Denmark star Christian Eriksen has been transferred to the hospital and stabilised after collapsing on the field in Copenhagen during a match at the European Championship.
UEFA said, "Following the medical emergency involving Denmark's player Christian Eriksen, a crisis meeting has taken place with both teams, and match officials and further information will be communicated at 19:45 CET. The player has been transferred to the hospital and has been stabilised.
Eriksen had just played a short pass when he fell face-forward onto the ground. His teammates immediately gestured for help and medics rushed onto the field. Eriksen was given chest compressions as his Denmark teammates stood around him in a shielding wall for privacy.
Eriksen was given treatment for about 10 minutes before being carried off on a stretcher. UEFA then announced the game had been suspended “due to a medical emergency.”
A stadium announcer asked fans to stay in their seats until further information could be provided.
Eriksen's agent told NPO Radio 1 that the footballer was able to breathe and talk.
The match eventually resumed at 12:00 am IST with Finland beating Denmark 1-0.
Relieved
Inter Milan team physician Piero Volpi told The Associated Press that the Italian club was in contact with the Danish football federation.
“We’re in contact with the Danish federation, the team manager, the team physician. But we still don’t know anything yet,” Volpi said. “We heard what UEFA said, and we’re all happy that he’s been stabilised. But that’s all we know.”
Volpi added that Eriksen never contracted COVID-19, has no medical conditions that he’s aware of and has passed every medical exam without problem since joining Inter in January 2020 from Tottenham.
“But we’ll talk about that when the time is right,” Volpi added of Eriksen’s medical history. “Right now, the important thing is that he recovers.”
As the fans in the stadium were waiting for updates, Finland supporters started chanting “Christian,” which was then answered by the Danish fans shouting “Eriksen.”
A huge roar then went up from all supporters when the stadium announcer said Eriksen was “stable and awake.”
The incident brought back memories of other soccer players who have collapsed on the field, including Fabrice Muamba, who needed CPR in 2012 when he collapsed in a match between Bolton and Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Muamba, who fully recovered, tweeted ”Please God” as Eriksen was taken to the hospital.
With inputs from AP
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