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Christian Eriksen 'doing well and at home' after collapsing during Denmark friendly

Christian Eriksen is 'doing well at home' after collapsing during Denmark's friendly against Ukraine; the 34-year-old collapsed in the 65th minute and was taken to hospital as match was abandoned; Eriksen collapsed during the European Championships in 2021 after suffering a cardiac arrest

Monday 8 June 2026 17:36, UK

Denmark's Christian Eriksen
Image: Christian Eriksen is 'doing well' after collapsing on the pitch during Denmark's game against Ukraine

Christian Eriksen said he has returned home and is "doing well" after collapsing during Denmark's friendly with Ukraine.

Footage showed Eriksen grabbing his chest before collapsing in the 65th minute of Sunday's international. The match in the Danish city of Odense was later abandoned.

Eriksen was fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator device to ensure he could resume his playing career after suffering a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.

But he confirmed in a post on an Instagram that this was a different circumstance: "I want to let everyone know that I am doing well and that I am home with my family.

Denmark's and Ukraine's players walk on the pitch after the international friendly soccer match between Denmark and Ukraine was cancelled in Odense, Denmark, Sunday, June 7, 2026, after Christian Eriksen has collapsed on the field again while playing for Denmark...s national team. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
Image: Denmark and Ukraine players applaud the fans in Odense after the game was abandoned
Denmark's and Ukraine's players accompany Christian Eriksen to a waiting ambulance during the international friendly soccer match between Denmark and Ukraine in Odense, Denmark, Sunday, June 7, 2026, after Eriksen has collapsed on the field again while playing for Denmark...s national team. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
Image: Denmark and Ukraine players and staff formed a ring around Eriksen as he received treatment
Denmark's Lukas Hoegsberg, Albert Groenbaek, goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, Adam Daghim, Joakim Maehle, and Rasmus Hoejlund react after Denmark's player Christian Eriksen collapses on the field during the international friendly soccer match between Denmark and Ukraine in Odense, Denmark, Sunday, June 7, 2026. (Bo Amstrup/Ritzau Scanpix via AP)
Image: Denmark players were in tears on the pitch

"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.

"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."

What happened in 2021?

In 2021, Eriksen collapsed during a European Championship match in Copenhagen against Finland ⁠and was given ​life-saving CPR treatment after suffering a cardiac arrest.

He was ​later fitted with ​a special heart-starting device ⁠known as an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD).

After his recovery, Eriksen was unable to play for Inter Milan, who he joined from Tottenham in 2020, due to rules in Italy prohibiting players from competing while fitted with an ICD. His contract was terminated in 2021.

Eriksen went on to return to English football in January 2022 with Brentford before joining Manchester United that summer.

He made 107 appearances for United and scored eight times, winning the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

Eriksen left the club at the end of his contract in 2025 and currently plays for German side Wolfsburg.

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