Denmark Star Eriksen beforehand died for ‘minutes’ after collapse at main event
Denmark’s game with Ukraine was brought to a stop after a player collapsed on the pitch, Christian Eriksen previously died at a major European tournament before being brought back to life in 2021
Eriksen previously suffered a heart attack in 2021(Image: Getty Images)
The Danish player who has collapsed on pitch during today’s World Cup friendly between Denmark and Ukraine had previously ‘died’ on the during a Euros 2021 match, before being brought back.
During the 2021 cardiac arrest the player’s heart stopped for a staggering five minutes before he was resuscitated. In a 2022 interview Christian Eriksen discussed his near death experience during Denmark’s opening game of Euro 2021 against Finland. The Dane stated: “I was gone from this world for five minutes until they got my heartbeat back.”
“Then I woke up with people around me and felt the pressure on my chest, trying to get my breathing back. That time I had no idea what 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 I out for’ and someone said ‘five minutes’ and that was the first time I had heard I was gone.” “For me it was unlucky in a lucky place. I wouldn’t hope anyone to get it, I never thought I would get it myself when it happened but in the place it happened I was lucky with the people around me acting so quickly. I was really grateful the doctors were in that place.
“I am very lucky and I have told them face to face I am very happy they did what they did otherwise I would not be here.”
After the cardiac arrest Eriksen has had to have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted. While ICDs are not permitted in Italian football there are no restriction on the device in the Prem, which allowed Eriksen to return to the Premier League after seven years with Tottenham between 2013 and 2020.
Pulling back the lid on playing with an ICD Eriksen previously said: “I don’t really have any scared feelings about it, I don’t feel my ICD so if it gets hit I know it is safe enough. I feel like me so don’t see a reason why I can’t get back to the same level.”
“I think it will get more and more obvious the closer it gets to being in a real game – being in a stadium, being in a game, you get all the emotion and adrenaline from that,” he added.
Denmark’s team doctor has issued a statement on the player’s recent collapse during today’s friendly between Denmark and Ukraine. Morten Boesen, the team’s doctor, said: “Christian is doing well and walked off the pitch himself. As I see it, the pacemaker gave a shock, as it is supposed to. He was briefly out, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him.
“Now he needs to be examined further at the hospital to find out what caused the incident. We are continuously in contact with him and the doctors at the hospital. But Christian is doing well, and he asked me to say hello to all the players and say that he was okay.”
A statement from the Danish FA added: “Christian Eriksen is conscious and feeling well according to the circumstances. The match has been called off.”
