Christian Eriksen has released his first public statement since suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s Euro 2020 game with Finland, insisting he ‘feels better’ and ‘won’t give up’.
The former Tottenham midfielder, who now plays for Inter Milan, required 13 minutes of CPR after collapsing just before half-time but was taken to hospital in a stable condition, where he remains.
Eriksen thanked fans for their support and concern, and vowed to get to the bottom of why he experienced such a sudden and serious health emergency in a short statement released to Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport via his agent.
The 29-year-old’s statement was released on the morning that his team-mates spoke for the first time since the shocking incident in Copenhagen on Saturday.
Tottenham’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said his midfield colleague’s ‘eyes were white’ on the pitch while Barcleona’s Martin Braithwaite added: ‘We were about to lose a friend and a team-mate’.
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.’
Eriksen has been in contact with both his Danish and Inter Milan team-mates on FaceTime calls and has been said to be joking: ‘I think you’re feeling worse than I am!’
The former Spurs midfielder also suggested he would be ‘ready to train’ now, just two days on from his collapse.
Eriksen remains in hospital in Copenhagen with his wife Sabrina and parents, father Thomas and mother Dorthe at his bedside.
Captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel have visited their team-mate in hospital.
‘Now he just has to rest, with him are his wife and parents,’ Eriksen’s agent said.
‘He will remain under observation. But in any case he wants to cheer on his team-mates against Belgium.’
In a video call from Eriksen to the team Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand said the 29-year-old Inter Milan midfielder reassured the group that he was ‘more concerned’ about them.
Hjulmand said: ‘Christian was concerned about us and his family. He said, “I don’t remember much, I’m more concerned about how you guys are doing. I think you are feeling worse than I am. I feel as if I’m about to go training now, boys”.
‘That’s typical Christian. He’s a hell of a player, but what a person he is as well.
‘He would like us to play. It was good to see him smile and we will try to get ourselves together and play for Christian.
‘We will try to establish normality as much as possible. Maybe, for some, the time is too short to play football again, but maybe we can use it as a force to get together.’
Denmark must now prepare for their second game of the Euros against Belgium at the same venue on Thursday, although Hjulmand said that speaking to Eriksen via videolink had helped his players.
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