Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand confirms Christian Eriksen for Qatar

Christian Eriksen will make his return to tournament football in Qatar, 18 months after his on-pitch cardiac arrest, after he was confirmed for the Denmark World Cup squad

Mon, 07 Nov, 2022 - 21:45

Reuters

Christian Eriksen will make his return to tournament football in Qatar, 18 months after his on-pitch cardiac arrest, after he was confirmed for the Denmark World Cup squad.

The Manchester United star has recovered fully from the heart attack he suffered duringa Euro 2020 match against Finland in Copenhagen. Eriksen was resuscitated on the pitch but his career looked over in the following days.

The playmaker has made a stunning recovery and will now be a key player for his country at the World Cup.

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand has kept faith with the players who delivered the recent successful World Cup qualifying and Nations League campaigns as he named 21 of the 26-man squad that will travel to the World Cup finals. The remaining five players will be revealed following the last round of European fixtures before the tournament and the final list must be delivered to Fifa by Monday November 13, with the World Cup set to get underway a week later on November 20.

“Many things can happen,” Hjulmand said. “It’s unsolvable, but it’s the right way to do it — there are two games left for many of our players, and that can easily change things.”

Hertha Berlin goalkeeper Oliver Christensen, Leeds United defender Rasmus Kristensen and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Jesper Lindstrom are the only players that have not played at the finals of a major tournament for Denmark before.

“There are 10 or 12 players still in contention for the last five spots,” Hjulmand said, holding the door open for the likes of midfielder Christian Norgaard and forward Yussuf Poulsen, who weren’t included in the 21-man list.

Denmark squad

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin).

Defenders: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Rasmus Kristensen (Leeds United), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Daniel Wass (Brondby).

Midfielders: Thomas Delaney (Sevilla), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Eriksen (Man. United), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham).

Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Bruges), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt), Andreas Cornelius (Copenhagen), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Jonas Wind (VfL Wolfsburg).