Danish soccer star Christian Eriksen was taken to the hospital for tests after collapsing during Denmark’s exhibition match against Ukraine on Sunday, five years after his terrifying cardiac arrest at the Euros.
The scary moment happened in the 65th minute at Odense Stadium in Denmark. Eriksen, 34, appeared to clutch his chest before going down on the field.
He was briefly unconscious, but quickly regained consciousness, according to Denmark’s team doctor.
The former Manchester United star was able to walk off the pitch on his own before being taken to a hospital for further examination.
“Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch by himself,” Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said in a statement. “As I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should.”
Boesen said Eriksen was unconscious only briefly and that medical staff were quickly able to communicate with him.
“He was briefly unconscious, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him,” the doctor said.
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Eriksen will now undergo additional testing to determine what caused the incident.
“We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital,” Boesen added. “But Christian is doing well, and he asked me to send his regards to all the players and tell them that he was okay.”
The collapse immediately brought back memories of Eriksen’s frightening cardiac arrest during Euro 2020 in 2021, when he collapsed on the field during Denmark’s match against Finland and had to be resuscitated.
After that incident, Eriksen was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, also known as an ICD, which is designed to monitor the heart and deliver a shock if a dangerous rhythm is detected.
Sunday’s scare left players and fans shaken, but early updates from Denmark’s medical team offered some relief.
Denmark did not qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which begins Thursday.
Good for him and glad to know as I have an ICD implant.