The Danish Football Association (DBU) has confirmed that midfielder Christian Eriksen is conscious and “doing well under the circumstances” after collapsing on the pitch during Denmark’s friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday.
The fixture was abandoned in the 65th minute after the 34-year-old Wolfsburg midfielder fell to the ground, appearing to hold his chest.
“Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well under the circumstances,” a DBU statement read following the incident at the Odense Isstadion. “The match has been called off.” At the time of the incident, Denmark was leading the game 2-1, with Eriksen in the starting lineup.
A Echo of Euro 2020 Drama
This distressing event mirrors Eriksen’s infamous collapse during the Euro 2020 tournament in June 2021, which occurred during Denmark’s opening match against Finland.
During that tournament, he received life-saving emergency treatment on the pitch for 13 minutes. Medical staff successfully resuscitated him using a defibrillator after determining he had suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.
Following extensive heart examinations, medical specialists fitted Eriksen with an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD), which paved the way for his remarkable return to professional football. Six months post-injury, he signed with Brentford, spent three seasons at Manchester United, and eventually joined German side Wolfsburg last summer.
