Christian Eriksen grateful for 'amazing' support following cardiac arrest
Christian Eriksen has thanked fans around the world for the 'amazing' support he received in the aftermath of his cardiac arrest last June.
Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Denmark's opening Euro 2020 game with Finland in Copenhagen, with the quick thinking of teammate Simon Kjaer and intervention of on-site medical professionals fortunately enough to save his life.
The 29-year-old hasn't played a professional game since, although he is courting interest from a number of Premier League clubs after having his contract with Inter terminated. He was released because Serie A rules do not allow players fitted with an internal defibrillator to compete.
Eriksen was inundated with support around the world at the time of his collapse, as the football community - players and supporters alike - pulled together in recognition of an event far more important than the game itself.
That support has continued to this day, with Eriksen, speaking to Danish broadcaster BR, now revealing his gratitude to every person around the world who has reached out and made contract.
"It was amazing that so many people felt a need to write or send flowers," Eriksen said in an extensive interview. "It had an impact on so many people, and they felt a need to let me and my family know. That makes me very happy. At the hospital, they kept saying I'd received more and more flowers.
"It was weird, because I didn't expect people to send flowers because I'd died for five minutes.
"It was quite extraordinary, but it was very nice of everyone, and it's been a big help to me to receive all those best wishes. And people still write to me.
"I've thanked people I've met in person. I've thanked the doctors, my teammates and their families in person.
"But all the fans who've sent thousands of letters and emails and flowers, or who've come up to me on the street both in Italy and Denmark, I thank them all for the support I got from all over the world that helped me through this."
In regards to his future, Eriksen's agent Martin Schoots has separately told the BBC that returning to England would feel like "coming home" - a hint that the Dane could be returning to the Premier League in the near future.
"Playing in England again would absolutely feel like coming home for Chris and his family," Schoots remarked.
"Christian has been treated exceptionally well by the British public, not only because of his top football skills, but also because of his human values, his modesty and altruism."