Christian Eriksen has released his first public statement since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 game with Finland, insisting he ‘won’t give up’.
The Inter Milan midfielder required 13 minutes of CPR after collapsing just before half-time against Finland on Saturday, but was taken to hospital in a stable condition, where he is currently.
In a short statement released to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport via his agent, Eriksen thanked fans for their support and concern and vowed to find out why he suffered serious health emergency.
Eriksen’s statement this morning read: ‘Thank you, I won’t give up. I feel better now – but I want to understand what’s happened.
‘I want to say thank you all for what you did for me.’
‘Now he just has to rest, with him are his wife and parents,’ Eriksen’s agent added.
‘He will remain under observation. But in any case he wants to cheer on his team-mates against Belgium.’
Eriksen’s teammates, Hojbjerg, Braithwaite, and Leicester City goalkeeper Schmeichel all spoke about the scary health experience on Monday morning at a press conference.
Schmeichel said: ‘I have chosen to say to myself that this has had a happy ending – it’s not the end yet, but it could have been so much worse.
‘I am grateful to be part of a team that has stood together as much as we have done. And I’m grateful Christian’s still here.
‘I tried to imagine if it was me who was lying there. I knew Christian’s wife, children, and parents were there, so at one point I tried to look for them. It is an inhuman situation for them to go through.’
Braithwaite added: ‘We were all about to lose a friend and a team-mate. I do not remember exactly what I said in the prayer. But it has strengthened my faith, that’s for sure.’
Hojbjerg said: ‘I saw Christian lying there and looking towards the field. His eyes were white and I thought it looked very strange. I saw Simon Kjaer rush off, and then you start thinking what it is. I walked slowly across the bench.
‘More and more first aiders came over, and I could see Simon waving his arms. I stood for a long time with the coaches and talked, and I could see that there are some arms that move with the first aid. That was creepy.’