Demark star ‘conscious’ after former Manchester United player collapsed on field a second time, in friendly against Ukraine
The country’s football federation said in a statement on Sunday that Christian Eriksen, who fainted again on the field while playing for the Denmark national team, was conscious and was subjected to further tests in hospital.
In a terrifying scene that echoed Eriksen’s collapse on the pitch following his heart attack during the 2021 European Championship, TV footage showed the 34-year-old midfielder clutching his chest with both hands in an off-the-ball gesture in the 65th minute of Denmark’s international friendly against Ukraine at Nature Energy Park in Odense.
The next TV image shown showed Erikson lying on the ground surrounded by worried players. Ukraine’s coaching staff was seen waving as they led medical staff onto the field.
The match was later abandoned.
Minutes later, the Danish federation sent a post to X stating that Eriksen was “conscious and doing well under the circumstances.”
In a fuller statement released 10 minutes later, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said: “Christian is in a good condition and left the pitch himself. From what I can see, his pacemaker is beating as it should.”
Boesen said that after Eriksen was unconscious for a short time, “he regained consciousness very quickly and we quickly contacted him.”
“He now needs to undergo further examination in the hospital to find out what caused the incident,” Boesen added.
“We are in constant contact with him and the doctors at the hospital. But Christian is fine and he asked me to greet all the players and tell them he is fine.”
The match was officially called off by the referee in the 79th minute with Denmark leading 2–1 after the referee spoke to both coaches and players. While Eriksen was being treated, the crowd fell silent before chants of “Eriksen, Eriksen” broke out in the stadium.
After the match was abandoned, players from both teams formed a circle around the two coaches in one half of the field. Coaches were seen chatting with the players. As the teams then walked around the field to applause from the stands, some players were visibly upset.
Eriksen’s Collapse in Denmark’s opening European Championship group match of 2021The match against Finland in Copenhagen sent the sport into shock. Eriksen, one of Denmark’s greatest ever players, underwent lengthy medical treatment before regaining consciousness and later said he was informed he was “out of this world for five minutes”.
Eriksen resumed his professional playing career 259 days after being fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator.
He played for Brentford and Manchester United before joining German club Wolfsburg in 2025. He has a contract with Wolfsburg until the end of the 2026-27 season.
Neither Denmark nor Ukraine qualified World Cup.
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