Eriksen's second collapse prompts cardiac charity to call for universal youth screening

Christian Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine on Sunday, reigniting concerns about the 34-year-old midfielder’s heart health and prompting a renewed public warning from cardiac health charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY). Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed Eriksen “regained consciousness very quickly” after the incident.

Eriksen first suffered a cardiac arrest at Euro 2020 during Denmark’s 1-0 defeat to Finland. He subsequently had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted to allow him to continue playing professional football. Sunday’s collapse, though less severe in its immediate outcome, has drawn fresh attention to the risks that undetected heart conditions pose to young athletes.

Dr Steven Cox, chief executive of CRY, described the incident as “a reminder of the potentially devastating impact that cardiac conditions can have on so many young people every day in the UK and across the world.” He added that at least 12 apparently fit and healthy young people collapse and die suddenly from previously undiagnosed heart conditions in the UK every week.

CRY currently screens more than 30,000 young people aged 14–35 across the UK each year. Dr Cox said the programme finds that around one in every 300 people tested has an underlying cardiac condition that could be life-threatening if left untreated. He stressed that in approximately 80 per cent of cases, there are no symptoms before a collapse occurs — meaning the first warning sign is often the last.

“Sport itself does not cause sudden cardiac death, but it can significantly increase the risk for individuals with an underlying cardiac condition,” Dr Cox said. He pointed to Italy, where cardiac screening is mandatory for young people participating in organised sport, as a model worth following — international evidence shows the country has reduced the incidence of sudden cardiac death among young athletes by almost 90 per cent.

CRY is calling for all young people to be routinely screened to identify potentially life-threatening heart conditions before they become fatal. Dr Cox acknowledged the progress made over three decades of research but was candid about the limits of current knowledge: “Despite the progress made, there are still too many unknowns. Too often, the first sign that anything is wrong with a young person’s heart is also the last.”