Denmark's Eriksen stable after collapsing during Euro 2020 match

Christian Eriksen is stable in hospital after collapsing on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland on Saturday, UEFA announced.

The Danish Football Federation said the 29-year-old is awake and will undergo further examinations.

Eriksen fell to the ground late in the first half of Saturday’s game in Copenhagen while walking to the touchline after the ball had gone out of play. His Danish teammates quickly surrounded him and gestured furiously for medical personnel. Medics arrived on the scene to administer CPR while Denmark’s players shielded the Inter Milan midfielder for privacy.

He was stretchered off after receiving treatment for roughly 10 minutes as both sets of players and a silent crowd watched on. Many on the field were in tears.

Danish captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel comforted Eriksen’s partner, Sabrina Kvist Jensen, who had rushed down to field level after the incident.

“I want to start by saying that I’ve had a talk with Christian’s family,” Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen told reporters. “We were called on to the pitch when Christian fell down. I didn’t see it myself, but it was pretty clear that he was unconscious. When I got to him, he is on his side. He is breathing and I can feel his pulse, but suddenly that changes. And as everyone saw, we started giving him CPR.”

Peter Moeller, director of the nation’s football federation, said Eriksen received a “heart massage” on the pitch.

UEFA initially suspended the match due to the medical emergency. The fixture eventually resumed, with the governing body announcing that the players asked to continue during a collective meeting.

“Following the request made by players of both teams, UEFA has agreed to restart the match,” it said.

The teams returned to the field after more than 90 minutes and were welcomed by a loud ovation from the crowd, which had earlier been chanting Eriksen’s name in unison. Finland went on to win the match, 1-0.

Belgium’s game against Russia, the last of the day’s scheduled contests, went ahead as planned, with Romelu Lukaku delivering a heartfelt message to his club teammate Eriksen after scoring a goal.