Christian Eriksen (29) is in ‘stable’ condition after collapsing during Denmark’s Euro 2020 opening match against Finland. Denmark captain, Simon Kjaer, began CPR on Eriksen, which was later continued by medics. Erikson was unconscious for around three minutes before medical staff carried him off of the pitch.
"Football is a beautiful game and Christian plays it beautifully," says UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
Tonight's Star of the Match is Christian Eriksen. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Christian. #EURO2020 pic.twitter.com/gJPa7P2nAx
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 12, 2021
Finland striker, Teemu Pukki, says last night’s game was “definitely one of the most difficult” of his career. “Hopefully everything is getting a better direction now,” he said regarding Eriksen. “We decided to do what the Danish team would decide and were ready to continue whatever decision was taken. It was definitely not easy to come back to the pitch. But once we heard everything seemed to be fine, we started concentrating again on the game.”
Sports cardiologist Professor Sanjay Sharma, who is chairman of the expert cardiology consensus panel for the Football Association, told the BBC “the thing that saved his life was very urgent and rapid medical attention.”
Danish players were given two choices: to finish the game that night or at noon the next day. Upon hearing that Eriksen was recovering, they decided to get it finished that evening. Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand said, “The players could not imagine not being able to sleep tonight and to have to go on a bus tomorrow and play again. It was easier to go out and it was best to get it over with.”