Opinion – Marina Izidro: Eriksen wants to play; it’s up to us spectators to just support him

The most incredible signing of the England transfer window wasn’t a big star, nor did it involve stratospheric sums. It was that of a player beloved worldwide, heading to a club that is not among the favorites for the title, and whose determination will have him back on the pitch very soon after a shocking scene.

In June of last year, the world watched in dismay as Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field during the match between Denmark and Finland at Eurocup. He suffered cardiac arrest, was resuscitated, and later declared that he had been “dead for five minutes”. The Dane recovered and implanted an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), capable of detecting arrhythmias and treating them through electrical stimuli.

As the device is banned in Italian football, Eriksen terminated his contract with Inter Milan. Other countries also impose the restriction, but in English football there is no such rule. Since the incident, there has been speculation as to whether the 29-year-old would return to play or whether this would be the end of his career. Eight months after having experienced a near-tragedy, the midfield announced his return to the pitch as a reinforcement for Brentford for six months, until shortly after the end of the English season.

Eriksen’s main motivation is the desire to play in the Qatar World Cup, which starts in November. With 109 games for Denmark and 36 goals scored, he is one of the references of the national team.

You can almost say it will be a homecoming. Eriksen spent seven years in London, playing for Tottenham, before moving to Milan. News of his return to England generated a flood of messages of support from English fans, the former club and the league. “It’s good to see you back in the Premier League,” wrote Tottenham on their official Twitter account.

The transition will also be comfortable at the new club. Brentford is coached by Denmark’s Thomas Frank, who was coach of the under-17 team in which Eriksen was part. There are also other Danes on the team. The London team currently occupies 14th position in the Premier League table and, as they were promoted to the top flight this season for the first time in their history, they are under far less pressure than other big clubs.

Eriksen will be the first professional athlete to play in English football with a CDI, but not the only one in the world. There is also the case of Dutch defender Daley Blind, Ajax defender. In 2020, Blind passed out on the field after the device malfunctioned. Since then, he has been playing normally.

This shows that the equipment is not infallible, which brings natural apprehension for some people, especially for those who have already been through it. Fabrice Muamba’s heart stopped for 78 minutes when he suffered a cardiac arrest on the field playing for Bolton in 2012. Muamba had to end his career and, days ago, declared that he will be nervous to see Eriksen playing again.

Are there still risks? Yes. But Eriksen wants and can play it safe, according to the medical experts who accompany him. It’s not up to us, mere spectators, to judge, but to root for him.

There is still no release date for the midfield at Brentford. Meanwhile, Eriksen has been teaching a class on some pillars of the sport: determination, resilience, the ability to overcome. It promises to be one of the most exciting comebacks in football in recent times.