Denmark national team doctor Morten Boesen has confirmed that Christian Eriksen is in stable condition after collapsing during a friendly match against Ukraine on Saturday. The game was abandoned following the incident in the 64th minute in Odense.
Incident Details
Eriksen, 34, suddenly grasped his chest and fell to the turf, prompting immediate medical attention. He briefly lost consciousness but regained it quickly and was able to walk off the pitch with assistance. He was then taken to a hospital for further evaluation.
The match, which Denmark led 2-1 through first-half goals from Patrick Dorgu and Joakim Maehle, was subsequently called off. The Danish FA issued a statement saying Eriksen was conscious and doing well under the circumstances.
Doctor's Update
Dr. Boesen provided reassurance, stating: "Christian walked off the field on his own. As I see it, the pacemaker is working as it should. He was briefly unconscious but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him. He will now undergo further tests at the hospital to determine what caused the incident. We are in close 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 okay."
Previous Cardiac Arrest
This incident comes five years after Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during a Euro 2020 group stage match against Finland. On that occasion, his heart stopped for approximately five minutes, and he received life-saving CPR on the pitch. He was later fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and returned to professional football.
Reactions
Denmark head coach Brian Riemer commented: "The most important thing is that Christian is doing well. He has left the pitch and has sent a greeting to the players. But that is why the experience is still scary."
Former Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner, working as a pundit for Danish TV channel TV2, fought back tears as he addressed the incident: "These are horrible pictures, and it completely overshadows the rest of the evening. My thoughts are with the family and the children, and it is a difficult situation to be in right now. This is the second time it has happened, and as Christian's friend also… it is really terrible."
Eriksen's condition will continue to be monitored, with further tests planned to assess his health and the function of his pacemaker.
