Manchester United star Christian Eriksen will return to major tournament action with Denmark at the 2022 World Cup just 18 months after his cardiac arrest.
Eriksen made his international comeback in March after suffering a heart attack during Denmark’s opening game of Euro 2020 and the Manchester United midfielder has been named in Kasper Hjulmand’s final squad for the tournament in Qatar.
Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Leeds United’s Rasmus Kristensen and Brentford duo Mathias Jensen and Mikkel Damsgaard are all included.
Hjulmand has only named 21 players so far, with the remaining five players to be confirmed this week.
Youssuf Poulsen, who has struggled for playing time at RB Leipzig, and Brentford’s Christian Norgaard, who has been struggling with an Achilles injury, have not so far been included.
Asked about Norgaard, Brentford boss Thomas Frank said: “There has been an ongoing communication between the Denmark side and us. Kasper and I have spoken together, the two medical staffs have spoken together, because we are both interested to get him back quick. Of course I want him to go.”
On former player and compatriot Eriksen, Frank added: “I’ve known Christian since he was 15 years old so I’ve been coaching him, I don’t know, way too long. I hope the best for him and it will be a big, big achievement to be called up for the World Cup.”
Denmark made an emotionally-charged run to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 and eased through qualifying for Qatar, winning nine out of 10 games.
They start their Group D campaign against Tunisia on November 22, before facing France — whom they beat in a Nations League game in September — on November 26 and then Australia four days later.
Denmark’s 2022 World Cup squad
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin).
Defenders: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona), Rasmus Kristensen (Leeds United), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray), Daniel Wass (Brondby).
Midfielders: Thomas Delaney (Sevilla), Mathias Jensen (Brentford), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United), Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham).
Forwards: Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Bruges), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt), Andreas Cornelius (Copenhagen), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla), Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg).
