England captain Harry Kane has expressed concern and support for his former Tottenham Hotspur teammate Christian Eriksen after the Danish midfielder suffered a health scare during a friendly match against Ukraine. Eriksen collapsed on the pitch after clutching his chest, triggering immediate medical attention and raising fresh concerns over his condition, in an incident reminiscent of his cardiac arrest during Euro 2020, according to Goal.com.
Kane Reaches Out to Eriksen
Kane confirmed that he has been in touch with Eriksen following the distressing episode and said he was relieved that quick medical intervention helped stabilise the situation. The England skipper, speaking ahead of his team's World Cup preparations, praised the on-field medical response and the technology that ensured timely treatment for the Danish international.
In an interview, the Bayern Munich striker told ITV Football, as quoted by Goal.com, "I've reached out to him [Eriksen] today", as he sought to provide support to a player he spent six-and-a-half years alongside in north London. Eriksen had previously returned to professional football following his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, making his latest collapse a renewed cause of concern in the footballing world.
Defibrillator Worked as Designed
The England skipper remarked, "The main thing is the defibrillator was there, and it worked." Kane added, "I've not heard nothing back from Christian yet, but obviously he put the statement out saying he will go away and rest up and spend some time with the family now, which I think is important."
On June 8, Eriksen reassured fans that he is recovering well at home with his family after receiving a shock from his implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). He stressed that the incident was different from the cardiac arrest he suffered in 2021 and thanked the medical staff, doctors, teammates and supporters for their assistance and support. Eriksen said his ICD functioned as intended to protect him, and that his immediate focus is on recovery, spending time with his family and enjoying a break from football.
Details of the Collapse
In Sunday's international friendly against Ukraine in Odense, Eriksen went down in the 65th minute. The 34-year-old VfL Wolfsburg player received prompt medical assistance and was later able to walk to the ambulance on his own.
"I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am home with my family. 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," Eriksen wrote in an Instagram post.
"I am feeling good, and my recovery has already started. In addition to being grateful for the support and assistance of all the players and the medical team on the field, 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 recovering, spending time with my family, going on vacation, and playing football with my children," he further wrote.
Second On-Field Incident
The incident marked the second time the 34-year-old playmaker collapsed to the turf while representing his country. The collapse sparked concern among players and supporters, with memories resurfacing of Eriksen's medical emergency during Denmark's UEFA European Championship match against Finland in 2021. On that occasion, the midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest on the field, received life-saving CPR treatment, and was later fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD).
