Eriksen's collapse reminds Muamba of his cardiac arrest

Gbenga Adewoye

Eriksen's collapse reminds Muamba of his cardiac arrest image

Former Arsenal and Bolton Wanderers midfielder Fabrice Muamba explained how Christian Eriksen's collapse reminded him of the cardiac arrest he suffered during his career.

The 29-year-old dropped to the pitch after suffering heart failure during Denmark’s game against Finland during Saturday’s Euro 2020 encounter.

Muamba suffered a similar problem during his time with Bolton in an FA Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, which forced him to end his career abruptly.

The DR Congo-born recollected the experience after seeing Eriksen collapse, and appreciated the medical team for swiftly coming to the aid of the Inter Milan star.

"I was watching it, and it happened, then my phone was going off like crazy and I just said, 'Oh no, not this again, please'”, Muamba told Sky Sports News.

"There's a feeling that you don't want to relive again. Those are the feelings that I have put down right to the back, and to see somebody going through it, you are just like, 'Please come through', and whatever else happens will be a bonus.

"For me to hear that he is responding to his recovery well is probably the best news of this Euros.

"I was worried about his family because a lot of people focus on the guy who is on the floor but they forget he has a family and his children. So it's more of a concern that they get a check-up after the incident because it could have a long-lasting effect on the family.

"Him being alive is the best thing that can come out of Euro 2020. Regardless of who wins the tournament, it's that Christian is okay, he is healthy, if he can remember people which is even better news.

“That's what this Euros is about now, it's about making sure Christian can get home safe and help to build his recovery from there.

"You have to give credit to the medical staff, how quickly they got on to the pitch, how well they were able to cover him.

"This game was worldwide, everyone was watching it, it could be a lot of pressure for the medical people how to deal with this situation so for them to get it right and able to do the CPR and get Christian into position, they deserve a lot of credit.

"Now that we are hearing he is in a better position, which is good news, overall it seems like everything is moving in the right direction."

Eriksen has 109 appearances for Denmark and also featured prominently as Inter Milan won the Serie A trophy in the 2020-21 season.

Gbenga Adewoye