Christian Eriksen included in initial 21-man Denmark squad for World Cup

The last time that the ex-Brentford and Tottenham Hotspur man represented his nation at a major tournament was Euro 2020, where he suffered a cardiac arrest in his side's opening match against Finland.

Eriksen has since recovered to become an integral cog in the Man United XI and has been rewarded with a place in Kasper Hjulmand's squad, but places are still up for grabs.

Hjulmand has only selected 21 players from a possible 26 so far and stressed that he wants to wait until players' club commitments are completed before adding to his ranks.

"Many things can happen," Hjulmand told the press after naming his squad. "It's unsolvable, but it's the right way to do it - there are two games left for many of our players, and that can easily change things."

Eriksen is one of six Premier League players to have made the initial squad, with Rasmus Kristensen, Mikkel Damsgaard, Mathias Jensen, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Joachim Andersen also called up.

Only two goalkeepers have made the cut so far, with Kasper Schmeichel and Oliver Christensen involved alongside 121-cap skipper Simon Kjaer, who needs nine more matches to overtake Peter Schmeichel as Denmark's record male appearance maker.

The injury-hit duo of Christian Norgaard and Yussuf Poulsen have not made the initial squad, and Hjulmand has until Monday to fill the final five slots in his ranks.

Denmark will take on reigning champions France, Australia and Tunisia in Group D of the tournament, beginning their campaign against the latter on November 22.

DENMARK 2022 WORLD CUP SQUAD IN FULL:

Goalkeepers: Kasper Schmeichel (Nice), Oliver Christensen (Hertha Berlin)

Defenders: Simon Kjaer (AC Milan), Joachim Andersen (Crystal Palace), Joakim Maehle (Atalanta BC), 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 Hotspur)

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)