June 14, (THEWILL)- The query of what could have caused Denmark’s Christian Eriksen to collapse all on his own during the opening fixture against Finland at Euros 2020 was answered the day after by team doctor Morten Boesen.
The medical professional was straightforward about the extreme severity of the incident and the otherwise fatal situation that they had on their hands when they rushed onto the playing field to resuscitate Eriksen.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Boesen said: “He was gone, and we did cardiac resuscitation. It was a cardiac arrest. How close were we [to losing Eriksen]? I don’t know.”
According to the physician, Eriksen was quickly revived “after one defibrillator,” which Boesen remarked was “quite fast.” This account of events escalates the initial reporting that the midfielder needed Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) right there on the pitch.
The severity of the player’s condition has drawn some criticisms to the decision by the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) to leave restarting the match up to the players of both countries.
THEWILL recalls that the match between Denmark and Finland, was paused in the 43rd minute amid the incident but resumed later in the day, with Finland coming away as the 1-0 victor at the end while Eriksen was still being observed in the hospital.
One of those critical of UEFA’s thinking process is Kasper Hjulmand, the head coach of the Danish team. The coach said of the return to the football match after what happened to Eriksen: “Players were in a shock condition: Players who didn’t really know yet if they had lost their best friend. And they have to decide between these two things. And I have a sense that we shouldn’t have played.”
Fortunately, Hjulmand was happy to see that Eriksen was not only stable but interested in how his teammates and family were handling the situation he went through rather than focused on himself.
Earlier, THEWILL reported that the Danish football association released an uplifting statement on Sunday that said that Eriksen “sent his greetings” to teammates while he remains in the hospital for further evaluation of his condition.
The 29-year-old Eriksen has represented Denmark nationally since 2010. In the just concluded football season, he was part of the title-winning Serie A side a Inter Milan and had previously featured for Tottenham Hotspur in the EPL and Ajax in the Eredivisie. His five goals and three assists helped Denmark qualify for the Euros 2020.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
