Former Man United star Daley Blind opens up on suffering a 'small heart attack' in 2019

Daley Blind has opened up on his scary experience of suffering a 'small heart attack' while playing for Ajax in 2019.

Blind spent four years in England playing for Manchester United between 2014 and 2018, before returning to his homeland to rejoin Ajax.

In his second season back at the club, Blind was playing in a a Champions League match against Valencia when he started feeling dizzy and sat down on the pitch.

He required treatment, and was able to play on for the remainder of the match, but he has now revealed the seriousness of the situation.

'The situation was that I had like a small heart attack,' he told United's official website.

'That’s how it was and the moment when that happened, normally you go out but, for me, it was starting. The heart attack was starting, at one point, my heart-rate took over.

'My heart already took it back, the rhythm. And that’s why I didn’t really went out, unconscious, but I could, after a few moments, I could step up.

'I was standing, I was running back. We had just had an attack. At that point, if you see the images, you see me and it was really like this, tumbling down and getting one hand on the floor. Then I was standing on the floor and, at that moment, my heart-rate was picked up again and getting more awake.

'The doctors came on and asked: "What's happening? Are you okay?" And I said: "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just, I'm hungry." I could not link it with something to my heart. Of course, they did all the tests and everything and I was just normal.

'I remember this feeling where you are laying too much on the sofa and you stand up too quick and you get light-headed.

'This was this feeling but multiplied by 10, for example. I just had a feeling like I’m hungry. I have no energy. I have to eat something and I had no idea it could have happened, anything with my heart or any condition like that.

'I even finished the game, which is even crazy. The most crazy part of it! I went to training, did the recovery session, and, at that point, the doctor came to me and said: "Daley, I don't trust this and we need to go and make a medical in the hospital". Then we made the medical and I stayed there for two weeks.'

Following medical examinations, Blind was diagnosed with a heart condition that ruled him out of action for several months.

The Dutch defender was initially told that his career may be over, but he was determined to continue playing, and was finally given the all-clear after receiving a fitted defibrillator.

He also explained how keeping in contact with Christian Eriksen - who collapsed on the pitch with his own heart issue in 2021 before returning to play - has helped the pair continue to thrive at the highest level.

'At one point, the doctor came in and tells you maybe you cannot play football ever again,' Blind revealed.

'A lot of people think, "why are you bothered about it? You must be happy that you are okay", but, for me, I think doing the thing you love, if it’s football or your job, and you can’t do that anymore, it’s painful.

'So that was an emotional moment and I remember, from that moment, my dad [Danny] was also not giving up. He was like asking the doctor directly every question he could ask. Like, "what can we do?" What’s the possibility because he knows how I was into the game. Like, I was not quitting or want to give up too quick.

'I think also him asking every question to the doctor inspired me also that much that I had no option of giving up. I should try everything was escapable inside the range of being safe of course and doing that. At one point I had this option to take an ICD and that was the solution in the end. I have it [the fitted defibrillator] on the side and, because of that, I can do the sports again, at the highest level.

'Directly after the thing that happened to him [Eriksen], we had contact directly and, of course, we knew each other already before so it was easier. And we have questions over and over and he asked me what I did, what I can do, and I think he went to the same doctor as I did in Amsterdam. So I was happy to help him in any way like that.'

Blind is still operating at the highest level after playing for the Netherlands at last year's World Cup, and then joining Bayern Munich on a free transfer in January.

He is expected to move to another club this summer, with his spell at the German giants set to end later this month.