Soccer player Christian Eriksen is at home with his family and reported “doing well” on Monday, a day after collapsing on the field during a match for Denmark.
In an encouraging update from the 34-year-old Eriksen, he explained that he clutched his chest in the 65th minute of a friendly match against Ukraine in Odense on Sunday. After collapsing to the ground, medical staff provided immediate assistance while teammates formed a circle around him.
Eriksen managed to walk off the field on his own and was subsequently taken to the hospital for further examination. He previously had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) installed to assist his heart after a cardiac arrest incident during a European Championship match in 2021.
Following updates from the team physician through the Danish soccer federation, Eriksen took to social media to assure everyone of his wellbeing.
“I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am back home with my family,” he shared on Instagram.
“As you can imagine, the shock from my ICD has affected my family and me greatly, but I want to emphasize that this situation is different from what I experienced in 2021.”
Eriksen mentioned that the “recovery process has already commenced.”
“In addition to being thankful for the support and efforts of the players and medical staff on the field, I am deeply grateful to the doctors who have cared for my heart throughout the years,” he wrote.
“Thanks to their expertise, my ICD functioned exactly as intended: it protected me when I needed it most.”
Eriksen’s current priorities include “recovering, spending quality time with my family, taking a vacation, and enjoying playing football with my children.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen took to Facebook on Sunday to express her “warmest thoughts” for Eriksen and those impacted by the incident.
She indicated her relief upon receiving an update about his condition following the startling events of the day.
In response to Eriksen’s Instagram post on Monday, players including Argentina striker Lautaro Martínez and Manchester United’s Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire sent their well-wishes.
The match on Sunday was called off after Eriksen’s collapse, with Denmark leading 2-1 at the time. This decision was made after discussions between the referee and the teams’ officials.
Neither Denmark nor Ukraine qualified for the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
After his cardiac arrest during the European Championship in 2021, Eriksen had an ICD implanted. This device, defined by the British Heart Foundation, is a small electrical device that helps manage severe heart rhythm issues.
The ICD is positioned under the skin near the collarbone and can send electrical signals to correct abnormal heart rhythms when required.
In comments following Eriksen’s incident on Sunday, Denmark team physician Morten Boesen noted, “from my perspective, the pacemaker responded appropriately.”
There has yet to be further clarification from team officials regarding the exact cause of Eriksen’s sudden health episode.
Italian health regulations do not permit players to compete with an ICD; hence, Eriksen parted ways with Inter Milan to continue his career after the 2021 episode.
He resumed playing in England with Brentford in 2022 and later joined Manchester United (2022-25) before leaving as a free agent last year.
Currently, he plays for Wolfsburg in Germany, with a contract running through the 2026-27 season. The club, recently relegated from the top-tier Bundesliga, expressed their wishes for his speedy recovery on Sunday.