“If I wasn’t enjoying myself, I’d be somewhere on the beach doing something else,” says Christian Eriksen Ski Sports. “Whether it’s sunshine or rain, even when it’s snowing, I still enjoy football. And football still enjoys Christian Eriksen.”
“It’s always been the same thing, the love for it, just that feeling of being a footballer, on the pitch, running after the ball. Obviously, you want to win and play in the best possible teams. But I don’t think the love of football ever leaves you.”
His new team Wolfsburg is not exactly flying in the Bundesliga. They lost 8-1 to Bayern Munich earlier this month. “Not nice at all.” But Eriksen scored as they bounced back with a win over St Pauli. “We had a lot of things to prove to ourselves,” he says.
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Highlights from the Bundesliga match between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg
He also provided the cross for a late equalizer against Heidenheim at the weekend. Watching him up close on a bitterly cold day at the Volkswagen Arena, fans of the midfield maestro can be assured that even at 33, Eriksen’s old magic remains.
His five chances created in the game were as many as his team-mates managed between them and included one fine ball over the top which should have produced the opening goal. Playing on the right, he drops deep, floats around, has the freedom to roam.
Eriksen’s touch map and chances created for Wolfsburg this season
In his Tottenham fanfare, Eriksen did all that and more and was arguably the Premier League’s preeminent creative force. A big claim, but the numbers back it up. During his Spurs career, nobody provided more assists or created more chances than the Dane.
Feeling for Wolfsburg
He also scored more goals from outside the penalty area than any other Premier League player during that time. Wolfsburg fans haven’t seen him yet, but this Rolls-Royce player feels right at home in Volkswagen country. “I just had a feeling it would work for me,” he explains.
“I could see myself playing for Wolfsburg, trying the Bundesliga. It’s a very open league. A team can be 3-0 up in the last 10 minutes and still finish 3-3. There’s a lot going on and every team wants to play a bit. It’s an exciting league to watch and play in.”
Interestingly, the game in Heidenheim came 16 years to the day when Eriksen made his professional debut for Ajax. “Has it been 16 years since my debut? I’ve been partying for 16 years,” he says. “It’s still fun.” But the hair has thinned and those teammates are getting younger.
“All the new players coming in are born in the 2000s, even the late 2000s. It’s weird,” he says, smiling a little, amused by the thought. “I surround myself with such young kids. At the same time, even though I’m obviously very old in football terms, I don’t feel old.”
Eriksen is something of an elder statesman in the Wolfsburg team
More time looking at the computer
So how exactly has football changed over the past 16 years? Where do I start. “It went through different phases in terms of possession, then a bit of tactical work, then possession again, then a lot of pressing, then a lot of athleticism,” he explains.
“There’s a lot of statistics now, a lot of numbers you have to guess, so a lot more time is spent looking at the computer. You have to put in a certain amount of kilometers in training just to make sure you’re in the right place for the next game.
“Years ago there wasn’t that. It was just a gut feeling. Do you feel good? OK, you’re good to go. Now everything else is factored in. What’s your workload? How much high-speed running do you need to do? How many extra sprints do you need to do?”
Eriksen in action for Wolfsburg in the match against Heidenheim
Maybe I’m not right for him
He sounds a little confused. “Even hitters are now the first guys to apply pressure. Double runs, triple runs.” But he managed to adapt. And he did as he went through that moment that no one will ever be able to forget at the 2021 European Championships.
He almost lost more of his career that day in Copenhagen, but recovered and added more chapters to his football story. Brentford offered a way back before spending three seasons at Manchester United. But there was no role for him under Ruben Amorim.
“As a player, I didn’t feel he would look like me, in every sense. Of course, then you struggle a bit in a football sense. But when it comes to personality, we had a decent relationship, there’s nothing wrong with that. He has an idea. Maybe I was a style of player that didn’t really suit him.
Eriksen spent three seasons at Manchester United before moving on
Brentford were sure about Franco
He insists that he wants the best for the club and believes that “the new manager brings new ideas” and sees it again as “a chance for everyone”. Kobbie Mainoo, in particular? “I hope for anyone, it doesn’t matter if it’s Kobe or someone else. I hope that the club will have success.”
Eriksen is in a good position to assess the problems at Spurs as well, having played under Thomas Franco at Brentford. Is he surprised to see Frank’s struggles? “Yes and no,” he says. “I mean, the pressure is on. Of course, Brentford has been a safe place for a long time.
He added: “Now he’s in a new place with new eyes and people want something different. I hope he has time to change it and see what he can do. But I know football moves fast and there are a lot of new ideas this week and then next week it will be a different idea.”
If Eriksen sounds like he’s seen it all in football, we wonder what he has left. He has plans for the playoffs for the World Cup in March. “The chance to play in the World Cup would be special. That’s the first goal and I hope we have a big tournament afterwards,” he says.
Eriksen hopes to qualify for the World Cup with Denmark
Enjoying what lies ahead
His contract at Wolfsburg has one season left after this one and he is determined to see improvement. “We’ve lost too many games this season. But now we’re on a better run than we were before.” As for personal goals, they never change.
“Just to keep improving and just having fun on the football field. I mean, that’s what I’ve been doing for so many years,” But does he appreciate it all a little more after what he’s been through? “I think I’m just enjoying the moment, like before,” he adds.
“But at the same time, I know what you have to lose. So I’m happy with what I have. I may not appreciate it anymore, but I’m just enjoying what’s ahead.” What is certain is that we should cherish every opportunity we get to see Christian Eriksen play football.