Denmark’s Eriksen to have defibrillator implanted: Danish FA

Danish footballer Christian Eriksen will have a heart defibrillator implanted after he suffered a cardiac arrest during his country’s Euro 2020 opener last weekend, the Danish Football Union (DBU) said on Thursday.

The Inter Milan midfielder, 29, collapsed during Denmark’s game against Finland in Copenhagen.

His life was saved when CPR was administered to him on the pitch and his heart was re-started with a defibrillator before he was taken to hospital, where he is recovering.

He will now receive an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), a small electronic device, a type of pacemaker, which can prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm.

“After Christian has been through different heart examinations it has been decided that he should have an ICD (heart starter),” the Danish football body tweeted. “This device is necessary after a cardiac attack due to rhythm disturbances.”

Update regarding Christian Eriksen.

Danish version in next tweet. pic.twitter.com/a4Ra97xUXP

— DBU – En Del Af Noget Større (@DBUfodbold) June 17, 2021

Eriksen “has accepted the solution”, which was “confirmed by specialists nationally and internationally who all recommend the same treatment,” the DBU said.

It is not yet clear whether the incident will affect Eriksen’s career.

But players such as Dutchman Daley Blind have been able to get back on the pitch after being fitted with the ICD device.

Daley had one fitted after being diagnosed with an inflamed heart muscle in 2019.

Denmark is playing against Belgium on Thursday. The game will feature a minute’s applause for Eriksen in the tenth minute in honour of his No 10 national team shirt.