Arinze Izik
Christian Eriksen says he is “doing well” at home with his family and has begun his recovery after collapsing during Denmark’s international match against Ukraine on Sunday.
The 34-year-old midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest five years ago. This time he regained consciousness and walked off the pitch unaided, thanks to an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, or ICD, fitted in his chest.
On social media, Eriksen wrote: “My ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.”
How the device works
An ICD is a small, life-saving device that monitors heart rhythm 24/7. If it detects a dangerous rhythm, it delivers an electric shock to reset the heart, like “switching a computer off and on again,” says sports cardiologist Prof Aneil Malhotra.
Eriksen has the type fitted under the skin near the armpit, with wires running to the heart. It likely fired a shock after sensing an abnormal, fast rhythm during Sunday’s game. “It feels like being thumped in the chest,” Prof Malhotra explained.
From 2021 to now
Eriksen’s first cardiac arrest happened live on TV at Euro 2020 in 2021. Teammates and medics gave him CPR and used a pitch-side defibrillator to save his life. Days later he had an ICD implanted as a safety net.
This time, the device acted instantly. “Because he had the ICD in place, he didn’t have to wait,” Prof Malhotra said. Prof Michael Papadakis of St George’s University called it a “shock box” that jump-starts the heart if a life-threatening rhythm appears.
Cardiac arrest differs from a heart attack. It happens when the heart’s electrical signals fail. Causes can be genetic, from infection, or sometimes remain unknown. Sudden cardiac arrest kills about 12 people under 35 in the UK each week, according to charity Cardiac Risk in the Young.
Playing on with an ICD
Eriksen returned to football in 2022 with Brentford and has since played for Manchester United and Denmark with the device. Other players like Daley Blind and Tom Lockyer have also continued careers after ICDs or cardiac events.
Rules differ by country. Italy bans professional players with ICDs, while other nations allow it after medical review. Studies show about 10% of people with ICDs receive a shock, which means the device is working.
Whether Eriksen plays on remains unclear. Doctors will now investigate why his rhythm changed during the match and if anything can reduce the risk of another episode.
As Prof Rachel Lampert of Yale School of Medicine noted: “Shocks can happen at any time. People who aren’t athletes have them, so it doesn’t mean if he stops playing, he won’t get another one.”
Eriksen predicted it back in 2022: “There was always the possibility this could happen
