Christian Eriksen now 'training by himself' for first time since cardiac arrest at youth club in Denmark

Denmark's midfielder Christian Eriksen started working out at the training ground of his Danish club he represented as a teenager, a spokesperson for the club said on Thursday (December 2). The 29-year-old Eriksen suffered the on-field cardiac arrest during his country's opening game of Euro 2020 in June against Finland. He received life-saving treatment on the pitch. 

Ever since the shocking incident, Eriksen has not played a professional game of football. "Eriksen reached out to us, and he is now training by himself," a spokesperson for Odense Boldklub (OB) told Reuters.

"It's natural for him since he played here in his youth and lives around the corner. We are very happy to be able to provide training facilities for him," he said. 

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In the aftermath of the incident, Eriksen had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device implanted. It is a type of pacemaker that can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm. 

However, Inter Milan said that Eriksen is not permitted to play in Italy this season as a result of the cardiac arrest. "With reference to the registration rights of the player Eriksen, it should be noted that following a serious injury which occurred during the European Championship in June 2021, the player has been temporarily inhibited by the Italian medical authority from sporting activity in the current season," the club wrote in a statement in October. 

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"Although the current conditions of the player don't meet the requirements of achieving sporting fitness in Italy, the same could instead be achieved in other countries where the player could resume competitive activity," the statement added. 

Eriksen played for OB before joining Ajax Amsterdam in 2008, where he became an international. He moved to Tottenham Hotspur in 2013, playing in the 2019 Champions League final, and then signed for Inter Milan last year. 

(With inputs from agencies)