Following Christian Eriksen’s collapse on the field at Euro 2020, the Danish national football association announced Thursday that the midfielder would be fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD).
Eriksen collapsed and was resuscitated with CPR and a defibrillator during Denmark’s match against Finland on Saturday.
He said earlier this week that he felt “fine” and that he was staying in the hospital for tests.
“After Christian has been through different heart examinations it has been decided that he should have an ICD (heart starter). This device is necessary after a cardiac attack due to rhythmic disturbances,” national team doctor Morten Boesen said.
“Christian has accepted the solution and the plan has moreover been confirmed by specialists nationally and internationally who all recommend the same treatment. We encourage everybody to give Christian and his family peace and privacy the following time.”
Eriksen prepares for his team’s Euro 2020 match against Finland at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, Denmark. An ICD is a small device that is implanted under the skin to monitor heart rate, according to the British Heart Foundation.
It is connected to the heart by thin wires and uses electrical shocks to regulate abnormal heart rhythms. Denmark plays Belgium in its second Euro 2020 match on Thursday after losing 1-0 to Finland after the game was restarted after Eriksen’s collapse on Saturday.
Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku has stated that his team will honor Eriksen by kicking the ball out in the 10th minute (a nod to Eriksen’s shirt number) and observing a minute of applause.
Lukaku has also expressed his desire to pay a visit to his Inter Milan teammate in the hospital.
As they warmed up for their game on Wednesday, players from Finland and Russia wore “Get well Christian!” T-shirts, which Russia went on to win 1-0.
