Arsenal player Frida Maanum collapse had ‘no obvious cardiac causes’, club says

Maanum collapsed in stoppage time during the Women’s League Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea

Frida Maanum was stretchered off the Molineux pitch (Action Images via Reuters)

Frida Maanum has undergone “extensive” testing following her collapse in the Women’s League Cup final between Arsenal and Chelsea, the north London club has announced.

The midfielder collapsed on the field off the ball in the 96th minute of the game at Molineux on Sunday, before the match resumed seven minutes later, and Arsenal went on to lift the trophy when Stina Blackstenius scored a 116th-minute winner for the Gunners.

Arsenal issued an update afterwards saying Maanum was “stable and well” but she will not be called up for Norway for their upcoming international break when they will take on Finland and the Netherlands in Euro 2025 qualifiers, however the cause of the collapse is not yet known.

The score was 0-0 between the Gunners and Chelsea when Maanum collapsed off the ball near the touchline and the medical staff immediately rushed to her aid. She was eventually escorted off with an oxygen mask covering her face. A medical stretcher on wheels was brought out after the initial boards that are usually seen at football matches.

Arsenal said: “Following the incident during the FA Women’s Continental League Cup Final on Sunday, which resulted in Frida Maanum being substituted at the end of normal time, she has undergone extensive testing and support from our medical team at Arsenal.

“The test results have been reviewed by two leading cardiologists and there are no obvious cardiac causes found from these thorough investigations so far.

Frida Maanum collapsed during the Women’s League Cup final on Sunday (Getty Images)

“Frida has subsequently had a monitoring device fitted to record her heart function and will now undergo a progressive return to training protocol.

“Once Frida has been monitored for a full one-week period, her normal training will be closely reviewed and monitored before a decision will be made on her returning to play.”

Arsenal added that Maanum will not be joining up with her international team Norway for their Euro 2025 qualifying matches against Finland and the Netherlands in the current international break.

Following the win, Arsenal forward Alessia Russo commented on the Maanum incident, saying: “Obviously it is devastating seeing one of your teammates go down like that and we hope that she is ok.

“I think it was written in the stars that her best mate [Blackstenius] went and scored the winner for her.

“Frida is a massive player and plays with every single bit of her body, she did that again today and we just hope she is ok.”