Danish team doctor says Eriksen’s pacemaker functioned correctly after on-field collapse

Christian Eriksen’s implanted cardiac device operated as intended after the midfielder collapsed during Denmark’s match against Ukraine in Odense on Sunday evening, according to the national team’s physician.

Team doctor Morten Boesen stated in a Danish Football Association (DBU) post on X that the pacemaker “appears to have responded as it should.” Eriksen briefly lost consciousness but regained awareness quickly, with medical staff establishing contact with him shortly after the incident.

“He will now undergo further hospital tests to determine the cause,” Boesen added. “We remain in continuous contact with him and the hospital team. Christian is in good condition.”

Eriksen, who received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in 2021 following his collapse at the UEFA European Championship, was back on his feet after on-field treatment. The device, designed to intervene during cardiac arrest, is more advanced than standard pacemakers, explained DR health correspondent Peter Qvortrup Geisling.

Geisling noted Eriksen’s rapid recovery as a positive sign, stating there was “no cause for major concern” and that the episode was unlikely to result in lasting harm. The brain can tolerate brief oxygen deprivation without damage, he added.

The match was halted after Eriksen fell to the pitch in the second half. Players from both teams formed a protective circle around him as medical personnel attended to him. DBU later confirmed he was conscious and in stable condition.