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5 months ago
18
Three years ago today, Christian Eriksen collapsed on the pitch during Denmark's opening Euro 2020 game against Finland in Copenhagen.
It is one of the most memorable moments of Euro 2020, and unfortunately is not one football fans will forget in a hurry.
The sight of the then-Inter Milan player's body laying limp on the pitch, his team-mates rallying around to create a human shield and paramedics rushing to administrate CPR as a eerie hush fell upon the stadium while fans looked on in fear will soon not be forgotten.
Only 29-years-old at the time, the Dane required 13 minutes of CPR after collapsing just before half-time as he was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
The match was quickly suspended - but UEFA announced just hours later that it would resume 'following the request made by players of both teams'.
Three years ago Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest in Denmark's Euro 2020 opener
He was given CPR by medics who ran on to the pitch at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen
Eriksen's team-mates shielded him for privacy during the distressing scenes against Finland
Eriksen was carried away by medics shielded by his team-mates alert and talking
The midfielder's wife - Sabrina Kvist - was seen crying on the touchline as she rushed down to the pitch.
Many supporters were in tears and others turned away, unable to watch the distressing scenes. Meanwhile, Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel ran to comfort Kvist Jensen, who has two children with Eriksen.
At 5.55pm, the devastated Finland team left the field, followed by the referee and other match officials.
Shortly afterwards, Eriksen, by now conscious, was removed from the pitch.
Many fans from both countries stayed behind to chant their support. Finland fans could be heard chanting 'Christian' and the Danes responded with a chorus of 'Eriksen'.
Despite Eriksen's team-mates being distraught and in a state of shock they showed their immense strength and character to finish the match later that day, which they would go on to lose 1-0.
However, their story did not have a sad ending and certainly didn't end there as the Danish side defied the odds to go on and reach the semi-finals.
Eriksen's wife Sabrina Kvist rushed on to the Copenhagen pitch to be beside her husband
Kvist was seen in floods of tears and was consoled by Denmark players Kjaer and Schmeichel
Fans cheered for Eriksen as the match between Finland and Denmark resumed later that night
As Denmark so often do, they relish at the idea of being underdogs and one of the overlooked teams when heading into a major tournament.
They are a team who have a fight in their bellies and need no extra motivation to go out and perform on the international stage.
They are resilient, calm and true fighters which they proved at Euro 2020 despite all the adversity they faced in a stunning campaign which was overshadowed by the health of their team-mate Eriksen.
Having lost their opening two games in the group to Finland and Belgium, Denmark looked like they were destined for a group-stage exit, which would have been justified considering what the players had witnessed in the opening half of their first game in Copenhagen.
However, the Danes never ones to walk away from an uphill battle, managed to turnaround their campaign as they delivered a pulsating 4-1 performance against Russia to secure an unthinkable place in the knockout stages.
Denmark did the unthinkable beating Russia 4-1 to advance to the knockout stages
Emotionally charged by Eriksen's absence, Denmark marched on, thrashing Wales 4-0 in the last 16 to set up a quarter-final clash with familiar foes Czechia (then known as the Czech Republic) - who beat them 3-0 in the quarter-finals of Euro 2004.
Setting out with vengeance Kasper Hjulmand's men beat the Czechia 2-1 thanks to two first-half strikes from Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg.
This secured them a slot in the semi-finals where they would meet with Gareth Southgate's England.
It looked as though Denmark's fairytale would continue, as youngster Mikkel Damsgaard found they back of Jordan Pickford's net when he hit a pin-point free-kick on the 30-minute mark.
Their lead did not last very long though, as England managed to pull one back when Simon Kjaer's block from a Saka cross made its way into the back of the net.
England would take the lead in extra-time following a controversial penalty call which saw Kane's attempt saved before ending up in the back of the net after Kane's rebound shot.
Kasper Hjulmand's men beat the Czechia 2-1 in the quarter-finals thanks to two first-half strikes from Thomas Delaney and Kasper Dolberg
The Danes charged by Eriksen's absence booked their place in a Euros semi for the first time since 1992
They met England in the semi-finals, losing 2-1 at Wembley after a tremendous campaign
Despite their semi-final exit, Denmark had a tournament to remember and will carry the memories from 2021 into Germany this summer as they hope to defy the odds once more and go far in the competition.
Denmark will meet their 2020 semi-finals opponents in Group C, where they will also play Slovenia and Serbia.
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