Christian Eriksen Sets Goal of Playing in World Cup for Denmark

Christian Eriksen doesn't just want to play again. He wants to play on the World Cup stage.

Seven months after suffering cardiac arrest in a Euro 2020 match against Finland that nearly killed him, Eriksen says he is eyeing a return for Denmark at the 2022 World Cup. In his first extensive public comments since his collapse, Eriksen told Denmark's DR1 that it's his goal to represent his country again in Qatar.

"My goal is to play in the World Cup in Qatar. I want to play," Eriksen said in translated remarks. "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. I'm sure I can come back because I don't feel any different. Physically I'm in top shape. That's been my goal, and it's still some time away, so until then I'm just going to play football and prove that I'm back at the same level.

"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."

Eriksen is currently without a club. He and Inter Milan mutually agreed to part ways due to the local health regulations that prohibit him from playing with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. He was fitted with one after spending a week in the hospital in Copenhagen, not far from the stadium where he suddenly fell face-first during Denmark's opening match at the Euros. Teammate Simon Kjaer helped prevent him from swallowing his own tongue, while other teammates formed a protective circle around him as medics quickly tended to him, resuscitating him with a defibrillator.

In more comments on Tuesday, Eriksen said he was grateful for all of the support he received in the aftermath of his cardiac arrest, even adding a chilling line that, "It was weird, because I didn’t expect people to send flowers because I’d died for five minutes.” 

Eriksen has been training at Odense Boldklub, the club where he started his career, as he ponders his next move. Whatever that may be, he'll be doing so with the World Cup in mind. Denmark was the second nation to qualify for Qatar 2022 after Germany, and on the heels of an emotional run to the semifinals at Euro 2020, it could have yet another inspiring chapter to write in the coming months.