Christian Eriksen preparing for RETURN to football – despite being warned ‘it’s just a matter of time’ until another terrifying sudden collapse, a month on from his latest heart problem
Christian Eriksen, who fainted for the second time last month, will continue his rehabilitation at home in Denmark.
The former Manchester United and Tottenham star clutched his chest and fell to the ground during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine on June 7, almost five years after suffering a heart attack at Euro 2020.
The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) installed in 2021 intervened and provided a shock to restore heart rhythm.
Eriksen gave an update the day after receiving treatment in hospital, stressing that the situation was ‘different from 2021’ and that he was ‘feeling good’, but said it has since been unclear what will happen next in terms of his playing career.
On Thursday, Wolfsburg, who have the midfielder under contract until next summer, released a statement sharing more news after he did not join the Bundesliga 2 outfit in pre-season.
“Christian Eriksen will soon begin an individual rehabilitation program,” the statement said.
Christian Eriksen will continue his rehabilitation after collapsing at his home in Denmark
Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine last month (pictured at the beginning of the match)
‘Following a meeting with VfL chief executive Dieter Hecking, it was decided that the 34-year-old would complete this in his home country, Denmark.
‘VfL is in regular contact with Christian and his treating doctors. We continue to wish Christian the best throughout his rehabilitation.’
Eriksen’s decision to begin an individual rehabilitation program came despite warnings from several leading doctors, including Danish heart specialist Henning Molgaard. bold He said Eriksen should not return to football.
He said: ‘Most elite athletes choose to retire after having an ICD implanted. We saw this with Stale Solbakken (current Norway boss).
‘As cardiologists we are not legislators, but our clear recommendation, in the light of European and American studies, is that competing with an ICD is highly unusual in elite sports.
‘We know he (Eriksen) will collapse again at some point. However, we cannot say for sure whether an ICD device will be needed to restart your heart after three months, or after three, four, five or ten years. But it will happen again.’
Television footage of the horrific incident showed Eriksen clutching his chest and falling to the ground away from the ball midway through the second half of the friendly.
Medical staff, shielded from view, rushed to his aid, but after receiving treatment, Eriksen was able to walk on his own to the ambulance that took him to Odense University Hospital.
Wolfsburg have released an official update on Eriksen’s condition on their official X account
In a statement the following day, Eriksen said: ‘As you can probably imagine, the shock I received from ICD has hit both me and my family hard, but I want to reassure everyone that this is a different situation to what happened in 2021. I feel good and my recovery has already begun.
‘As well as being grateful for the support and assistance of all the players on the field and the medical staff, I am also incredibly grateful to the doctors who have cared for me and my heart over the years.
‘Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.
‘For now my focus is on recovery, spending time with my family, going on holiday and playing football with my kids.’
Wolfsburg will start its league campaign with a home match against Kaiserslautern on August 8.
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