Expert heart doctor explains why Christian Eriksen collapsed during the Denmark game
A heart doctor has shared some insight after Christian Eriksen collapsed again during a friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday.
You might remember that Eriksen, who used to play for Manchester United and Spurs, had a heart attack back in 2021 during Euro 2020 in a game against Finland. He was saved by quick medical help, recovered well, and even got back to playing top-level football after taking a break and having a special device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted.
Six years later, in Odense, Denmark, Eriksen collapsed again after grabbing his chest in the second half of the game. Medics rushed over and spent about 13 minutes treating him, while players from both teams gave him privacy by forming a circle around him. Thankfully, he woke up and was able to stand before being taken to the hospital for more checks. The match was stopped with 75 minutes played, and Denmark was leading 2-1.
Denmark’s doctor, Morten Boesen, who helped save Eriksen in 2021, said the pacemaker worked as it should and that Eriksen regained consciousness very quickly.
On social media, heart expert Sadi Raza shared his thoughts, suggesting that Eriksen’s defibrillator probably activated to shock his heart. He explained that the device might have been responding to a real heart issue or possibly a false alarm. Eriksen will have a full check-up soon, and medical staff will closely examine the device to understand what happened. It’s too early to say what this means for his football career.
Dr. Steven Cox, head of the UK charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), said this event shows why regular heart screenings for young athletes are so important. According to The Independent, Cox reminded us that many young people who seem healthy can suddenly have serious heart problems, and screening helps save lives. CRY tests the hearts of over 30,000 young people each year in the UK.
Eriksen’s current club Wolfsburg, along with his old teams Spurs, United, and Brentford, have all sent messages wishing him a quick recovery. Eriksen himself has not yet spoken about this recent collapse.
Denmark didn’t make it to this year’s World Cup after losing to the Czech Republic in a penalty shootout during the playoffs.