Christian Eriksen is a talent of his generation. A centurion for his country and a veteran of over 500 club games for Ajax, Tottenham Hotspur and Internazionale. A sporting idol to millions of fans, it is easy to forget he also lives a normal family life.
On Saturday evening in Copenhagen, Eriksen fought for his life on a stage that has shaped his professional identity, EKO HOT BLOG gathered.
The harrowing images of his collapse moments before half-time shocked and shook the world, and as the medics successfully worked to revive him, he suddenly became no different to any of us.
The actions of captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel in consoling Eriksen’s wife on the sidelines while dealing with their own emotional struggles complemented the actions of the rest of the team in forming a human shield to protect the dignity of the stricken star. Eriksen may have been fighting a personal battle, but he was never alone.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Players In Tears As Eriksen Slumps During Euro 2020 Game [PHOTOS]
But while football was an irrelevance on Saturday evening, it was a powerful irrelevance. There was a strength in the unity between the players of Denmark and Finland.
The fans who witnessed the devastating chain of events were no longer there to support their country; they were there to support each other.
The decision to restart the match just a couple of hours later was important for the players of Denmark in a show of their collective support for Christian Eriksen and his family. They were honouring his wish to continue with the game.
Messages of hope were delivered across social media from around the world within seconds of Eriksen’s collapse.
The outpouring of love shown was a testament to how the game brings people together. A few hours later, Romelu Lukaku scored the opening goal for Belgium against Russia and dedicated that to Eriksen.
For the record, Denmark lost 1-0 to Finland. That is nothing more than a minor technicality, but the fact the game was played to a conclusion in the circumstances is a reason to celebrate.
Denmark will not care about defeat; their emotions have already been drained through the events that have scarred them, and through Eriksen’s early recovery that would have brought immense relief.
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