It's likely going to be one of the stories of the year when Christian Eriksen makes his debut for his new club Brentford.
The Denmark international has spent the past eight months recovering from a cardiac arrest suffered on the pitch against Finland at Euro 2020 last summer.
It was an emotional watch seeing the events that unfolded in the Danish capital of Copenhagen. Thankfully, Eriksen has come out the other end.
Speaking to the BBC, the former Tottenham and Inter Milan midfielder is just happy to be alive. "I am very lucky," he said. "The first thing is to show the gratitude."
"To the people around me, the team-mates, the doctors first on the pitch, the team doctors and paramedics and then at the hospital, to do everything and check everything."
The 29-year-old said he felt the outpouring of support from those across the globe, whether they were football fans or not. Everyone wanted to see him make a recovery.
Remembering The Day
Surprisingly Eriksen has vivid memories from the day of his cardiac arrest. "I can remember everything apart from the five minutes," he said, citing the period his heart stopped.
"Otherwise I remember everything - the throw-in, the ball hitting my knee, and then I don't know what happened after," he said. His Danish teammates were quick to come to his aide.
Finland fans: "CHRISTIAN!" Denmark fans: "ERIKSEN!" ❤️🇩🇰
Opposing fans in Copenhagen come together after the Denmark player collapsed on the pitch at UEFA EURO 2020.
Denmark and Finland fans win The Best FIFA Fan Award for 2021 🏆 #OptusSport pic.twitter.com/35LglDMSdY— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) January 18, 2022
"Then I woke up with people around me and felt the pressure on my chest, trying to get my breathing back, and then I woke up - I opened my eyes and saw people around me, I didn't really understand what was going on."
He continued. "At that time I had no idea what had happened, then it goes through my head: 'Did something happen with my legs? Did I break my back? Can I lift my leg up?'"
"Then in the ambulance, I heard someone say, 'How long was he out for?', and someone said, 'Five minutes.' That was the first time I had heard I was gone."
Eriksen Back To Normal
The Danish standout was released by Inter Milan last year as he recovered from his cardiac arrest. They couldn't keep him on due to Serie A regulations and he was let go in December as a result.
He trained with his local team in Denmark, Odense Boldklub, and their youth academy to try to be fully fit for a return to football. He's been fitted with a type of pacemaker to aid his heartbeat.
"I wouldn't hope anyone to get it," Eriksen said. "I never thought I would get it myself when it happened but in the place it happened I was lucky with the people around me acting so quickly."
‘It’s a miracle’
Christian Eriksen tells me about his remarkable return with Brentford from the cardiac arrest that shocked sport.
Story: https://t.co/4XEvxGlCdD
iPlayer extended edit: https://t.co/YDyib1I4KF
The Sports Desk pod / full interview: https://t.co/s92QcJOGdh pic.twitter.com/Yr7AIT8hBm— Dan Roan (@danroan) February 11, 2022
His Denmark teammates were awarded the FIFA Fair Play award for 2021 for their efforts in calling for help and giving him CPR, most notably captain Simon Kjaer.
Now, Brentford's new signing feels like he's back to full fitness, and even says he feels even better than before. "I feel like me so don't see a reason why I can't get back to the same level," he said.
"I won't change my style of play. I have had the time to be disciplined for the last six months to do extras. Even now maybe I am in a better condition than before, just the football missing."
Eriksen Returning With Caution
In preparation for his return to the pitch, the Danish midfielder underwent stringent testing and attended many doctors appointments. Many believed he might not be fit to play a game of football again.
But from the medical advice he received, he was assured there would be no issues. Players such as Daley Blind and closer to home, Sean Prunty, have shown that playing with a pacemaker can be done.
"I think less than a week after, they said, 'You have an ICD (pacemaker) but otherwise nothing has changed, you can continue like a normal life and there is no limit to what you want to do'," he said.
"It was a relief, that is true, but also weird because I wouldn't want to overdo it, I wouldn't want to take any chances with it, so that's why I am doing many tests to make sure that it is OK."
Christian Eriksen back on a football pitch.
That's it. That's the tweet ❤#BrentfordFC #EriksenJoins pic.twitter.com/y7iryJ7W9C— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) February 7, 2022
Eriksen says he doesn't see the risk given the medical advice he receives and looks forward to making his return to the Premier League. He last featured for Spurs in the league in 2020.
"I have done a lot of running and a lot of tests, so the condition is good, but the football touch is something you get in games - to get there is still a few more weeks," he said.
When will he make his debut? Eriksen says his situation is being monitored day by day. He's waiting to get the greenlight from Brentford manager Thomas Frank and when it comes, he knows it'll mean the world to him.
"It is going to be very special to be able to walk out on the pitch and play a match again after probably, at the time, seven or eight months since that happened. It is going to be amazing."
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