Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during a friendly match between Denmark and Ukraine in Odense on Sunday evening, but regained consciousness and walked off the field. The 34-year-old midfielder, who suffered a cardiac arrest during the European Championship in 2021, fell to the ground in the second half, prompting immediate concern from players and medical staff.
Immediate Response
Players from both sides rushed to Eriksen's aid as he lay still on the grass. Medical personnel and the player's wife quickly entered the field. According to Danish outlet TipsBladet, Eriksen received treatment and regained consciousness shortly afterward. Within minutes, he was back on his feet to applause from the stadium. The match was paused and later abandoned, with both teams leaving the pitch.
Official Statements
The Danish Football Association (DBU) posted on social media: 'Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well under the circumstances. The match has been called off.' DBU doctor Morten Boesen added: 'Christian is doing well and walked off the field himself. As I see it, the pacemaker is beating as it should. He was briefly gone, but very quickly regained consciousness, and we were quickly in contact with him. He will now be examined further at the hospital to find out what caused the incident.'
Denmark manager Brian Riemer commented on TV2: 'First of all, it's a very shocking experience for everyone. The staff, the players, the opponents. The most important thing was initially that we received a report about Christian. It was handled fantastically by doctor Morten Boesen, who was able to say that Christian is doing well, which is the only thing that matters in this situation.'
Background
Eriksen previously suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland in Copenhagen. He was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), allowing him to continue his career. After his contract with Inter Milan was terminated, he signed for Brentford in January 2022. He later joined Manchester United, where he spent three seasons before leaving last summer on a free transfer to Wolfsburg. Last season, he played 34 times in all competitions, scoring three goals. On Wednesday, he earned his 150th cap for Denmark in a friendly against DR Congo, becoming the first Danish player to reach that milestone.
