Eriksen collapses on the pitch again: Denmark and Ukraine abandon friendly in Odense

Initial all-clear from the federation

The Wolfsburg professional was able to get up again after initial treatment and, to the applause of the crowd and players, walk on his own two feet to an ambulance that had driven onto the stadium grounds. From there he was taken to a hospital to determine the exact cause of the incident.

The Danish federation issued an all-clear. "Christian Eriksen is conscious and, given the circumstances, doing well," read an initial statement from the DBU. Morten Boesen also spoke briefly after the incident. "He was briefly unconscious, but came round very quickly. He left the pitch under his own power. As far as I can tell, the pacemaker is working perfectly," Boesen said.

Boesen added: "kam aber sehr schnell wieder zu sich und wir konnten rasch Kontakt zu ihm herstellen". At the same time, the doctor pointed out that further examinations were necessary: "Nun muss er im Krankenhaus weiter untersucht werden, um die Ursache des Vorfalls zu klären." Initially, according to reports: "Ein Kollaps dürfte die Ursache sein."

Looking back: The 2021 incident

The incident occurred roughly five years after a dramatic event during the European Football Championship 2021. At that time, Eriksen had collapsed after a cardiac arrest during the group match against Finland in Copenhagen and had to be resuscitated on the pitch. Following that event, Eriksen was fitted with a defibrillator. "Durch einen eingesetzten Defibrillator konnte er in der Folge wieder auf höchstem Niveau spielen."

Doctors had medically cleared Eriksen after that incident to continue his professional career. The midfielder has been under contract with VfL Wolfsburg since the beginning of last season and plays there at the highest level despite the pacemaker. The The 34-year-old midfielder had recently had to accept relegation to the 2. Bundesliga with Wolfsburg, which represents the first relegation in the club's history.

Captain's future uncertain

According to reports, the 34-year-old is said to be conscious and to feel, given the circumstances, relatively well. Talks between Eriksen and VfL Wolfsburg about his future following relegation had actually been scheduled for the current week. Whether Eriksen will continue his career is currently unclear.

The Danish sporting director Peter Möller acknowledged uncertainty about the captain's future. "Das muss Christian beantworten. Ich weiß es nicht. Ich finde es absolut legitim, danach zu fragen. Aber ich weiß es nicht", Möller said. He also announced special measures for the players. "Wir werden sichergehen, dass niemand allein nach Hause fährt. Sie fahren entweder mit ihren Eltern, der Familie oder als Gruppe."

Sympathy from clubs and politics

Denmark's coach Brian Riemer plans to call each and every player in the coming days to ask how they are doing. Beyond the Danish federation, the incident also drew expressions of sympathy. VfL Wolfsburg also responded via the short-message service X with a message to its player. "Wir denken an dich, Christian", the club wrote, adding: "Wir stehen in engem Austausch mit dem dänischen Fußballverband und verfolgen die weitere Entwicklung. Alles Gute und eine schnelle Genesung, Christian."

Former clubs of Eriksen also had their say. Manchester United, where Eriksen had previously played, sent get-well wishes to the player and his family. "Der Verein sendet Christian und der Familie Eriksen Kraft und liebe Grüße, während wir auf weitere Nachrichten warten", read a statement. Tottenham Hotspur, another former club of the Dane, wrote on social media: "Unsere Gedanken sind bei Christian Eriksen und seiner Familie. Wir wünschen dir eine vollständige und schnelle Genesung, Christian. Wir sind alle bei dir."

At the political level, Mette Frederiksen, who leads the country as a Social Democrat, spoke out. "Meine Gedanken sind heute Abend bei Christian Eriksen und all jenen in seinem Umfeld, die davon betroffen sind", Frederiksen wrote on Facebook. "Und eine große Erleichterung, dass es ihm den Umständen entsprechend gut geht." Frederiksen also spoke of a "großen Schock" in light of her captain's renewed collapse.

Match with no World Cup relevance

The sporting significance of the match was limited: it was a friendly between the two teams. Neither Denmark nor Ukraine had qualified for the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada starting next week. The game was abandoned with the score at 2-1 for Denmark.

The renewed collapse also raises questions about Eriksen's future. In Denmark the midfielder is regarded as the record national-team player. Following the 2021 incident, the player had already returned with medical clearance, moving to Manchester United and Inter Milan, among others, before joining Wolfsburg. Whether he will return to the pitch after this second collapse is currently unclear.