Christian Eriksen has once again found himself at the center of a frightening health scare, but the Danish midfielder says his focus right now is recovery and family, not retirement. The 34-year-old collapsed during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday after suffering a heart rhythm problem. His implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which was fitted after his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 in 2021, delivered a shock and restored his heartbeat. Eriksen was taken to hospital and later discharged.
While many have questioned whether he should continue playing, the former Manchester United and Tottenham midfielder has not made any decision about his future. Instead, he says he wants to spend time with his family and recover fully before thinking about what comes next. In a statement, Eriksen said: “As you can probably imagine, receiving a shock from my ICD has had a major impact on both me and my family, but I want to reassure everyone that this was a different situation from what happened in 2021. I am feeling good, and my recovery has already started.”
Eriksen Thanks Medical Staff
Eriksen also thanked the medical staff who treated him and praised the doctors who have cared for him over the years. He said: “Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.” The Denmark international added: “For now, my focus is on recovering, spending time with my family, going on vacation, and playing football with my children.”
Gravesen Urges Retirement
However, former Denmark, Everton, and Real Madrid midfielder Thomas Gravesen believes Eriksen should now step away from football. Speaking to Viaplay, Gravesen said: “This has nothing to do with a career anymore. This has to do with life. It’s Christian Eriksen’s life.” He also spoke about Eriksen’s wife, Sabrina Kvist Jensen, who witnessed both of her husband’s on-field collapses. “I saw his wife storm onto the field once more. What kind of scenario is he putting her in? Football is completely irrelevant when something like this happens,” Gravesen said.
Medical Experts Weigh In
Cardiologist Henning Molgaard told BT that Eriksen’s ICD likely saved his life and warned that similar incidents could happen again. Molgaard said: “His pacemaker. It has undoubtedly done its job and saved his life.” Meanwhile, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen revealed Eriksen remained conscious after the incident and was able to walk toward the ambulance while being monitored.
The match in Odense was abandoned, and Denmark’s football federation later confirmed Eriksen was conscious and doing well under the circumstances. Fans inside the stadium applauded and chanted his name as he received treatment, while several teammates were left visibly emotional by the incident.
