Eriksen to captain Denmark on return to Parken Stadium

Posted March 28, 2022 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Denmark's Christian Eriksen celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the international friendly soccer match between the Netherlands and Denmark at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 26, 2022. The match was Eriksen's first appearance for Denmark since he collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during a European Championship game in June. The Netherlands-Denmark friendly was being played at Amsterdam's Johan Cruyff Arena, where Eriksen made his name as a playmaker for Dutch club Ajax. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) The Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) - Christian Eriksen will captain Denmark in a friendly match against Serbia on Tuesday when he plays at Parken Stadium for the first time since suffering cardiac arrest there during the European Championship.

Kasper Schmeichel, who has been the stand-in captain in the absence of the injured Simon KjÃ¦r, made the suggestion to hand the armband to Eriksen, Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said Monday.

It is set to be an emotional occasion for Eriksen, who collapsed on the field at the stadium in Copenhagen during the June 12 match against Finland and was later told he was 'œgone from this world for five minutes.'ť

Eriksen has resumed his professional playing career at Brentford in the Premier League after being fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator and scored on his comeback for Denmark on Saturday after entering as a halftime substitute against the Netherlands in Amsterdam.

'œIt will definitely be very special because I have not been to Parken since it happened,'ť Eriksen said Monday. 'œNow I am incredibly looking forward to being back on the field here in the Park and being a football player.

'œBecause that's what it's about for me. But I also look forward to the fact that after the match we can put it behind us.'ť

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Denmark's Christian Eriksen runs during the international friendly soccer match between the Netherlands and Denmark at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 26, 2022. The match was Eriksen's first appearance for Denmark since he collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during a European Championship game in June. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) The Associated Press

Denmark's Christian Eriksen looks up as his coach Kasper Hjulmand hugs him after the international friendly soccer match between the Netherlands and Denmark at the Johan Cruyff ArenA in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Saturday, March 26, 2022. The match was Eriksen's first appearance for Denmark since he collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during a European Championship game in June. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong) The Associated Press

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