Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday, almost five years after he suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
Midway through the second half Eriksen – who was about 10 yards from where the ball was – clutched his chest and fell to the ground, before medical personnel rushed to the midfielder’s aid in distressing scenes.
Players formed a huddle around him and the match was subsequently abandoned, with Eriksen taken to hospital with his wife Sabrina by his side.
A statement from the Danish FA later revealed that the midfielder was ‘conscious’, and said: ‘Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well in the circumstances. The match has been called off.’
The big screen inside the stadium in Odense shared a similar message which said: ‘The match is over. Christian Eriksen is in good condition under the circumstances.’
Fans also started to sing Eriksen’s name and clapped as he received treatment.
Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday
Players from both sides formed a huddle around Eriksen as he received treatment on the pitch
A message on the big screen inside the stadium read: ‘The match is over. Christian Eriksen is in good condition under the circumstances’
Around 10 minutes later, Danish national team doctor Morten Boesen – who was credited with saving Eriksen’s life in 2021 – provided fans with a further update.
He said: ‘Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch himself. 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.
‘Now he will be examined further at the hospital to find out what caused the incident.
‘We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital. But Christian is doing well.
‘He asked me to send his regards to all the players and tell them that he was OK.’
Eriksen, who now plays for Wolfsburg in Germany after leaving Manchester United last year, received treatment for around 10 minutes, before he was given a standing ovation as he made his way off the pitch.
Former Denmark star Nicklas Bendtner was covering the game as a pundit on Danish TV and he fought back the tears as he tried to work out what to say when the incident happened.
‘These are horrible pictures, and it completely overshadows the rest of the evening,’ he said.
‘My thoughts are with the family and the children, and it’s a difficult situation to be in right now.
‘This is the second time it has happened, and as Christian’s friend also… it’s really terrible.’
Several of Eriksen’s Denmark team-mates were understandably distressed and broke down in tears on the pitch.
Players from both sides then accompanied the midfielder to a waiting ambulance while holding up a privacy screen around him in powerful scenes.
They later gathered together in a huddle and went around the stadium to thanks those in attendance.
Players from both sides formed a privacy screen around him as he made his way off the pitch
When the game was abandoned, Denmark and Ukraine’s players gathered together in a huddle
Several individuals and clubs were quick to send their best wishes to Eriksen, including his current club Wolfsburg, who said: ‘We’re thinking of you, Christian.
‘Today’s international match between Denmark and Ukraine had to be abandoned following Christian Eriksen’s collapse.
‘According to the Danish Football Association, Christian is conscious and doing well given the circumstances.
‘He has been taken to Odense University Hospital, where further examinations will follow.
‘We are in close contact with the Danish Football Association and are following further developments. All the best and a speedy recovery, Christian.’
One of Eriksen’s former clubs Tottenham added: ‘Our thoughts are with Christian Eriksen and his family.
‘Wishing you a full and speedy recovery, Christian. We’re all with you.’
Ashley Young, who played with Eriksen at Inter Milan, also shared a message as he said: ‘I hope you’re OK bro @ChrisEriksen8, sending prayers and best wishes to you and your family.’
Several of Eriksen’s Denmark team-mates broke down in tears after the distressing incident
Eriksen pictured ahead of Sunday’s game in what was his 151st cap for his country
On June 12, 2021, Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland after suffering a cardiac arrest where his heart stopped for roughly five minutes, with the 34-year-old later saying that he had ‘died for five minutes’.
On that occasion, he received CPR and was taken to hospital where he was stabilised.
However, the midfielder made an incredible return to football with Brentford just eight months later after being fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD) – a type of pacemaker – which Boesen claimed may have saved his life this time around.
Reflecting on the terrifying incident to BBC Sport in 2022, Eriksen said: ‘I can remember everything apart from the five minutes.
‘I was told afterwards it was five minutes, otherwise I remember everything – the throw in, the ball hitting my knee and then I don’t know what happened after.
‘Then I woke up with people around me and felt the pressure on my chest, trying to get my breathing back, and then I woke up – I opened my eyes and saw people around me, I didn’t really understand what was going on.
‘At that time I had no idea what had happened, then it goes through my head: “Did something happen with my legs? Did I break my back? Can I lift my leg up?” – all small things I was trying to do to see what happened.
‘Then in the ambulance I heard someone say “how long was he out for” and someone said “five minutes” and that was the first time I had heard I was gone.’
After resuming his playing career at Brentford in 2022, Eriksen spent three years with Manchester United before his move to Wolfsburg last summer.
Denmark had been 2-1 up in the clash on Sunday – which was Eriksen’s 151st cap for his country – after goals from Red Devils star Patrick Dorgu and Joakim Maehle, with Viktor Tsygankov pulling one back for Ukraine.
The game was a friendly after both sides lost in the World Cup play-offs in March to miss out on this summer’s tournament.
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