Eriksen discharged from hospital after defibrillator operation

James Holland
Christian Eriksen operation F365

Denmark and Inter midfielder Christian Eriksen has left hospital following a successful defibrillator operation.

The 29-year-old has had the device fitted to help him in the event of another cardiac arrest.

Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 fixture against Finland.


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After being resuscitated by medics on the pitch, his Danish team-mates heroically played the rest of the game.

They went on to lose 1-0, although doubts have arisen over whether they should have been able to continue at all.

A statement from the Danish FA read: “Christian Eriksen has been through a successful operation and was today discharged from Rigshospitalet.

“Today he also visited the national team in Helsinger and from there he will go home and spend time with his family.”

In a separate statement, Eriksen said: “Thank you for the massive number of greetings, it has been incredible to see and feel.

“The operation went well and I am doing well under the circumstances.

“It was great to see the guys again after the fantastic game they played last night.

“No need to say that I will be cheering them on Monday against Russia.”

The playmaker was watching from hospital as Kasper Hjulmand’s men were beaten by Belgium on Thursday.

They got off to a fantastic start with Yussuf Poulson opening the scoring within two minutes, but Belgium were saved by the cavalry in the second half.

The Danes now face a tough task to qualify for the last 16. They must beat Russia on Monday evening and hope other results go their way.

Hjulmand himself was critical of UEFA for not postponing their game against Finland.

The manager said: “Coronavirus allows you to postpone a match for 48 hours. A cardiac arrest obviously does not. That, I think, is wrong.

“There is learning here. It was not the right decision to continue playing. The boys showed so much strength by going out and playing on.

“But I do not think it was the right thing to give us and the players the choice to go out and finish play on Saturday or Sunday.

“I felt that the players – and us close to them – were put under that pressure and were given that dilemma. It was a hugely difficult situation to be in.”