Danish footballer Christian Eriksen has released his first public statement after his on-field collapse during an international friendly against Ukraine in Odense on Sunday, June 7. Eriksen went down on the pitch in the 65th minute, prompting immediate concern among players, officials and spectators. The medical team was called in immediately, and the referee called off the game as well. Erikson was later able to walk to the ambulance on his own.
This was the second such instance of Eriksen collapsing to the pitch. The incident brought back the horror memories of the Euro 2020 when the Danish midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest and fell on the pitch.ย
Eriksen issues statement, says he is ‘doing well’
However, in a big relief for the football fraternity and beyond, the 34-year-old brushed aside any concerns and stated that he is doing fine after his second collapse. “I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am home with my family,” Eriksen wrote in an Instagram post. “As you can probably imagine, receiving a shock from my ICD has had a major impact on both my family and me, but I want to reassure everyone that this was a different situation from what happened in 2021.”
“I am feeling good, and my recovery has already started. In addition to being grateful for the support and assistance of all the players and the medical team on the field, I am also incredibly grateful to the doctors who have cared for me and my heart over the years. Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it. For now, my focus is on recovering, spending time with my family, going on vacation and playing football with my children,” he added.
The horrors of Euros 2020
Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during the Euro 2020 match against Finland and was given a life-saving CPR treatment. The atmosphere inside Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium changed instantly as medical personnel rushed onto the field. Teammates surrounded the player while treatment was administered, and many Danish players were visibly emotional during the lengthy stoppage. Finland’s players also left the field as emergency care continued.
Medical workers used a defibrillator while Eriksen’s teammates formed a protective circle around him. After approximately 15 minutes of treatment, he was carried off on a stretcher. The remainder of the Denmark squad followed him from the pitch. Although the match was interrupted by the emergency, it eventually resumed at 12:00 am IST. Finland went on to secure a 1-0 victory over Denmark.
At the time of the Euro 2020 collapse, Eriksen was 29 years old and playing for Inter Milan. He spent a week in hospital after the incident before returning home to Denmark. During his recovery, doctors fitted him with a type of pacemaker.
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