Christian Eriksen’s return to the Denmark aspect on this 12 months’s World Cup has been hailed as a “miracle” by his countryman and former purple, John Sivebaek.
The ex-Danish worldwide, who performed for United within the 1986-87 season, has spoken in an interview with MailOnline Sport about Eriksen’s “fairytale return”.
The United midfielder remains to be one of many Dane’s most important gamers simply 17 months after struggling a cardiac arrest.
And John Sivebaek, who Alex Ferguson launched regardless of scoring the primary objective of the Scotsman’s 26 12 months Outdated Trafford tenure, has informed how he, and the proud Scandinavian nation, had been rocked by Eriksen’s misfortune.
“Everybody right here remembers the place they had been when it occurred”, the 87-times-capped defender mentioned.
Referring to Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 match in opposition to Finland, the place Eriksen collapsed on the pitch, the 61-year-old Sivebaek described the place he was on that nice day.
“I used to be at a summer season home with all of my household. We didn’t know what was mistaken – was it a coronary heart assault? Was it one thing else?’, Sivebaek went on to say.
As he explains, feelings in Denmark each throughout and after the incident had been clearly very uncooked, with grown males crying and anticipating the worst as Eriksen acquired CPR.
“I used to be mentally making ready to inform my youngsters that Christian had died. How can I inform them what has occurred to their hero? How can I inform them what they witnessed had the worst doable end result?” remarked one Danish fan.
However after all, tragedy was prevented, and the participant has since gone on to make a return that appeared to many an not possible achievement.
Eriksen accomplished a profitable spell with Brentford within the Premier League earlier than securing a giant transfer to Manchester United in the summertime, regardless of spending eight months out of the sport recovering.
Remarkably, he accomplished an exceptional comeback on his return to worldwide soccer only a month later, scoring along with his first contact in opposition to Holland.
However because the fiercely patriotic Sivebaek explains, the Danish followers had been satisfied they’d by no means see Eriksen symbolize his nation once more.
“I doubted he would play once more. It should have been a troublesome resolution to take. However I watch him now, and he seems to be extra relaxed. He seems to be like he’s in good condition, in a superb place”, enthused Sivabaek.
“There was a fairytale really feel to it, and there nonetheless is”, admitted the participant who gained the European Championship with Denmark in 1992.
And because the 2022 Qatar World Cup, all Danish eyes will probably be fastened on their talisman, hoping that he and their workforce of heroes can emulate that 1992 aspect.