Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen was rushed to hospital on Sunday after collapsing during Denmark’s international friendly against Ukraine, five years after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the European Championship.
The incident occurred in the 64th minute of the match at Odense Stadium, with Denmark holding a 2-1 lead.
Players from both teams immediately reacted as medical personnel raced onto the pitch to attend to the experienced midfielder.
Shortly after the incident, the Danish Football Association moved to calm fears by confirming that Eriksen was conscious.
“Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well under the circumstances,” the association said in a statement posted on social media.
The 34-year-old footballer has been playing with a pacemaker since collapsing during Denmark’s Euro 2020 group-stage clash against Finland in June 2021, an incident that shocked the football world and sidelined him for more than six months.
Describing the dramatic moments before Eriksen fell, Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said the midfielder had shown no visible signs of distress.
“There was a throw-in and walked calmly to the touchline. Then I turned around and I saw Christian collapse,” Hojbjerg told Danish broadcaster TV2.
“We know very well what that means and the reaction was extremely rapid and respectful,” he added.
As medical staff worked on Eriksen, teammates and opponents formed a protective circle around him, shielding him from television cameras and spectators.
The match officials eventually called off the game approximately 15 minutes later.
Denmark coach Brian Riemer, who previously worked closely with Eriksen during their time at Brentford, admitted the episode left everyone deeply shaken.
“It’s an extremely shocking experience for everyone, the staff, the players and the opponents,” Riemer said.
“He’s someone who counts a lot for me. You’re closer to certain players than others, and he was one of the ones I got close to at Brentford.”
Following initial treatment on the field, Eriksen was transported to a hospital in Odense for further medical evaluation.
‘The Main Thing Is He Walked Off’
Former Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner said the sight of Eriksen collapsing again brought back painful memories of the 2021 incident.
“The main thing is that he was able to walk off by himself, because that makes you think he’s doing ok given the circumstances,” Bendtner said.
“But these are terrible images that outweigh the rest of the evening. It’s the second time it’s happened and as a friend of Christian’s, it’s really awful.”
Providing an update on Eriksen’s condition, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said the midfielder responded quickly after losing consciousness.
“As I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should.”
“He was briefly unconscious, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him.”
Boesen explained that doctors would carry out further examinations to determine the exact cause of the collapse.
“He will now undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine what caused the incident.
“We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital.
“But Christian is doing well and he asked me to send his regards to all the players and tell them that he was ok.”
The team doctor also revealed that Eriksen’s cardiologist would analyse data recorded by the pacemaker to help medical experts understand what happened.
Eriksen’s latest health scare inevitably revived memories of his collapse during Denmark’s match against Finland at Euro 2020.
Following that incident, he was fitted with a pacemaker and forced to step away from football while undergoing rehabilitation.
Despite concerns that his playing career could be over, the midfielder made a remarkable return seven months later with Brentford in the English Premier League.
His comeback continued when he joined Manchester United, where he won both the FA Cup and the League Cup before later moving to German side Wolfsburg.
Eriksen also resumed international duties, representing Denmark at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and Euro 2024 in Germany.
Sunday’s incident has once again raised concerns among football fans around the world, but early medical reports indicating that the midfielder is conscious and stable have provided a measure of relief as doctors continue their investigations.
