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At 5pm on Saturday 12th June, Denmark and Finland kicked off their opening Euro 2020 game of Group B in Copenhagen expecting a good Scandinavian battle like no other. No one ever thought or saw what was going to happen coming by any means.
In the 41st minute, Inter Milan’s Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch as a throw-in was taken towards him and was given CPR by the medical team who came onto the scene whilst the football world went into shock. It was revealed a day later that he had suffered a cardiac arrest.
As a result of which, the Denmark players and medical staff then made the decision to cover what was going on from the media and public whilst Eriksen was being treated by the medics. A decision applauded to give privacy to Eriksen and his family at this time in their hour of need.
For many watching this event unfold live, this brought back memories of Fabrice Muamba who ended up having collapsed in March 2012 whilst playing for Bolton Wanderers against Tottenham in a televised FA Cup match. Fabrice thankfully recovered despite his heart having stopped for 78 minutes but was told to retire immediately upon doctors advice and ultimately saw his career over.
Muamba himself even tweeted this in reference to Eriksen with many fans hoping the Dane would recover like the former-Arsenal trainee did.
Fabrice has moved onto speaking out openly about what he went through alongside other issues in football given the platform he has been given since that awful day in March 2012 when his career came to an unforeseen halt.
Please God
— fabrice muamba (@fmuamba6) June 12, 2021
Fans and players alike were sending tweets out to Eriksen in hope he makes a speedy recovery. Marcus Rashford being just one of many players who sent their support out to the Denmark national team and Eriksen.
????
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) June 12, 2021
For those in the UK, BBC’s coverage of the game stopped at 6pm with non-football programmes shown instead for the time being before being moved back on at 7.20pm following a special BBC News bulletin. The BBC themselves apologised to their viewers for showing the moving images of the aftermath that had gone on before they cut it back to the studio to get reaction from their pundits.
It was also announced that England’s Harry Kane and Gareth Southgate would not be doing their press conference as a result of the events given Kane like many others in the England squad, including that of Kyle Walker and Kieran Trippier, had played with Eriksen during their days at Tottenham. As had many of the squad played against Eriksen during his Premier League days.
But it goes without saying that whilst many fans felt that the game should be rescheduled for a later date, it was eventually decided as stated in this tweet below that the final four minutes of the game were to be played followed by a five minute interval before continuing the game whilst also stating that the scheduled Belgium vs Russia game in St Petersburg was going to be played as scheduled.
UEFA had emergency talks whilst the break of nearly two hours progressed before continuing once more and it eventually emerged that Eriksen was sent to hospital and was also seen leaving with his head up whilst carried out which was a positive sign of recovery. They finally announced the news.
Following the request made by players of both teams, UEFA has agreed to restart the match between Denmark and Finland tonight at 20:30 CET.
The last four minutes of the first half will be played, there will then be a 5-minute half-time break followed by the second half.
— UEFA EURO 2020 (@EURO2020) June 12, 2021
Both teams were welcomed back out to a standing ovation of applause at 7.05pm before restarting at 7.30pm and it was felt by many that the remain four minutes of the first half was played out rather under a sentimental stance before the second half offered the full competitiveness that we had seen prior to Eriksen’s collapse.
However after the second half started, things got underway with Joel Pohjanpalo striking a header in from Jere Uronen’s cross beyond Leicester keeper Kasper Schmeichel. The goal coming at the hour mark of the game and whilst it was Finland’s first ever goal at an international competition (unless you count their participations at the 1912, 1936, 1952 and 1980 Summer Olympics Football tournaments in which they have scored a total of 14 goals and conceded 29 overall).
But to most people, the result won’t matter. Denmark still have a chance to qualify for the knock out stages providing they win their next two group games. All that matters is the health of Christian Eriksen and he is guaranteed a good recovery whilst in hospital.
For Finland either way, given their Scandinavian neighbours in Denmark, Norway and Sweden have all achieved glory and success at one point or another in international competitions over the past 100 years, only them and the Faroe Islands hadn’t reached the European Championships Group Stages given Iceland had taken part in the 2016 competition for the first time so this victory over their local neighbours in Copenhagen despite the events that had taken place on it unexpectedly and unforeseen, will remain part of Finland’s footballing history.
Like some teams in the tournament, some took Finland to be a side that are just happy to be here but this rather shock victory over Denmark has seen them into second place. Providing they get at least another point, there is nothing to say they can’t force their way through into the knockout stages via the third place route.
But for many across the world, the fear remains that we could yet see more similar cardiac arrests like that of Fabrice Muamba and Christian Eriksen in the future at matches amid the hotter summers and more pressure on games to be played by players over a short time frame.
The fact UEFA permitted an increase from 23 man squads to 26 is evident that players have been pushed to the limits over the past 15 months in terms of their fitness and playing across an action-packed season that includes league, continental cup, international and domestic cup competitions taking place across a short span of time. More so as a result of the break caused by Covid-19 which is why this seasons Championships are taking place now and not as they should’ve been held over a year ago.
There will now be an expected rise in defibrillators being bought or purchased for those clubs who are unable to pay out for one whilst in the UK, this tweet below saw a vast amount of attraction as people highlight the importance of CPR and cardiac arrest with knowing what to do in their time of need.
There is a FREE Sudden Cardiac Arrest training course that you can take on the FA’s website.
I encourage anyone and everyone to take sometime out of their day to complete it.
This could happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. BE PREPARED.
Link: https://t.co/Dyof7d4Tav pic.twitter.com/DKJ3wkYGib
— Amy (@amypurser_) June 12, 2021
Christian Eriksen like his fellow-former Premier League player Fabrice Muamba is now recovering as best as he can following what happened to him. And whatever happens between now and the rest of the tournament, expect Denmark to be playing in honour of their fellow countryman who has accomplished 527 club appearances in his career alongside a monumental 109 appearances for his country. Just 20 appearances behind record holder Peter Schmeichel.
We wish him all the best and hope he has a speedy recovery. We also send our best wishes and support to Eriksen’s family and friends at this time.
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