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Christian Eriksen discharged from hospital after 'successful' operation

liz roscher
Staff writer
·3 min read

Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen was discharged from the hospital Friday, less than a week after collapsing on the field mid-game due to cardiac arrest.

Via statement, the Danish Football Association announced Eriksen's release and revealed that he'd visited his teammates before going home to spend time with his family. The announcement also included a message from Eriksen.

"Thank you for the massive number of greetings — it has been incredible to see and feel," Eriksen said. "The operation went well, and I am doing well under the circumstances. It was really great to see the guys again after the fantastic game they played last night. No need to say, that I will be cheering on them on Monday against Russia."

6 days between collapse and release

Eriksen, 29, collapsed on the field Saturday in the middle of the Euro 2020 match against Finland. His teammates immediately called for medical personnel, who quickly discovered that Eriksen's heart had stopped. They administered CPR and used a defibrillator to restart his heart, then took him to the hospital for tests.

BRONDBY, DENMARK - JUNE 06: Christian Eriksen of Denmark in action during the test match between Denmark and Bosnia-Herzegovina at Brondby Stadion on June 06, 2021 in Brondby, Denmark. (Photo by Jan Christensen / FrontzoneSport via Getty Images)
Christian Eriksen has been discharged from the hospital six days after cardiac arrest caused his heart to stop in the middle of a game. (Photo by Jan Christensen / FrontzoneSport via Getty Images)

It was a terrifying episode, with Eriksen's teammates forming a circle to shield him from view as medical personnel worked to keep him alive. The game was suspended before restarting several hours later, a move that generated criticism from fans and Denmark players.

After undergoing tests, the team announced that Eriksen's heart had stopped due to cardiac arrest, and he had surgery to implant a heart starter in his chest. The device, which is similar to a pacemaker, will send an electrical charge to his heart if it starts beating irregularly.

Eriksen gets beautiful tributes

Denmark lost to Belgium, 2-1, on Thursday, its first game since Eriksen's collapse. There were several tributes planned, including the unfurling of a giant Eriksen jersey on the field.

Belgium stopped play in the 10th minute to pay tribute to Eriksen.

The best moment was completely unplanned. After watching their teammate being resuscitated on that very same pitch five days earlier, Denmark scored in just the second minute. The reaction of the players and the crowd was incredible.

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