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England captain Harry Kane has paid tribute to former team-mate Christian Eriksen after he collapsed on the pitch for a second time – and warned he has ‘some decisions to make’.
The former Manchester United and Tottenham star clutched his chest and fell to the floor during a Denmark friendly against Ukraine on Sunday – with his implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) providing a shock to restore his heart’s rhythm. The ICD was installed after his 2021 cardiac arrest which shocked fans worldwide.
Eriksen has since been on the mend and released a statement saying he was ‘feeling good’ as he hinted he may not retire from playing.
The midfielder’s Denmark have not qualified for the World Cup, so he will now spend time on recovery in the off-season – before he is due back for pre-season training with Wolfsburg in Germany.
While at Tottenham, he played 235 times alongside Kane before he left for Inter Milan in 2020. And, now, Kane has spoken on the weekend’s incident with some words of advice for his former team-mate.
‘I just reached out to him today,’ Kane told ITV Sport on Tuesday. ‘I’ve not heard nothing back from Christian yet, but obviously he put the statement out saying he will go away and rest up and spend some time with the family now, which I think is important.
Harry Kane (right) has admitted former Tottenham team-mate Christian Eriksen (left) ‘has some decisions to make’
TV footage shows the former Tottenham star grab at his chest before collapsing on the pitch on Sunday
‘Obviously I am sure he will have some decisions to make over the next months, but the main thing is that the defibrillator was there and it worked. It was scary because we all remember what it was like last time and I’m sure his family, his wife Sabrina, is the same.
‘It was a scary moment when we came in and I saw the news to be honest with you. I’m obviously a little bit calmer now I know he is OK and everything worked in the way it was supposed to, but obviously wishing him well and I’m sure I’ll catch up with him soon.’
Eriksen, 34, says his latest collapse is ‘a different situation’. He will now focus on ‘recovery’ and spending time with his family before making any decisions on his career.
In a statement released on Sunday, he said: ‘As you can probably imagine, receiving a shock from my ICD has had a major impact on both me and my family, but I want to reassure everyone that this was a different situation from what happened in 2021. I am feeling good, and my recovery has already started.
‘In addition to being grateful for the support and assistance of all the players and the medical team on the field, I am also incredibly grateful to the doctors who have cared for me and my heart over the years. Thanks to their expertise, my ICD did exactly what it was designed to do: protect me when I needed it.
‘For now, my focus is on recovering, spending time with my family, going on vacation, and playing football with my children.’
Television footage showed Eriksen clutched his chest and fell to the ground away from the ball, midway through the second half of Denmark’s friendly against Ukraine.
Medical staff rushed to his aid as he was shielded from view.
Eriksen, pictured with wife Sabrina Kvist Jensen, has now been discharged from hospital
Eriksen has a year left on a two-year contract at German club Wolfsburg, who were relegated from the top-tier Bundesliga last month.
A statement from the Danish FA following the incident read: ‘Christian Eriksen is conscious and doing well in the circumstances. The match has been called off.’
Which England star has 7 GCSEs? Who has lost half of his finger? Test your knowledge of Thomas Tuchel’s squad with our exclusive quiz HERE
