Five years after he suffered a cardiac arrest at the European Championship, Christian Eriksen translated into distressing memories on Saturday night when he collapsed in Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine but was eventually able to leave the field on foot.
The 34-year-old former Manchester United midfielder, who has the type of pacemaker, endured the collapse in Odense during the 64th minute on Sunday.
Medics flooded the pitch while players surrounded him from both teams to protect the area from TV or phone cameras.
With Copenhagen leading 2-1, the referee abandoned the match and Eriksen was later rushed to hospital after being surrounded by players from both teams as he walked off the pitch.
“Christian Eriksen is awake and has been stabilised,” Danish football officials said via social media.
Eriksen was fitted with a sort of pacemaker after he collapsed in the group-stage game against Finland at Euro 2020, which took place in 2021.
In turn, he was out of the game for over six months.
Morten Boesen, Denmark’s team doctor said of Eriksen: “He is doing fine.”
In my view, the pacemaker behaved correctly» — he said.
He went into (briefly) unconsciousness, but came round quickly and was on the phone with us immediately.
Now he is going to have additional tests in the hospital to find out why it happened.
“We have been in constant communication with him and the hospital doctors.
“But Christian is fine and he told me to give his regards to all the players and tell them he’s OK.”
Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has praised the immediate assistance given to his team-mate.
It was a throw-in, so I slowly walked to the touchline. Then I turned around, and Christian had fallen down.
“We know all too well what that means and the response was incredibly swift, respectful.
“I think everyone, the staff, the players and the opponents: it has been an extremely shocking experience for everybody,” said Denmark coach Brian Riemer who worked with Eriksen at Brentford.
He added: “He’s someone who means a lot to me. You have some players that you are closer to than others and he was one I spaced closely with at Brentford.
‘Really awful’
The game kicked back into life with Finland 1-0 in front when Eriksen suffered his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
Seven months later Eriksen furthered his career at Brentford in the Premier League after being due to go on a set-for-life contract at Inter Milan, who had to release him because Italian regulations do not permit the wearing of pacemakers in playing football.
He moved to Manchester United where he won the FA Cup and League Cup, before moving to Wolfsburg in Germany, where he has another year remaining on his contract.
Denmark have failed to qualify for next week’s World Cup in North America.
Ex-Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner said the latest incident had been “terribly sad” but he was thankful Eriksen was awake.
“The most important thing, however, is that he walked off by himself — which gives you grounds for believing he’ll be fine,” Bendtner said.
But those are bad images that overshadow everything else in the evening.
“It’s the second time it has happened and basically as a close friend of Christian’s, it’s really bloody horrible.