Christian Eriksen is in «good spirits», the Danish football team doctor said, despite being hospitalized after collapsing during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine, five years after suffering cardiac arrest during the European Championship.
The 34-year-old former Manchester United midfielder, who had a type of pacemaker inserted after collapsing in 2021, fell to the ground in the 64th minute of the match in Odense on Sunday.
Medical personnel rushed onto the field as players from both teams gathered around to shield the scene from television or smartphone cameras.
The referee called off the match and Eriksen was subsequently taken to hospital after being shielded by both players as he left the field.
Danish team doctor Morten Boesen said Eriksen had been “briefly unconscious” but “the pacemaker responded as it should”.
Boesen was able to provide a positive update early Monday morning.
“I spoke to Christian this morning and he is doing well,” he said in a comment on the website Instagram.
“He is with his family and in good spirits.
“It is expected that he will soon be discharged and be able to go home.”
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Boesen said he and his medical team were in regular contact with the players of the Danish national team.
“We take good care of the players and staff and are in regular contact with them.”
Eriksen has been wearing the pacemaker since he collapsed during the group stage match against Finland at Euro 2020, which was played in 2021.
That led to him being away from football for more than six months.
Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg praised the quick help his teammate received.
«There was a throw-in and I walked calmly to the sideline. Then I turned around and saw Christian collapse,» he told the Danish television channel TV2.
“We know very well what that means, and the response was extremely quick and respectful.”
Danish coach Brian Riemer, who worked with Eriksen at Premier League club Brentford, said it was “an extremely shocking experience for everyone, the staff, the players and the opponents”.
He said: «He’s someone who means a lot to me. You’re closer to certain players than others and he was one of those I became close to at Brentford.»
‘Really terrible’
Eriksen resumed his career at Brentford seven months after his collapse, having been forced to leave Inter Milan due to Italian rules against playing with a pacemaker.
He then moved to Manchester United, where he won the FA Cup and the League Cup, and now plays for Wolfsburg in Germany, where he has another year left on his contract.
He also returned to international football, playing for Denmark at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Euro 2024 in Germany.
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Denmark has not qualified for the World Cup in North America, which starts next week.
Former Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner said the latest incident had been “really terrible” but was relieved Eriksen was conscious.
“The most important thing is that he was able to get away on his own, because that makes you think that, given the circumstances, he is doing well,” Bendtner said. TV2.
“But they are terrible images that outweigh the rest of the evening.
“It’s the second time it’s happened, and as a friend of Christian’s it’s really devastating.”
Published on June 8, 2026
