´I will be appreciating my life´ – Eriksen reveals fresh outlook after cardiac arrest

Christian Eriksen says his outlook on life has changed, but an appetite for playing football is quickly returning.

Eriksen, who recently signed for Brentford on a short-term deal, has not played since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s match against Finland at Euro 2020 in June.

Due to the implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) device surgically implanted in his chest after that major health scare, the midfielder was ineligible for professional football in Italy, meaning he had to leave Inter.

But after training with his former club Ajax to step up the recovery process, Eriksen joined the Bees at the end of the January transfer window and was set to be paraded at the Brentford Community Stadium as his new side faced Crystal Palace on Saturday.

As he targets a playing return, the 29-year-old revealed his burning passion for the game remains unchanged, but he is understandably more appreciative of the finer things in life.

Welcome @ChrisEriksen8 to West London ahead of our game against Crystal Palace

We’ll be introducing our new man at around 2.45pm on Saturday #BrentfordFC #BRECRY pic.twitter.com/SbeOmeTMq2

— Brentford FC (@BrentfordFC) February 11, 2022

“On life first and most [it has changed me],” Eriksen told Sky Sports. “It has been just another proof that the family is more important now than it was before. You do look at it differently, and look at your kids differently.

“But in football terms, not that much [has changed]. The enjoyment was there before. Even now, eight months not playing, the enjoyment is quickly coming back.

“I will be appreciating my life; that I’m here. I’ve done that for the last eight months.

“My family have been very supportive. They have, of course, been through a hard time from when it happened. Luckily I’m still here, foremost.

“They have been in the process all the way. They have seen the small steps that have been made, and all the tests that have been done.

“They have really been following it, and also I think that’s made them more safe and trustworthy, seeing how much work I’ve put in, how much I trust the doctors in what they have done.

“Then it’s only to trust them as they trust me, and trust the doctors.”