Euro 2020: Finland shock rattled Denmark after Christian Eriksen medical emergency

Finland created a major upset in Euro 2020 as they defeated Denmark thanks to a goal from Joel Pohjanpalo but the match was marred by a medical emergency to Christian Eriksen.

Finland staged a major upset in Euro 2020 against Denmark but the match was marred by the medical emergency for Christian Eriksen. (Image credit: Twitter)
By Siddharth vishwanathan | Jun 13, 2021 | 3 Min Read follow icon Follow Us

On any given day, Finland beating Denmark would have dominated the world of football. It was another instance of a small nation on debut upsetting a big power. But, Finland’s win was overshadowed by a horrible medical situation that left football fans praying. Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed to the ground without any contact in the second half while he was attempting to receive a throw-in.

The game was suspended for close to two hours. Towards midnight India time, UEFA released a tweet stating that the match was resuming. This came after the Danish Football Association announced that Eriksen was awake and stable in hospital. Both sets of players told soccer’s European governing body UEFA they wanted to continue.

Denmark clearly rattled by Christian Eriksen situation

Although the game continued, Denmark was rattled. The dominance that they had established prior to Eriksen’s collapsing had gone. In the 60th minute, Joel Pohjanpalo scored the goal for Finland. Denmark had 22 attempts at goal but they could not convert. Finland held on and they managed to secure a dramatic win. The team celebrated with their fans. Denmark’s players were still worried about the Eriksen situation.

The Danish players had surrounded Eriksen after he fell and remained unconscious. The referee and the players on the pitch hastily called for medical support. The Inter Milan player had to given immediate treatment on the pitch. A stunned silence engulfed the stadium in Copenhagen as medical personnel treated Eriksen for over 10 minutes. The Danish players looked shell-shocked. Some had tears running down their faces, while others could not bear to look at the scene.

The fans had remained in the stadium even after the announcement, hoping for Eriksen’s quick recovery. The cause of the collapse is being speculated to be cardiac arrest.

The Danish players had later formed a circle around the 29-year-old in an attempt to block television cameras and media photographers to get a shot of the player receiving treatment. They all then held up a white cloth over their heads. This shielded Erikson from any overhead cameras from getting a shot as he was being stretchered out of the pitch.

The importance of Christian Eriksen

Eriksen began his career with Ajax after joining the Dutch giants’ academy as a teenager. He represented the club between 2008 and 2013, during which he helped the club in winning four Eredivisie titles. Eriksen recorded 30 assists (the second-best total in the Eredivisie), maintained the best pass accuracy as well as the most assists from dead-ball situations in his final two seasons at the Dutch club.

Christian Eriksen did not take much time in showcasing his capabilities, emerging as one of the top players in the English club. The Danish midfielder scored 51 goals in 226 appearances for Tottenham, with 62 assists in the same number of games. Eriksen became a vital cog in Mauricio Pochettino’s side, with his devastating creativity allowing fellow attackers Harry Kane and Dene Alli to express themselves beautifully. He created more chances than anyone else in the Premier League since his debut with 571 chances, which is 20 more than second-placed Mesut Ozil.

Eriksen has only been a part of the Serie-A team for a season, playing a total of 34 matches in all competitions and scoring four goals for the side so far. His performances played a key role in Inter Milan winning the Scudetto, making his presence felt with excellent performances.

Christian Eriksen’s journey for Denmark

Eriksen is Denmark’s most capped player with 108 caps. He is the team’s top goalscorer with 36 goals. His journey with the national team began after started after his call-up with the under-17 football team in July 2007. Eriksen impressed in his debut, scoring nine goals in 16 games for the U-17s.

The midfielder further made his presence felt for the Denmark U-18 and U-19 teams, resulting in an opportunity for the U-21 squad to the European Championship. Eriksen received his first senior call-up in February 2010. The footballer made his debut in Denmark’s friendly match against Austria in March. He became the nation’s fourth-youngest full international and the youngest debutant since Michael Laudrup.

With this medical emergency in the opening game, Eriksen could be sidelined for the remainder of Euro 2020. This will be a big blow for the Danes as they are currently at the bottom of the table. With Russia and Belgium in the mix, it will be a very difficult situation for Denmark to recover after the loss against Finland.





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