Eriksen returns to the pitch despite cardiac scares

Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen's football career is entering a new phase after a difficult period concerning his health. The 34-year-old is preparing to return to training despite having experienced two serious cardiac incidents on the pitch. This development is being followed closely, both in the football world and among the wider public.

Eriksen's first major health crisis occurred in 2021. Suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Denmark's Euro 2020 match against Finland, the player was resuscitated at the time through on-field CPR. Following that incident, the experienced player had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted, and he managed to return to professional football after an eight-month absence.

However, a similar incident occurred again on 7 June 2026, during Denmark's friendly against Ukraine. Eriksen lost consciousness on the pitch, but this time, thanks to the immediate intervention of the device fitted in his body, he regained consciousness quickly and was able to leave the pitch on his own. Denmark national team doctor Morten Boesen stated afterward that the device had "responded as it should."

Following this second incident, Henning Molgaard, one of Denmark's leading cardiologists, publicly advised Eriksen to end his career. Molgaard said: "We know he will collapse again at some point. But we simply cannot say with certainty whether it will be in three months, or in three, four, five, or ten years. However, it is going to happen again."

Despite these serious warnings, Eriksen is taking steps toward continuing his career following his recovery. It was stated that the player will undergo a physical test with his national team colleagues on the weekend of 4-5 July, before joining joint training with his club, Wolfsburg. He is expected to share his final decision on whether to continue his career with the public after the results of his specialist medical examination.

Image: Al Jazeera