The entire world awaited with bated breath as Christian Eriksen suddenly collapsed on the pitch during the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland.
Sensing the gravity of the situation, referee Anthony Taylor stopped the game immediately and both Denmark and Finland players signaled to the bench, calling for urgent medical attention.
The scenes that followed shocked the entire world. Denmark players forming a human shield as the paramedics tried to perform CPR on the 29-year-old in the middle of the pitch. Every single player, personnel, and fan in the stadium was visibly affected and the entire world started praying for Eriksen.
Those prayers seemed to have been answered when Eriksen was stretchered off the pitch ten minutes later and a Reuters photograph saw him raising his thumb. The Denmark medical team doctor also gave a positive update on the pitch before he was taken to a nearby hospital.
Earlier this morning, the Denmark Football Union posted that Christian Eriksen was at the hospital but he was in ‘stable’ condition. “This morning we have spoken to Christian Eriksen, who has sent his greetings to his teammates. His condition is stable, and he continues to be hospitalized for further examination,” the football organisation said in a post to Twitter. They also added that the players and staff had “received crisis assistance and will continue to be there for each other after yesterday’s incident.”
In the evening on Sunday, the Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen said that Christian Erisken ‘was gone’ but medical test results have been normal so far.
“The exams that have been done so far look fine,” Boesen told at a media conference.
When asked what caused the incident, Boesen said: “We don’t have an explanation why it happened. I can’t answer that question.
“I didn’t see it live, I saw it on screen when it happened. You saw the same as me. No explanation so far.”
He also confirmed that Eriksen had, in fact, suffered a cardiac arrest. “He was gone.
“We did a cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest.
“How close were we to losing him? I don’t know, but we got him back after one defib, so that’s quite fast,” he said.
Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand also mentioned that Eriksen told him that he didn’t remember much and was eager to get back on to the pitch.
I think you are feeling worse than I am. I feel as if I’m about to go training now, boys.”
“Christian is in good spirits and it’s a huge relief for the players after all this uncertainty,” Hjulmand said. “There is no doubt that we have been on the ropes.”
