EURO 2020: Belgium, Denmark pay tribute to Christian Eriksen by kicking ball out in 10th minute
Eriksen is recovering in a Copenhagen hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during Denmark’s first game against Finland.
Published : Jun 17, 2021 21:55 IST
Belgium kicked out the ball in the 10th minute of its Euro 2020 Group B match against Denmark for a minute-long ovation as a mark of tribute to Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, who collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest during his team's opener against Finland.
Now stable, Eriksen has been ruled out of the entire tournament.
Denmark has started brilliantly in its second match against Belgium, with Yussuf Poulsen scoring in the second minute itself. It is the second-fastest goal in the history of the European Championship.
UEFA has paid a special tribute to Christian Eriksen before Denmark’s game against Belgium at the European Championship.
A giant Denmark shirt with Eriksen’s name and No. 10 shirt was unveiled on the field at Parken Stadium to a massive roar of approval from the fans. Such giant match shirts are unveiled for both teams before every game but this was the first time one carried a player’s name.
The red-and-white clad fans in the 25-000-strong crowd on Thursday gave the Danish players a warm welcome as they came out before the game, and Belgian fans held up a banner saying "Belgium loves you Christian" before kickoff.
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That display was topped when a giant Denmark shirt featuring Eriksen's name and number was revealed during the opening ceremony to the jubilation of the crowd, followed by a rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone".
The gestures continued with a lusty rendition of the Danish national anthem before Denmark team captain Simon Kjaer was presented with a signed Belgium shirt featuring Eriksen's name and number by Jan Verthongen.
Eriksen is recovering at a nearby hospital and will have an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) fitted to regulate his heart rhythm. His future in the game remains in doubt.
( With inputs from AP and Reuters)