Christian Eriksen

1.1. Formative years in Denmark

Christian Eriksen began his football journey in his hometown of Middelfart, Denmark, even before his third birthday. He followed in the footsteps of his father, Thomas, who was one of the coaches at his local side, Middelfart G&BK. In 2004, he and his father helped the youth team achieve an unbeaten record in the local youth championship for the third time in four years.
In 2005, Eriksen joined Odense Boldklub (OB), a prominent Danish youth club. His team narrowly lost in the semifinals of the Danish youth championships but he received the "Best Technical Player" award at the tournament. The following year, his team won the championship, with Eriksen scoring the sole goal in the final match. It was at OB that Eriksen first began to showcase his exceptional technical abilities; his dribbling and free-kick techniques were particularly praised by then-coach Tonny Hermansen. His impressive performances at OB's U-16 and U-19 teams, as well as with the Denmark U-17 national team, quickly drew the attention of major European clubs.

1.2. Ajax Youth Academy

Eriksen's talent attracted interest from football giants such as Chelsea, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester United, and Milan. He underwent trials with several of these clubs. However, on October 17, 2008, Eriksen ultimately decided to sign a two-and-a-half-year contract with Amsterdam-based club Ajax. He explained his decision by stating, "My first step should not be too big. I knew that playing in the Netherlands would be very good for my development. Then Ajax arrived and that was a fantastic option." The transfer fee received by OB was estimated at 1.00 M EUR, while Middelfart also received a sum of 35.00 K EUR, which they later used to construct a football pitch. Eriksen diligently progressed through Ajax's youth ranks.

2.1. Ajax

Eriksen was promoted to the first team squad at Ajax in January 2010, receiving the number 51 shirt. He made his first team debut later that month in a 1-1 Eredivisie match against NAC Breda on January 17, 2010. His first goal for Ajax came on March 25 in a dominant 6-0 win over Go Ahead Eagles in the Dutch Cup. The following month, he extended his contract with the club. On May 6, he played in the second leg of the 2009-10 Dutch Cup final as Ajax defeated Feyenoord 4-1 to win the trophy 6-1 on aggregate. By the end of his first professional season, Eriksen had played 21 competitive matches, scoring one goal, and had already made his international debut for Denmark.

His early form earned praise from manager Martin Jol, who compared him to former Ajax youth products Wesley Sneijder and Rafael van der Vaart, as well as Danish legend Michael Laudrup, for his exceptional understanding of the game in the traditional number 10 role.

For the 2010-11 season, Eriksen was given the number eight jersey. He started the season strongly, scoring his first Eredivisie goal for Ajax on August 29, 2010, in an away victory over De Graafschap. Over the next few months, he scored his first home goal at the Amsterdam Arena in a 3-0 KNVB Cup win against BV Veendam, and his first European goal in a 3-0 UEFA Europa League victory over Anderlecht. During this period, Eriksen was also named "Danish Talent of the Year". His increasing capability as the team's playmaker solidified his position as an undisputed starter, helping Ajax secure their first Eredivisie title in seven years. At the season's end, he was recognized as Ajax's "Talent of the Year" (Marco van Basten Award). His performance throughout the campaign also earned him the "Dutch Football Talent of the Year" award, making him only the second Danish player to win it since Jon Dahl Tomasson in 1996. Johan Cruyff, who was part of the panel that selected Eriksen for the award, described him as a quintessential product of the Danish football school, reiterating comparisons to both Brian and Michael Laudrup.

On October 18, 2011, Eriksen scored his first UEFA Champions League goal in Ajax's 2-0 victory over Dinamo Zagreb during the group stage. In the return fixture the following month, he provided assists to teammates Gregory van der Wiel and Siem de Jong as Ajax secured a 4-0 win. Five days later, he was named "Danish Football Player of the Year" in recognition of his role in Ajax's previous league title and Denmark's successful UEFA Euro 2012 qualification campaign. Eriksen continued to impress, with his strong contributions in terms of both goals and assists leading the club to a second consecutive league title.

Eriksen and Ajax clinched their third consecutive Eredivisie title in the 2012-13 season. Following this, he chose not to renew his contract. With only one year remaining on his existing contract, Eriksen was allowed to seek a new club, and he ultimately agreed to terms with Tottenham Hotspur in England. Eriksen left Ajax with a record of 162 appearances across all competitions, scoring 32 goals. In addition to his league successes, he also participated in three consecutive editions of the Johan Cruyff Shield, which Ajax won once.

2.2. Tottenham Hotspur

Eriksen's tenure at Tottenham Hotspur marked a significant period in his career, establishing him as one of the Premier League's most creative midfielders and contributing to the club's rise to prominence.

On August 30, 2013, Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur announced the completion of Eriksen's transfer from Ajax, in a deal reportedly worth around 11.00 M GBP (12.45 M EUR). Eriksen joined the club on the same day as Erik Lamela from Roma and Vlad Chiricheș from Steaua București, bringing the club's total spending for the 2013 summer transfer window to 109.50 M GBP.

He made his league debut on September 14 against Norwich City, providing an assist for Gylfi Sigurðsson in a 2-0 victory. After the match, Spurs manager André Villas-Boas lauded Eriksen's debut, calling him "a pure number 10, a creative player and his individual quality made all the difference." Five days later, Eriksen scored his first Tottenham goal with a "wonderful dipping shot" to complete a 3-0 win over Tromsø IL in the Europa League. He further contributed with a free-kick goal in a 1-1 draw against West Bromwich Albion on Boxing Day 2013, and the second goal in Spurs' 2-1 away win against Manchester United on January 1, 2014. On March 23, trailing 2-0 against Southampton at White Hart Lane, Eriksen scored twice to level the score and then assisted Sigurðsson for the winning goal. His goalscoring form continued on April 12 when he scored a stoppage-time equalizer to help Tottenham come from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at West Brom. By the end of the season, he had scored 10 goals and registered 13 assists across all competitions, earning him the "Danish Football Player of the Year" award and Tottenham's "Player of the Season" accolade.

Before the 2014-15 campaign, Mauricio Pochettino was appointed as the new club manager. Between November and December 2014, Eriksen scored late winners against Aston Villa, Hull City, and Swansea City, attributing these successes to Pochettino's emphasis on raising the team's fitness levels. By the end of the calendar year, Eriksen had scored 12 goals from open play, more than any other player in England, and soon after received his second consecutive "Danish Footballer of the Year" award. On January 28, 2015, Eriksen scored twice in a 2-2 (3-2 aggregate) win over Sheffield United to send Tottenham to the League Cup Final. His first goal, a 30-yard curling free-kick, was highly praised by former professionals Michael Owen and Gary Neville. The final, played on March 1 against London rivals Chelsea, ended in a 2-0 defeat for Tottenham. Eriksen played in every Premier League game for Mauricio Pochettino in the 2014-15 campaign, starting all but one match, and scored 12 goals across all competitions.

On June 9, 2015, amid speculation about a potential move to Manchester United, Eriksen confirmed to Danish media while on international duty that he intended to stay at Tottenham, stating, "I feel right at home at Tottenham and I haven't thought about leaving yet." He remained with the club and scored his first goals of the new season in October, netting two free-kicks in a 2-2 draw with Swansea. In January 2016, Eriksen was again named "Danish Footballer of the Year," becoming the first player to win the award three consecutive times. He ultimately scored 6 goals and registered 13 assists as Tottenham finished the league season in third place, qualifying for the following season's Champions League.

Before the 2016-17 season, Eriksen signed a new long-term contract with Tottenham. He continued to be a star performer, scoring eight goals and providing 15 assists as the club finished as Premier League runners-up to champions Chelsea. Eriksen's assist tally was only surpassed by Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, who had 18 assists that season. Eriksen also recorded the joint-most assists in the FA Cup and later won the "Tottenham Player of the Season" award for the second time, having first won it in his debut season.

Eriksen broke the record for the most goals scored by a Danish player in the Premier League when he netted his 33rd goal in a 3-2 win over West Ham United on September 23, 2017, surpassing Nicklas Bendtner's previous record. On December 9, he made his 200th appearance for Tottenham, marking the occasion with a goal in a 5-1 league win over Stoke City. The following month, he scored his 50th goal for the club just 11 seconds into a 2-0 league win over Manchester United. This goal was the third-fastest ever scored in the Premier League, behind only Alan Shearer and former Spurs captain Ledley King. On March 17, 2018, Eriksen scored twice in an FA Cup match against Swansea to send Spurs to the semi-finals for the second consecutive season. On April 1, Eriksen scored a stunning 25-yard goal in the away match against Chelsea, helping Tottenham achieve their first win in 28 years at Stamford Bridge in a match that ended 3-1. This goal was later praised by figures like Thierry Henry and described as a "rainbow stunner" due to its trajectory. Later that month, in the reverse fixture against Stoke, Eriksen scored twice in a 2-1 win. Although teammate Harry Kane initially claimed the second goal, it was later awarded to Kane after a Premier League panel determined it touched his shoulder. On April 14, Eriksen was named in the PFA Team of the Year for the first time, alongside teammates Kane and Jan Vertonghen. He ended the season with 10 goals and 10 assists, contributing to Tottenham's third consecutive Champions League qualification.

In the 2018-19 season, Eriksen scored his first goal in a Champions League away match against Inter Milan. Although Tottenham lost 2-1, Eriksen scored again in the home fixture, securing a crucial 1-0 victory for Tottenham. His first Premier League goal of the season came on December 15, 2018, a late winner against Burnley that gave Tottenham a 1-0 win. On March 31, during a 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, he became only the second player after David Beckham to record 10+ assists in four successive Premier League seasons. Three days later, in his 200th Premier League appearance, he assisted Son Heung-min for the first-ever goal at the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before scoring a goal himself in a 2-0 win over Crystal Palace. On April 23, he scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Brighton & Hove Albion. Eriksen then played in the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final, which Tottenham lost 2-0 to Liverpool, with his direct free-kick narrowly saved by Alisson.

The 2019-20 season was marked by contract speculation surrounding Eriksen, with Real Madrid and Manchester United reportedly interested. Despite remaining with the club, his form suffered, and he was often relegated to the bench after José Mourinho replaced Mauricio Pochettino as manager in November. Eriksen scored in a 2-2 North London derby against Arsenal on September 1, 2019. Over his six and a half seasons at Tottenham, he made 305 appearances, scoring 69 goals and providing 89 assists. He formed a potent attacking quartet with Kane, Son, and Dele, known as "DESK." His contributions were instrumental in securing four consecutive Champions League qualifications and reaching the 2019 Champions League final.

2.3. Inter Milan

On January 28, 2020, with his Tottenham contract nearing its expiration, Eriksen signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with Serie A club Inter Milan, reportedly earning 10.00 M EUR per season. He made his club debut the following day, coming on as a second-half substitute for Alexis Sánchez in a 2-1 home win over Fiorentina in the Coppa Italia quarter-finals. On February 20, Eriksen scored his first goal for the club, netting the opener in a 2-0 away victory over Ludogorets Razgrad in the Europa League. His first Serie A goal came on July 1, in a 6-0 win against Brescia. On August 21, Eriksen played in Inter's 3-2 loss to Sevilla in the 2020 Europa League Final, becoming the first player to lose two consecutive finals in the two major current UEFA club competitions, having lost the 2019 Champions League Final with Tottenham the previous year.

Despite initial struggles adapting to the Serie A style and receiving limited playing time, with teammate Romelu Lukaku citing a language barrier as a factor, his situation began to change. In December 2020, Giuseppe Marotta confirmed Eriksen was on the transfer list for 2021, and he was linked with clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Hertha BSC, and even Arsenal. However, on January 26, 2021, in the final minutes of Inter's Coppa Italia quarter-final against rivals Milan, Eriksen was subbed on with the score at 1-1. In the seventh minute of stoppage time, he scored his first goal of the season from a direct free kick to win the match for Inter and send them to the semi-finals. Following this, Inter manager Antonio Conte stated that Eriksen would remain with the club. On May 1, he scored Inter's first goal in an important 2-0 away win over Crotone, bringing the club closer to their first league title since 2009-10. Inter were confirmed as league champions the following day, ending Juventus's nine-year dominance in Serie A.

On October 29, 2021, it was announced that Eriksen was not permitted to play in the Serie A due to the presence of an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) he had implanted after suffering a cardiac arrest during a game at UEFA Euro 2020. Italian league rules prohibit players from competing with such devices. Close to half a year after his cardiac arrest, Eriksen began individual training at the facilities of his youth academy team OB in Odense, Denmark, preparing for a possible return to football. On December 17, 2021, Inter confirmed they had terminated their contract with Eriksen by mutual consent.

2.4. Brentford

On January 31, 2022, Eriksen signed a six-month contract with Premier League club Brentford. His first appearance was on February 26, 2022, as a substitute in a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United; he replaced Mathias Jensen, who had coincidentally come on in Eriksen's place during the game in which he suffered his cardiac arrest. He recorded his first assist since his cardiac arrest in a 2-0 win over Burnley on March 12. He scored his first goal back in the Premier League in a 4-1 away win against West London rivals Chelsea on April 2, helping the Bees secure their first victory over Chelsea since 1939. Between the date of Eriksen's Brentford debut and the end of the season, only Kevin De Bruyne and Martin Ødegaard created more chances in the Premier League.

2.5. Manchester United

On July 15, 2022, Manchester United announced they had reached an agreement to sign Eriksen on a three-year deal. On July 28, 2022, it was confirmed that he would wear the number 14 shirt.

On August 7, Eriksen made his club debut in a 2-1 home loss against Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League. He provided his first assist in a 3-1 home league victory over rivals Arsenal, setting up Marcus Rashford's second goal. He scored his first goal for the club in a 2-1 away league victory over Fulham on November 13, also assisting Alejandro Garnacho for the winning goal. Despite missing the final due to an ankle injury suffered from a tackle by Andy Carroll in an FA Cup match in January 2023, Eriksen was a key part of United's 2022-23 EFL Cup winning side, having scored his first home goal for the club in a 2-0 fourth-round win over Burnley at Old Trafford. He was also part of the team that reached the FA Cup final, losing to Manchester City. In the 2023-24 FA Cup, Eriksen was part of the Manchester United squad that won the competition, defeating Manchester City 2-1 in the final.

3.1. Youth national teams

Eriksen was first called up to the Denmark national under-17 football team in July 2007, making an impressive debut on July 31. In 2008, he scored nine goals in 16 games for the U-17s and was named "Danish U-17 Talent of the Year" by the Danish FA. He was also one of four nominees for the overall "2008 Danish Talent of the Year" award, which was ultimately won by Mathias Jørgensen. He played 27 games for the under-17 team until February 2009. In 2009, he also featured in eight games for the Denmark U-18 and Denmark U-19 teams, scoring one goal for each. Eriksen was also called up for the Danish U-21 squad for the 2011 UEFA European Under-21 Championship hosted in Denmark, where he scored a goal against Belarus, though the team was eliminated in the group stage.

3.2. Senior national team debut and early career

Eriksen received his first senior Denmark call-up in February 2010, making his debut in Denmark's friendly match against Austria in March. This made him Denmark's fourth youngest full international, and the youngest debutant since Michael Laudrup.

On May 28, 2010, Denmark coach Morten Olsen announced that Eriksen would be part of the final 23-player squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was the youngest player participating in the tournament. At the World Cup, Eriksen played two matches, against the Netherlands and Japan, but Denmark failed to progress beyond the group stage.

On February 9, 2011, in a 2-1 friendly loss at home against England, Eriksen was named "man of the match," and his performance was widely praised by prominent football figures, including Chelsea star Frank Lampard, Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand, manager Morten Olsen, and various media experts in Denmark and England. On June 4, 2011, Eriksen scored his first national team goal to give Denmark a 2-0 lead over Iceland in their UEFA Euro 2012 qualifier. In doing so, he became the youngest Danish player ever to score a goal in European qualification, being nine days younger than Michael Laudrup when he scored his first goal in 1983.

3.3. Key role in major tournaments

In the build-up to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, Denmark was drawn in UEFA Group E. Eriksen played a pivotal role during the nation's qualification campaign, scoring eight goals to earn Denmark a play-off against the Republic of Ireland. The first leg of the play-off ended in a 0-0 home draw, but Eriksen then netted a hat-trick in Dublin's Aviva Stadium in a dominant 5-1 win to secure Denmark's spot at the World Cup. Eriksen's treble brought his tally to 11 goals for the qualification campaign, a total bettered only by Poland's Robert Lewandowski (16) and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo (15) in Europe. His performance earned the praise of national team manager Åge Hareide, who stated that Eriksen was one of the top 10 players in the world.

In Denmark's opening match at the tournament, Eriksen assisted Yussuf Poulsen for the only goal in a 1-0 win over Peru. He then scored his first goal of the tournament in the 1-1 draw with Australia the following week, earning him the "Man of the Match" award. Denmark ultimately progressed from their group and were drawn against Croatia in the Round of 16. The match ended 1-1, leading to a penalty shoot-out, where Eriksen was one of three Danish players to have his spot-kick saved by Croatia goalkeeper Danijel Subašić, resulting in Denmark's elimination.

On September 9, 2018, Eriksen scored twice in a 2-0 win over Wales to lead Denmark to victory in the nation's inaugural 2018-19 UEFA Nations League B match. On October 14, 2020, Eriksen played his 100th match for Denmark, scoring a penalty in a 1-0 away win against England in the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League.

3.4. UEFA Euro 2020 cardiac arrest and recovery

Eriksen was included in Denmark's squad for the delayed UEFA Euro 2020 on May 25, 2021. On June 12, while playing in Denmark's opening group stage match against Finland at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Eriksen collapsed in the 42nd minute as he was about to receive a throw-in. Eriksen's teammate and captain Simon Kjær was widely credited for his immediate and life-saving response, which included placing Eriksen into the recovery position and ensuring his airway was clear. Urgent medical assistance arrived immediately, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation were performed on the field. Eriksen's heartbeat was successfully restored with one defibrillation. He was then taken off the pitch on a stretcher, and the match was suspended.

Around an hour after the incident, UEFA and Danish Football Association (DBU) officials confirmed from the Rigshospitalet Hospital that Eriksen had been stabilized and was awake. The match controversially resumed later that evening, with Finland winning 1-0. Eriksen was surprisingly chosen by UEFA as the "man of the match." Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand and team doctor Morten Boesen later expressed regret at the match's continuation, although Eriksen's teammate Martin Braithwaite said that the decision to do so was the "least bad one." Peter Schmeichel, father of Denmark's goalkeeper Kasper, criticized the decision, stating that UEFA had threatened the team with a 3-0 loss if they refused to finish the match, leaving the players with "no choice." The BBC also faced significant criticism for continuing to broadcast the incident, receiving 6,417 complaints.

The next day, Morten Boesen confirmed Eriksen had suffered a cardiac arrest. The incident drew comparisons to similar on-field collapses of professional footballers like Fabrice Muamba and Abdelhak Nouri, both of whom faced severe health consequences (Muamba was forced to retire, and Nouri suffered permanent brain damage). On June 15, Eriksen posted a picture of himself in the hospital on social media with a statement, saying he was "fine under the circumstances." The following day, it was announced that he would be fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) device, a decision described by Boesen as "necessary due to rhythm disturbances." This operation jeopardized his contract with Inter Milan due to Serie A rules, which prohibited players wearing ICD devices from playing, leading to his contract termination later that year. On June 18, the DBU announced that Eriksen had undergone a successful operation and was discharged from Rigshospitalet. After his discharge, he visited his Danish teammates in Helsingør before returning home to his family. The Danish team later dedicated their 4-1 win over Russia in their final group match to Eriksen, which allowed them to advance to the round of 16. They reached the semi-finals of the tournament, where they were eliminated following a 2-1 extra-time loss to England at Wembley Stadium on July 7.

3.5. Return to international football (2022 onwards)

Eriksen made a remarkable return to international football on March 26, 2022, coming on at half-time in a 4-2 loss against the Netherlands. He scored within two minutes of his return, on his first touch of the ball. Three days later, he scored again in a 3-0 friendly win against Serbia.

Eriksen was included in the squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, playing every minute of Denmark's campaign as they finished bottom of Group D. He was also selected for the squad for UEFA Euro 2024. He scored in Denmark's opening Group C match against Slovenia that ended in a 1-1 draw, for which he was named "Player of the Match." In the last group stage encounter against Serbia, he featured in his 133rd international match, becoming the most-capped Danish player, surpassing his teammate Simon Kjær.

6.1. Club honours

• Eredivisie: 2010-11, 2011-12, 2012-13
• KNVB Cup: 2009-10
• Johan Cruyff Shield: 2013

• Tottenham Hotspur**

• Inter Milan**

• Manchester United**

6.2. Individual honours

• Ajax Talent of the Future (Sjaak Swart Award): 2010
• Ajax Talent of the Year (Marco van Basten Award): 2011
• Danish U-17 Talent of the Year: 2008
• Danish Talent of the Year: 2010, 2011
• Johan Cruyff Trophy: 2011
• Dutch Footballer of the Year Bronze Boot: 2012
• Danish Football Player of the Year: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018
• Danish Football Player of the Year by TV2 and DBU: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2017
• PFA Team of the Year: 2017-18 Premier League
• Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year: 2013-14, 2016-17
• UEFA Champions League Midfielder of the Season 2nd place: 2018-19
• Premier League Goal of the Month: April 2018
• FIFA FIFPro World11 nominee: 2019 (14th midfielder)
• Laureus World Sports Award for Comeback of the Year: 2023
• 2018 FIFA World Cup Man of the Match: vs. Australia (Group Stage)
• UEFA Euro 2024 Player of the Match: vs. Slovenia (Group Stage)

7.1. Club statistics

7.2. International statistics

The following is a detailed list of international goals scored by Christian Eriksen. Denmark's score is listed first, and the score column indicates the score after each Eriksen goal.