Denmark’s and Ukraine’s players accompany Danish player Christian Eriksen to a waiting ambulance after he collapsed on the field during a friendly Sunday in Odense, Denmark. Photo by Bo Amstrup/EPA
Christian Eriksen is expected to soon be discharged from a hospital after his second known on-field collapse, the Danish Football Association said Monday.
Eriksen collapsed in the 65th minute of a friendly between Denmark and Ukraine on Sunday in Odense, Denmark. The match, which Denmark led 2-1, was later abandoned. Eriksen, who appeared to grab his chest as he fell, was briefly unconscious.
“I spoke with Christian this morning, and he is doing well,” Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said in a statement. “He is with family and in good spirits.
“The expectation is that he will be discharged soon and can return home. We are taking good care of the players and staff and remain in regular contact with them.”
Boesen said Sunday that Eriksen, who regained consciousness and walked off the field by himself, was doing well and would undergo further examinations to determine the cause of the incident.
Players rushed to Eriksen on Sunday after his collapse. The stadium crowd went silent and players surrounded him as he was tended to by medical personnel. He eventually regained consciousness and walked to an ambulance.
Eriksen, 34, previously collapsed on the field during a Denmark matchup with Finland at Euro 2020 in June 2021. He suffered a cardiac arrest and required resuscitation. Eriksen, who also played for Inter Milan at the time, resumed his playing career in 2022 with Brentford.
He was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator — an under-the-skin device that monitors heart rhythm — after his first collapse.
Eriksen shared Denmark’s latest update on his health Monday on his Instagram story. The Danish midfielder made his 150th appearance for Denmark on Wednesday during a scoreless draw with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He totaled 46 goals over his first 151 appearances for Denmark.
German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg signed Eriksen in September. English Premier League power Manchester United released Eriksen last June.
Denmark, ranked No. 21, failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. No. 31 Norway will host the Danes in a Nations League matchup Sept. 24 in Oslo.
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FIFA World Cup signs hang in the interior of MetLife Stadium before it is set to host eight matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in East Rutherford, N.J,. on May 28, 2026. Photo by John Angelillo/UPI | License Photo
