Christian Eriksen celebrated his 30th birthday by taking another step on his comeback trail to professional football just eight months after suffering cardiac arrest.
On Monday, the Dane played 60 minutes and registered an assist in a behind-closed-doors friendly for new club Brentford.
Eriksen set up teammate Josh Dasilva to help the Bees record a 3-2 victory over an XI from in-form National League outfit Southend.
The former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder collapsed on the pitch last June during a match for Denmark at Euro 2020 in a moment that forced the world of sport to stand still.
Eriksen, whose heart had stopped, was thankfully resuscitated by heroic doctors in a matter of minutes and eventually fitted with an ICD pacemaker which allowed him to continue playing football.
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Although he could not continue playing for Inter Milan due to Italian football's rules regarding pacemakers, the 30-year-old was able to return to the Premier League and signed for Brentford in the January transfer window.
He pulled the strings in their win in West London, with Southend head coach Kevin Maher delighted to see Eriksen - who was twice denied a birthday goal by Shrimpers goalkeeper Collin Andeng Ndi - involved in the friendly.
"Seeing what happened in the summer, just to see him back on a football pitch was brilliant," Maher told his club's website.
"I'm delighted that Brentford invited us down and I'm glad we could participate."
Eriksen, who was unveiled as a Bees player on Saturday ahead of their match at home to Crystal Palace, was withdrawn on the hour mark in place of young star Lewis Gordon.
After not featuring in the 0-0 draw at the weekend, manager Thomas Frank hinted that the star signing could be in line for a full debut when his side travel to face Arsenal on Sunday.
"It's very pleasing, not only for the Brentford fans but also for the Palace fans. For everyone in football it's a big day," Frank stated following the Premier League match.
"And it will be even crazier when he gets on the pitch and plays."
Eriksen himself has spoken candidly about his return, having initially told his girlfriend, Sabrina Kvist Jensen, that there was "no way" he would ever return to the beautiful game.
"If Sabrina had said, 'I don't want you to play anymore,' this would be a very different situation," the playmaker revealed, as reported by The Sun.
"Of course, we have trauma from June 12, but since then we have found our bearings so that Sabrina is OK with me going to the gym for a few hours and to the practice field.
"She trusts that when I go, I always come back."
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