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.
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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)
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