I watched video of my collapse in hospital the next day.. when I woke up my focus was my kids and partner, says Eriksen
CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN watched footage of himself collapsing from his hospital bed just a day after he suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch.
The Manchester United star dropped to the floor in the first-half during the Euros group stage clash between Denmark and Finland on June 12 in 2021.
Eriksen’s heart had stopped beating when his team-mates formed a circle around him as medics rushed to the scene and he was carried away to hospital with much of the world in tears.
The 31-year-old has since made an incredible comeback to football, playing for both Brentford and United.
Eriksen has reflected on how that moment changed his life and when he found out what had happened.
He told The Telegraph: “I actually saw it almost the day after it happened, just really to see what happened and get through all the emotions and prepare myself for later.
“But it never gets any easier. You watch it and then you don’t really think about what it is. You just look at it and then that’s it.
“What I’ve personally learnt. is really just enjoy while you’re here and enjoy whatever comes and play football if it’s fun. And if it’s not fun, do something else.”
Eriksen won the World Comeback of the Year accolade at the recent Laureus Sports Awards, but his only real focus is his family.
Partner Sabrina Kvist Jensen, 31, his son Alfred, 5, and daughter, 2, are now the midfielder’s priority.
Eriksen explained: “For me, it’s been a lot more important just coming back and being a person than coming back and doing anything else.
“For me, the first aim was to come back and be a full-time dad and a full-time boyfriend. That, for me, is the most important.”
On his sensational return to the Premier League, the former Spurs ace reveals he had to leave Inter Milan, where he was playing at the time of the collapse, due to Italian football rules.
The Serie A have tough rules on players featuring with a pacemaker as in 2012, footballer Piermario Morosini died while in action for Livorno after suffering a fatal cardiac arrest.
On him leaving the San Siro, Eriksen said: “I knew they had a lot of rules that might prohibit me from playing in Italy.
“And when that contract stopped, then finally I had my answer. I could come back and play football, but somewhere else. So I had to finish with Inter, really it was the only option.”
Eriksen began his comeback with Brentford in 2022 for half a season before moving to Man Utd.
He remain thankful that the Bees gave him a chance: “I had a very good time there, and I will always be grateful to Brentford and Thomas Frank for giving me the chance to come back.
“But also, I told Thomas from the start that if something more exciting comes that I could see myself at a top level that I would go for it. And for me, luckily United came in and that was really it.”