MANCHESTER UNITED MIDFIELDER Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020, was one of 21 players named by Kasper Hjulmand on Monday in Denmark’s World Cup squad, with the coach set to name the remaining five players in the coming days.
The full list must be presented by next Monday at the latest, the day before the team leaves for Qatar.
“There are 10 to 12 players competing for the last places,” said Hjulmand. “A lot can happen. It’s uncertain, but it’s the right way to go. There are two games left for many players, and things could change.”
Eriksen spent eight months out of the game after collapsing in Denmark’s opening game of the European Championships against Finland in Copenhagen on 12 June last year.
He had to be resuscitated on the pitch, lying unconscious for several minutes as the stunned crowd and millions of television viewers around the world watched on in horror.
Eriksen spent several days in hospital and had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator fitted to regulate his heartbeat.
Eriksen terminated his contract with Inter Milan by mutual consent last December as Italian league rules bar players with pacemakers.
He moved to Brentford earlier this year as the Premier League has no such rules regarding pacemakers. He then scored on his international return against the Netherlands in March and signed a three year contract with Manchester United in July.
Regulars such as captain Simon Kjaer are on the list although there is no place yet for Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard and Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen.
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Denmark captain Simon Kjaer. Alamy Stock Photo
Alamy Stock Photo
In Group D, Denmark begin their World Cup campaign on 22 November against Tunisia, before meeting France, the defending champions, and Australia.
Tenth in the FIFA world rankings, Denmark has been among the countries most critical of the holding of the World Cup in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United-bound teenager Garang Kuol was included in Australia’s squad for the World Cup, but midfielder Tom Rogic missed out.
Japan-based striker Adam Taggart, who has scored six goals in 16 Socceroos appearances, was another surprise omission despite being a stalwart of their qualifying campaign.
That opened the door for former Scotland international Jason Cummings, who has dual nationality, to add to his single Australian cap.
Central Coast Mariners forward Kuol, who will make the switch to the Premier League in January, made his international debut against New Zealand in September. Kuol only turned 18 in mid-September and was the youngest Socceroo since Harry Kewell in 1996.
But he has yet to start a game for his A-League side and Australia coach Graham Arnold is likely to use him as an impact player off the bench.
“An 18-year-old kid who has come out of nowhere and is on a new journey in life,” said Arnold.
We’ve seen these types of things happen many times at World Cups and massive games where players who are unknown come out and shock the whole of the country. And Garang has shown at the Mariners how he can really change a game.
“I brought him into camp against New Zealand and he really fit into the Socceroos family so well, and really a player that has zero fear,” he added.
Former Celtic star Rogic withdrew just before Australia’s crunch World Cup qualifiers in May, citing personal reasons, and has since struggled to make an impact at new club West Bromwich Albion.
The 26-man squad features two players at their third World Cup in Matt Ryan and Mathew Leckie, with seven at their second. The rest will be making their debut on the world’s biggest stage.
Australia are in Group D and open their campaign against France before meeting Tunisia and Denmark.
Denmark preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice/FRA), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin/GER)
Defenders: Daniel Wass (Brondby), Rasmus Nissen Kristensen (Leeds United/ENG), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor/TUR), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta/ITA), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona/ESP), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan/ITA), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace/ENG), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray/TUR)
Midfielders: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham/ENG), Thomas Delaney (Sevilla/ESP), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United/ENG), Mathias Jensen (Brentford/ENG)
Forwards: Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford/ENG), Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge/BEL), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol/ESP), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla/ESP), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg/GER), Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen)
Australia squad:
Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC/AUS), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners/AUS)
Defenders: Aziz Behich (Dundee Utd/SCO), Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew/USA), Thomas Deng (Aibirex Niigata/JPN), Joel King (Odense Boldklub/DEN), Nathaniel Atkinson (Hearts/SCO), Fran Karacic (Brescia/ITA), Harry Souttar (Stoke City/ENG), Kye Rowles (Hearts/SCO), Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United/AUS)
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Eriksen in Denmark's preliminary World Cup squad, Australia include Newcastle-bound teen star
MANCHESTER UNITED MIDFIELDER Christian Eriksen, who suffered a cardiac arrest during Euro 2020, was one of 21 players named by Kasper Hjulmand on Monday in Denmark’s World Cup squad, with the coach set to name the remaining five players in the coming days.
The full list must be presented by next Monday at the latest, the day before the team leaves for Qatar.
“There are 10 to 12 players competing for the last places,” said Hjulmand. “A lot can happen. It’s uncertain, but it’s the right way to go. There are two games left for many players, and things could change.”
Eriksen spent eight months out of the game after collapsing in Denmark’s opening game of the European Championships against Finland in Copenhagen on 12 June last year.
He had to be resuscitated on the pitch, lying unconscious for several minutes as the stunned crowd and millions of television viewers around the world watched on in horror.
Eriksen spent several days in hospital and had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator fitted to regulate his heartbeat.
Eriksen terminated his contract with Inter Milan by mutual consent last December as Italian league rules bar players with pacemakers.
He moved to Brentford earlier this year as the Premier League has no such rules regarding pacemakers. He then scored on his international return against the Netherlands in March and signed a three year contract with Manchester United in July.
Regulars such as captain Simon Kjaer are on the list although there is no place yet for Leicester defender Jannik Vestergaard and Leipzig striker Yussuf Poulsen.
In Group D, Denmark begin their World Cup campaign on 22 November against Tunisia, before meeting France, the defending champions, and Australia.
Tenth in the FIFA world rankings, Denmark has been among the countries most critical of the holding of the World Cup in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United-bound teenager Garang Kuol was included in Australia’s squad for the World Cup, but midfielder Tom Rogic missed out.
Japan-based striker Adam Taggart, who has scored six goals in 16 Socceroos appearances, was another surprise omission despite being a stalwart of their qualifying campaign.
That opened the door for former Scotland international Jason Cummings, who has dual nationality, to add to his single Australian cap.
Central Coast Mariners forward Kuol, who will make the switch to the Premier League in January, made his international debut against New Zealand in September. Kuol only turned 18 in mid-September and was the youngest Socceroo since Harry Kewell in 1996.
But he has yet to start a game for his A-League side and Australia coach Graham Arnold is likely to use him as an impact player off the bench.
“An 18-year-old kid who has come out of nowhere and is on a new journey in life,” said Arnold.
“I brought him into camp against New Zealand and he really fit into the Socceroos family so well, and really a player that has zero fear,” he added.
Former Celtic star Rogic withdrew just before Australia’s crunch World Cup qualifiers in May, citing personal reasons, and has since struggled to make an impact at new club West Bromwich Albion.
The 26-man squad features two players at their third World Cup in Matt Ryan and Mathew Leckie, with seven at their second. The rest will be making their debut on the world’s biggest stage.
Australia are in Group D and open their campaign against France before meeting Tunisia and Denmark.
Denmark preliminary squad:
Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice/FRA), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin/GER)
Defenders: Daniel Wass (Brondby), Rasmus Nissen Kristensen (Leeds United/ENG), Jens Stryger Larsen (Trabzonspor/TUR), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta/ITA), Andreas Christensen (Barcelona/ESP), Simon Kjaer (AC Milan/ITA), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace/ENG), Victor Nelsson (Galatasaray/TUR)
Midfielders: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (Tottenham/ENG), Thomas Delaney (Sevilla/ESP), Christian Eriksen (Manchester United/ENG), Mathias Jensen (Brentford/ENG)
Forwards: Mikkel Damsgaard (Brentford/ENG), Andreas Skov Olsen (Club Brugge/BEL), Jesper Lindstrom (Eintracht Frankfurt/GER), Martin Braithwaite (Espanyol/ESP), Kasper Dolberg (Sevilla/ESP), Jonas Wind (Wolfsburg/GER), Andreas Cornelius (FC Copenhagen)
Australia squad:
Goalkeepers: Mathew Ryan (FC Copenhagen/DEN), Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC/AUS), Danny Vukovic (Central Coast Mariners/AUS)
Defenders: Aziz Behich (Dundee Utd/SCO), Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew/USA), Thomas Deng (Aibirex Niigata/JPN), Joel King (Odense Boldklub/DEN), Nathaniel Atkinson (Hearts/SCO), Fran Karacic (Brescia/ITA), Harry Souttar (Stoke City/ENG), Kye Rowles (Hearts/SCO), Craig Goodwin (Adelaide United/AUS)
Midfielders: Aaron Mooy (Celtic/SCO), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli/GER), Ajdin Hrustic (Hellas Verona/ITA), Bailey Wright (Sunderland/ENG), Cameron Devlin (Hearts/SCO), Riley McGree (Middlesbrough/ENG), Keanu Baccus (St Mirren/SCO)
Forwards: Awer Mabil (Cadiz/ESP), Mathew Leckie (Melbourne City/AUS), Martin Boyle (Hibernian/SCO), James Maclaren (Melbourne City), Jason Cummings (Central Coast Mariners/AUS), Mitchell Duke (Fagiano Okayama/JPN), Garang Kuol (Central Coast Mariners/AUS)
– © AFP 2022
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Christian Eriksen On the plane Qatar World Cup Australia Denmark