The football world was united in its sympathy for Christian Eriksen and his team-mates after the former Tottenham midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest on the field at Euro 2020—but none so more than Denmark.
The Scandinavians have never won a World Cup in five previous appearances at the tournament finals, registering their best finish in 1998 when they advanced to the quarter-finals. Back then, the country thrived with individuals like Michael Laudrup, Peter Schmeichel and Ebbe Sand, the kind of talismanic talents a squad needs to compete against those nations with deeper squads.
Eriksen—the most-capped player in the present day team with 109 caps—would have been expected to lead his country at the 2022 World Cup in similar fashion. The playmaker’s elite quality has been clear since he made his international debut as an 18-year-old, but the tragic events that unfolded in the recent 1-0 defeat to Finland could spell the end of his career.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq8EHTs0wiU
Essex Magazine recently provided comment from Mark Gannon, CEO of UK Coaching, who have collaborated with others to produce a free toolkit to help people respond quickly when someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA).
Referring to the recent events that unfolded in Copenhagen, Gannon said:
“The vivid reality of Eriksen’s collapse and resuscitation last weekend have shown just how fast you need to react in the event of a sudden cardiac arrest.
“It’s left many questioning if they would know what to do, where the nearest defib is, and most importantly the need to give everyone, from coaches to players, facility staff, parents and spectators, the knowledge and confidence to act fast – because every second really does count.”
Denmark are currently 100/1 outsiders in the 2022 World Cup betting stakes, and while their chances may not look particularly bright even with Eriksen, they’re almost certainly weaker without the star.
That being said, there is hope yet that the Inter Milan architect will have a future on the field.
CNN reported Eriksen is to be fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which is deemed “necessary after a cardiac attack due to rhythmic disturbances.”
The device monitors its wearer’s heart rate and can regulate abnormal rhythms through electrical shocks. Netherlands international Daley Blind, who played alongside Eriksen at Ajax, has also been fitted with a version of the device since being diagnosed with heart muscle inflammation in early 2020.
Denmark are on track to qualify for the 2022 World Cup with flying colours, currently four points ahead at the top of Group F after three games. They’ve amassed a perfect record while scoring 14 goals and conceding none in qualifying, with no other UEFA nation boasting a superior goal difference thus far.
A stake on Denmark to qualify looks safer than a spin at the casino as things stand, but reaching the tournament’s semi-finals for the first time—never mind winning it all—looks a tall order.
For now, Kasper Hjulmand’s side will focus their efforts at Euro 2020, where they’re running out of time if they’re to amass enough points to make it out of their group.
The country will appreciate Eriksen’s cardiac arrest has helped put things into perspective as well, however, forcing fans to reflect on life’s real priorities ahead of World Cup glory.
