In a chilling echo of the Euro 2020 championships five years ago, Danish star midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch after briefly losing consciousness during a friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday. The match was subsequently abandoned.
The 34-year-old footballer clutched his chest and collapsed in the 65th minute of the match, held at the Nature Energy Park in Odense, Denmark.
Recognizing the gravity of the situation, Norwegian referee Sigurd Smehus Kringstad officially called off the match in the 79th minute.
Eriksen received immediate medical attention on the field before being transported to a hospital for further evaluation. Danish national team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed that while Eriksen briefly lost consciousness, he regained it quickly.
Medical Team Updates on Pacemaker Response
In a statement released by the Danish Football Association (DBU), Boesen said:
"He lost consciousness for a short period, but he recovered it very quickly. We were able to communicate with him almost immediately."
The team doctor further noted that the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD/pacemaker) fitted in Eriksen’s body following his 2021 cardiac arrest functioned exactly as intended.
"From what I observed, the pacemaker responded precisely the way it was designed to work," Boesen added.
As Eriksen received emergency treatment, players from both Denmark and Ukraine formed a protective wall around him. A tense silence enveloped the stadium before the crowd broke into collective chants of "Eriksen, Eriksen" to show their support.
According to Dr. Boesen, hospital physicians will conduct further tests to determine the exact cause of the episode.
However, Eriksen is currently doing well and was able to walk off the pitch. He has already sent a message of gratitude to his teammates and supporters.
Echoes of Euro 2020
The incident brought back harrowing memories of June 2021, when Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch during a Euro 2020 group-stage match against Finland.
After receiving life-saving CPR on the field for nearly 10 minutes, he was stretched off. While that match was temporarily suspended, it later resumed, resulting in a 1-0 victory for Finland, with Eriksen symbolically named Man of the Match.
Following his recovery and release from Inter Milan due to Italian medical regulations, Eriksen remarkably revived his playing career in February 2022 by joining Premier League side Brentford.
Eriksen’s medical condition remains under close and continuous monitoring by specialists.
