‘I feel as if I’m about to go training now’
First there was shock, then came despair, and, after an agonising wait, joyous relief. There is no sight in football more shocking than a player falling to the ground under no challenge and seemingly with no injury.
A famous Finland victory in their first game at the finals of a major tournament was eclipsed by near-tragedy when Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen, who remained in hospital and was in stable condition, collapsed during their Euro 2020 match.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. He suffered a cardiac arrest when he collapsed, his team's doctor confirmed on Sunday, but the reason remained unclear.
"He was gone; we did cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest. We got him back after one defib (defibrillation)," Morten Boesen told a news conference, adding that Eriksen remained in hospital for further tests after his collapse on Saturday.
"The exams that have been done so far look fine," Boesen added. "We don't have an explanation to why it happened."
His former cardiologist Dr. Sanjay Sharma of St. George's University of London earlier said Eriksen had no prior heart issues during his time with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur.
The Danish players had been in contact with Eriksen via a video conference, said Peter Moller, director of Danish football association DBU.
Coach Kasper Hjulmand said Eriksen had told him he did not remember much from Saturday's collapse and that he was eager to get back on to the pitch.
Hjulmand quoted the midfielder as saying: "I think you are feeling worse than I am. I feel as if I'm about to go training now, boys." "Christian is in good spirits and it's a huge relief for the players after all this uncertainty," Hjulmand said. "There is no doubt that we have been on the ropes."
Finland skipper Tim Sparv described the contest as an emotional roller-coaster.
"Our thoughts are with Christian Eriksen and his loved ones during these difficult times," Sparv tweeted. "Football is so insignificant when something like this happens. Life is precious. Take care of each other."