Denmark's captain, Christian Eriksen, made a triumphant return to the European Championship, three years after his cardiac arrest during the previous tournament. He scored the crucial goal in a 1-1 draw against Slovenia in their Group C opener on Sunday. Eriksen, 32, had missed Denmark's journey to the semifinals in 2021 due to his on-field collapse during the match against Finland. On Sunday, he quickly moved past the traumatic incident, playing his first Euro game since then. Eriksen delivered a masterful playmaking performance, particularly in the dominant Danish first half, setting a brisk pace as instructed by coach Kasper Hjulmand, who deployed two strikers. He was responsible for nearly all set pieces and scored in the 17th minute, giving Denmark the lead. Despite his teammates' poor finishing, Eriksen could have had more assists. Just months ago, such a scenario seemed improbable. Former Denmark and Real Madrid player Thomas Gravesen had harshly criticized Eriksen, suggesting his best days were behind him. Eriksen had a challenging season with Manchester United, seeing limited playing time under coach Eric ten Haag, which was not ideal preparation for a major tournament. Many fans were surprised by Hjulmand's continued faith in Eriksen, while others believed his peak was over. However, Hjulmand insisted that Eriksen was still a valuable asset, capable of unique contributions. On Sunday, Eriksen proved his coach right, maintaining high performance levels throughout the match, despite the Danish defense eventually yielding to Slovenian pressure and conceding an equalizer. He rightfully earned the man-of-the-match award for his memorable Euro comeback.