Denmark’s Eriksen ‘Doing Well’ After Collapsing During Friendly

Denmark's Christian Eriksen between Ukraine's Tsygankov (L) and Ruslan Malinovskyi during the international soccer friendly match Denmark against Ukraine at Odense Stadium, in Odense, Denmark, 07 June 2026. (EPA)
Denmark's Christian Eriksen between Ukraine's Tsygankov (L) and Ruslan Malinovskyi during the international soccer friendly match Denmark against Ukraine at Odense Stadium, in Odense, Denmark, 07 June 2026. (EPA)
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Denmark’s Eriksen ‘Doing Well’ After Collapsing During Friendly

Denmark's Christian Eriksen between Ukraine's Tsygankov (L) and Ruslan Malinovskyi during the international soccer friendly match Denmark against Ukraine at Odense Stadium, in Odense, Denmark, 07 June 2026. (EPA)
Denmark's Christian Eriksen between Ukraine's Tsygankov (L) and Ruslan Malinovskyi during the international soccer friendly match Denmark against Ukraine at Odense Stadium, in Odense, Denmark, 07 June 2026. (EPA)

Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark's friendly against Ukraine but was later able to walk off the field, five years after suffering a cardiac arrest during the European Championship.

The 34-year-old former Manchester United midfielder, who has a type of pacemaker, fell to the ground in the 64th minute of the match in Odense on Sunday.

Medical staff rushed onto the pitch while players from both teams gathered around him to shield the scene from television or smartphone cameras.

The referee called off the match with Denmark leading 2-1 and Eriksen was subsequently taken to hospital, having been shielded by both sets of players as he walked off the pitch.

"Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well under the circumstances," the Danish football association wrote on social media.

Eriksen has worn a type of pacemaker since he collapsed during the group stage game against Finland at Euro 2020, which was played in 2021.

That led to him spending more than six months away from football.

Denmark's team doctor Morten Boesen said Eriksen was "doing well".

"As I see it, the pacemaker responded as it should," he said.

"He was briefly unconscious, but regained consciousness very quickly, and we were quickly in contact with him.

"He will now undergo further examinations at the hospital to determine what caused the incident.

"We are in ongoing contact with him and the doctors at the hospital.

"But Christian is doing well and he asked me to send his regards to all the players and tell them that he was OK."

Denmark captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg praised the swift help his team-mate received.

"There was a throw-in and I walked calmly to the touchline. Then I turned around and I saw Christian collapse," he told Danish television station TV2.

"We know very well what that means and the reaction was extremely rapid and respectful."

Denmark coach Brian Riemer, who worked with Eriksen at Brentford, said it had been "an extremely shocking experience for everyone, the staff, the players and the opponents".

He said: "He's someone who counts a lot for me. You're closer to certain players than others and he was one of the ones I got close to at Brentford."

- 'Really awful' -

When Eriksen suffered his cardiac arrest at Euro 2020, the match resumed, with Finland winning 1-0.

Eriksen continued his career seven months later at Brentford in the Premier League, having been forced to leave Inter Milan because of Italy's rules against playing with a pacemaker.

He went on to join Manchester United, where he won the FA Cup and League Cup, and now plays for Wolfsburg in Germany, where he has another year to run on his contract.

He also returned to international football, playing for Denmark at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and Euro 2024 in Germany.

Denmark have not qualified for the World Cup in North America, which starts next week.

Former Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner said the latest incident had been "really awful" but was relieved Eriksen was conscious.

"The main thing is that he was able to walk off by himself because that makes you think he's doing OK given the circumstances," Bendtner told TV2.

"But these are terrible images that outweigh the rest of the evening.

"It's the second time it's happened and as a friend of Christian's, it's really awful."



Costa Rica Appoint Former Captain Ruiz as Head Coach

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Costa Rica Press Conference - Main Media Center, Doha, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz during a press conference REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Costa Rica Press Conference - Main Media Center, Doha, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz during a press conference REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
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Costa Rica Appoint Former Captain Ruiz as Head Coach

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Costa Rica Press Conference - Main Media Center, Doha, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz during a press conference REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo
Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Costa Rica Press Conference - Main Media Center, Doha, Qatar - November 22, 2022 Costa Rica's Bryan Ruiz during a press conference REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo

Costa Rica have appointed former captain Bryan Ruiz as head coach to lead the national team's campaign to qualify for the 2030 World Cup, the Costa Rican Football Federation (FCRF) said on Wednesday.

Ruiz, 41, takes the job after two wins as ⁠interim coach, with ⁠Costa Rica beating Nicaragua 3-0 and Haiti 2-0 in the CONCACAF Nations League earlier this month, Reuters reported.

He succeeds Argentine Fernando Batista, ⁠who was dismissed in September, while Costa Rica missed out on the 2026 World Cup under former coach Miguel Herrera.

Former attacking midfielder Ruiz captained Costa Rica at three consecutive World Cups before retiring in 2022.

His ⁠coaching ⁠staff includes former Costa Rica internationals Wilmer Lopez, Christian Bolanos and Wardy Alfaro, the FCRF said.


Arsenal Manager: Saka Injury Doesn't Look Good

21 October 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka receives treatment during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal at Allianz Arena. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
21 October 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka receives treatment during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal at Allianz Arena. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
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Arsenal Manager: Saka Injury Doesn't Look Good

21 October 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka receives treatment during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal at Allianz Arena. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa
21 October 2026, Bavaria, Munich: Arsenal's Bukayo Saka receives treatment during the UEFA Champions League soccer match between Bayern Munich and Arsenal at Allianz Arena. Photo: Sven Hoppe/dpa

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said he is worried about the severity of Bukayo Saka's quadriceps injury after the winger left the pitch in the 10th minute of Wednesday's 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayern Munich.

The 25-year-old clutched his left ⁠thigh after falling ⁠while attempting a pass and was replaced by Eberechi Eze.

"When a player has to come off with sharp pain ⁠it is never good news. We have to wait and see," Arteta told TNT Sports, according to Reuters.

"He doesn't look good at all, but we'll have to wait and see."

Saka missed seven games last season with an Achilles ⁠problem ⁠and had hamstring surgery in December 2024 which sidelined him for more than three months.

Arsenal can ill afford to lose another winger after Christos Tzolis picked up a hamstring injury on international duty.


Title Beckons for Antonelli but He May Have to Wait a Week or Two

 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy takes part in the drivers parade ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race in Singapore, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy takes part in the drivers parade ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race in Singapore, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP)
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Title Beckons for Antonelli but He May Have to Wait a Week or Two

 Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy takes part in the drivers parade ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race in Singapore, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP)
Mercedes driver Andrea Kimi Antonelli of Italy takes part in the drivers parade ahead of the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix race in Singapore, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP)

Kimi Antonelli is set to become Formula One's youngest champion, and Italy's first in 73 years, but the 20-year-old Mercedes driver will have to win and hope the stars align if he is to convert his first "match point" in Texas on Sunday.

Four years old when Sebastian Vettel became the hitherto youngest champion at 23 with Red Bull in 2010, the racer from Bologna has a mighty 102-point lead over teammate George Russell ahead of the US Grand Prix in Austin.

There will be a maximum 125 points remaining to win after the chequered flag drops at the Circuit of the Americas, meaning Antonelli -- in his second season at the pinnacle of motorsport -- will clinch the title if he extends his lead by 23.

Only a win would give him that margin, but the ‌Italian will still ‌need Russell and Ferrari's seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton to finish no higher than ‌ninth ⁠or fifth respectively. ⁠Otherwise, the wait to become Italy's first champion since Alberto Ascari in 1953 rolls on to at least Mexico City a weekend later.

"I know it's very close, I know it's there, but I just need to make sure that I keep doing the best I can. You know, the mindset is always the same, to go out there and win and perform the best way I can," Antonelli said after finishing third in Singapore, the race before Austin.

That result was his 14th podium of the season.

ONE-IN-25 CHANCE OF TAKING TITLE IN AUSTIN?

"We're in that very uncomfortable phase ⁠of the season where you have to navigate the Thursday media with everyone ‌saying 'Oh, you could do it... you've got a first match point'," said ‌deputy principal Bradley Lord in a team podcast.

"People love this tennis comparison of match points, don't they? But I think ‌there's something like a one-in-25 chance of that being remotely possible in Austin.

"Our focus is how can we ‌get the car in its sweet spot and then go and score as many points as possible?"

Russell, who crashed in the Singapore sprint and then started the main race at the back of the grid due to an engine penalty, will be thinking exactly that.

Antonelli has won eight of 17 rounds so far, but the momentum has been more with Red ‌Bull's four-time champion Max Verstappen, winner of the last two races in Malaysia and Singapore and also last year's winner in Austin from pole position.

"You look ⁠at the recent races and ⁠Red Bull have been very much best. In Baku, Max was a similar level to me. We go to Malaysia, a totally different track, and Singapore another different track, and he's dominated the last two weekends," said Russell.

Verstappen is 119 points behind Antonelli and has said he just wants to have fun for the remaining races, given the championship pressure is off.

Both Mercedes drivers will have the latest upgrade package for the first of three successive race weekends in Texas, Mexico and Brazil.

McLaren's reigning champion Lando Norris was runner-up in Austin last year with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third and both could be in the mix again while Hamilton's record in the United States is second to none.

"The last few races have not been great for us, but I think we're getting stronger again and Austin is probably a better circuit for our car," said McLaren's chief technical officer Rob Marshall, whose team will also have some upgrades.

The weekend will also see a novel crossover, with four MotoGP riders set to take to the track for a demonstration ride on Saturday. The two-wheeled series and Formula One have a common owner in US-based Liberty Media.