to play with the respective heart device.

The Dane began training with former club Odense Boldklub in his home country, before switching to Brentford as a result of a free transfer at the start of 2022, followed by Manchester United, his current club.

“After a Bad Time, There’s Always a Time After Where Everything Will Be Different”

The scary health incident made Christian Eriksen more reflective about life and living in general.

He explained his cardiac arrests taught him that

Even after a bad time, there’s always a time after where everything will be different. It’s just going to go up and down – time is your best friend.

In an interview for CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies after he was awarded the Comeback of the Year title during the Laureus Sports Awards in Paris in 2023.

After Sunday’s match, Eriksen commented on his goal, calling it “a nice timing and a nice goal”, explaining it was something that the team had spoken “a lot about” on their throw-ins, after watching “some clips”.

It was nice that we saw something that we could actually execute in a game and early on.

he added about the goal scored just 17 minutes in.

Denmark wasn’t, however, able to build on the goal, as Slovenia’s defender Erik Janža scored in the 77th minute, which led the Group C game to end in a 1-1 draw.