Danish soccer player Eriksen collapses during match with Ukraine

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during a friendly match against Ukraine on Sunday, prompting the game's abandonment. The Danish Football Federation confirmed that Eriksen was conscious and "doing well under the circumstances."

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Christian Eriksen is conscious and is doing well under the circumstances.

The incident evoked a sense of déjà vu, as the 34-year-old playmaker had previously collapsed during Denmark's opening European Championship game against Finland in 2021. Following that event, he underwent a procedure to have an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD) fitted, a device that helps regulate heart rhythm.

As medics attended to Eriksen on Sunday, players from both Denmark and Ukraine formed a protective circle around him, mirroring the actions of Danish and Finnish players five years prior. He was eventually able to walk to the ambulance himself. "Christian is doing well and walked from the field himself. As I see it, the pacemaker is working as it should. He was briefly gone, but very quickly regained consciousness, and we were quickly in contact with him," DBU doctor Morten Boesen told Danish media.

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Christian is doing well and walked from the field himself. As I see it, the pacemaker is working as it should. He was briefly gone, but very quickly regained consciousness, and we were quickly in contact with him.

"He will now be examined further in the hospital to find out what caused the incident. We are in constant contact with him and the doctors at the hospital. But Christian is doing well, and he asked me to talk to all the players and say that he was okay," Boesen added. Denmark was leading Ukraine 2-1 when the match was called off. Neither team had qualified for the World Cup.

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He will now be examined further in the hospital to find out what caused the incident. We are in constant contact with him and the doctors at the hospital. But Christian is doing well, and he asked me to talk to all the players and say that he was okay.