Denmark national team are nominated for the FIFA Fair Play Award for their heroic response to Christian Eriksen’s on-pitch cardiac arrest at Euro 2020
- The Denmark national team have been shortlisted for FIFA’s Fair Play Award
- The former Tottenham midfielder went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on pitch
- Eriksen needed 13 minutes of CPR before going to hospital in a stable condition
- The Denmark star was released from hospital following six days of treatment
- The heroic response has led to whole team being nominated for gong this year
The Denmark national team have been shortlisted for FIFA’s Fair Play Award for their response to Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest at Euro 2020.
The former Tottenham midfielder went into cardiac arrest and collapsed shortly before half-time in Denmark’s opening game of the tournament against Finland in the summer.
Danish team doctor Morten Boesen later revealed the Inter Milan star was ‘gone’ before he was revived using CPR and a single defibrillator shock on the pitch, as distraught team-mates formed a protective ring around medics treating Eriksen.
Denmark national team are on the shortlist for FIFA’s Fair Play Award for their heroic response to Christian Eriksen’s cardiac arrest at Euro 2020
Denmark players formed a protective shield around the stricken star as he was treated
Eriksen, 29, was in hospital receiving treatment for six days before being released
Skipper Simon Kjaer was quick to realise Eriksen was in trouble and to summon medical help, and he, alongside the remaining members of the team, formed a protective shield around the stricken former Spurs star as he was treated.
The heroic response has led to the whole team being nominated for FIFA’s Fair Play gong this year. Eriksen required 13 minutes of CPR before he was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Kjaer, who comforted Eriksen’s partner Sabrina, and English referee Anthony Taylor were praised for their swift and empathetic reaction to the tragic events.
The match was postponed just after 6pm and Eriksen was seen sitting upright whilst being taken off on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on his mouth just minutes later.
He was admitted to hospital before the Danish FA confirmed that he was awake and conscious, while his agent Michael Schoots revealed later that he was able to speak and talk whilst receiving more checks.
The Denmark players then decided to finish off the match after hearing the news of Eriksen’s recovery.
The Danish star suffered a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 game with Finland
They lost 1-0 to Finland but ended up reaching the semi-finals of the tournament before being defeated by England at Wembley.
Eriksen was released from hospital following six days of treatment, which included him being fitted with an ICD (implantable cardioverter defibrillator).
Rules in Italy state that people with a defibrillator like Eriksen has are not allowed to play contact sport. But the 29-year-old could theoretically continue his career in another country, with different rules.
Ajax defender Daley Blind, for example, was also fitted with an ICD after being diagnosed with heart muscle inflammation, but has continued playing for the Eredivisie champions, as well as internationally for Holland.
Denmark are in the running for the FIFA accolade alongside former Celtic captain Scott Brown and Watford boss Claudio Ranieri.
Brown has been recognised for his support to Rangers’ Glen Kamara after he was racially abused, while Ranieri is in the frame for instructing his Sampdoria team to give Serie A champions Inter Milan a guard of honour. The winner is set to be announced next month.
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