News Focus
- Christian Eriksen collapsed during the second half of Denmark’s friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday
- Medical officials abandoned the fixture in Odense after the 34-year-old received pitch-side treatment
- The midfielder confirmed his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) delivered a corrective shock to his heart
- Eriksen insists this incident differs from his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 and is now resting with his family
- The former Manchester United star currently plays for German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg
Christian Eriksen has confirmed he is safe and recovering at home after collapsing during an international friendly. The Danish midfielder fell to the ground in the 65th minute of the match against Ukraine in the city of Odense.
Television footage showed the 34-year-old clutching his chest before lying down on the pitch. Medical teams rushed to assist him, and officials stopped the game immediately.
Eriksen later explained through an Instagram post that his implanted heart device had delivered a shock to regulate his rhythm. He stated this situation was not as severe as the cardiac arrest he suffered while playing at the European Championships in 2021.
“I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am home with my family,” Eriksen wrote. He thanked the medical staff who treated him on the field and the doctors who have monitored his heart condition over the years.
The device was fitted after Eriksen collapsed during a match against Finland at Euro 2020 in Copenhagen. That incident required emergency CPR treatment to save his life.
Italian football regulations prevented Eriksen from continuing his career at Inter Milan while wearing the heart-starting device. He subsequently moved back to English football with Brentford in January 2022.
Eriksen then spent two seasons at Manchester United, where he won the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. He left Old Trafford when his contract ended in 2025 and now represents VfL Wolfsburg in Germany.