Christian Eriksen conscious after collapsing during Denmark match

Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well after collapsing during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine in Odense. The match was stopped in the 65th minute and later abandoned, with the Denmark midfielder able to walk off the pitch before being taken for further checks.

Denmark’s national team doctor, Morten Boesen, said Eriksen briefly lost consciousness but regained it quickly. He added that the pacemaker, or ICD, appeared to respond as expected and that Eriksen would undergo more tests at hospital to find out what caused the incident.

The 34-year-old has a history of cardiac problems after suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland. He later returned to football with Brentford in 2022, then spent three seasons with Manchester United before joining Wolfsburg last summer. He had been making his 151st appearance for Denmark when he collapsed.

Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said players reacted quickly and with care when they saw Eriksen go down. He praised the medical response and said the main concern was Eriksen’s condition. Players from both teams formed a protective circle around him while medics treated him, echoing the scene from Euro 2020 five years ago.

After the match was called off, both squads and their staff stood arm in arm while Denmark coach Brian Riemer addressed them. Riemer later said the most important thing was that Eriksen was safe and that the team needed to stand together and support one another after the shock.

Before his comeback in 2022, Eriksen told BBC Sport that he had no fear about playing with an ICD. He said the device made him feel safe and that he did not feel it in normal play. Both Denmark and Ukraine have already failed to qualify for the World Cup, which starts on Thursday.