The Euro Cup started with a delayed schedule due to the Corona Virus outbreak and has started on Saturday. It was the match between Denmark and Finland that could have marked the most tragic moment of the tournament as Christian Eriksen suffered a heart attack in the 41st minute of the match. The players and referee handled the situation quite well as the medical staff was called on the pitch immediately and Eriksen was provided with the required medical attention. The Danish players formed a wall to prevent the cameras from capturing one of the most devastating moments in a sportsmen’s life, the CPR was given to the Danish player and soon he was taken to the nearest hospital. The positive news was that Eriksen was conscious when he was stretchered off the pitch. The game was halted and suspended until further notice but the teams decided to continue their campaign without one of the most prominent players on the pitch after the news of his well being was received.
On Saturday night, the footballer was believed to be “awake” and had been brought to the hospital, where he was being stabilised. It is unknown what led Eriksen to fall and his heart to suddenly stop, but this is not the first time such things have occurred in football. Many people recall the demise of Bolton Wanderers player Fabrice Muamba in 2012. Both men were physically fit and showed no indication of impending danger. Dr. Richard Till is a consultant cardiac electrophysiologist at Norfolk and Norwich Hospitals Trust who specialises in cardiac electrical activity. He told The Independent that what occurred to Christian Eriksen was unusual, and that it was likely the quick CPR he received on the field that saved the player’s life. He defined a sudden cardiac arrest as distinct from a heart attack caused by underlying coronary heart disease. This occurs where fatty deposits clog arteries leading to the heart, causing muscle to die and, as a result, the heart to cease pumping. “It is quite doubtful that this is the case in his instance. It is more likely that he has a congenital disease that has gone undetected until now.”
Following is a list of players who have collapsed on the pitch during a match.
FABRICE MUAMBA
The Bolton Wanderers player collapsed on the pitch during an FA Cup match in 2012 owing to a heart attack and was officially “dead” for 78 minutes until being resurrected. The former England under-21 midfielder had to retire soon after, at the age of 24.
BAFETIMBI GOMIS
The French striker has collapsed multiple times on the field owing to a physical ailment that causes him to faint. He has collapsed while playing for Swansea City, Galatasaray, and Al-Hilal.
MARC-VIVIEN FOE
In 2003, the Cameroon midfielder collapsed during a Confederations Cup play. Medical personnel attempted to revive the 28-year-old on the pitch before removing him on a stretcher. However, they were unable to restart his heart and he was proclaimed dead.
ANTONIO PUERTA
The Sevilla midfielder collapsed while jogging back in the first game of the 2007-08 La Liga season against Getafe, and despite walking off the field after being treated by medical personnel, he collapsed again in the changing room. Puerta, a 22-year-old Spain international, was transported to the hospital and died three days later of “multiple organ failure” caused by a heart attack.
CHEICK TIOTE
The midfielder collapsed after a training session with Chinese club Beijing Enterprises four months after leaving Newcastle United. The Ivorian 30-year-old died in the hospital.
The Danish International has been showing positive results and is currently under the supervision of the doctors and the football fraternity has been praying for his well being. Eriksen had recently moved to Inter Milan where he won the League Title under Antonio Conte. The former Tottenham’s player had texted his teammates about hs well being as per the sources. Later in the day, Belgium’s star Romelu Lukaku dedicated his goal to Eriksen, who happens to be his Inter Milan teammate, during his side’s 3-0 thrashing of Russia. During the jubilation for his first goal, Lukaku yelled into a pitchside camera, “Chris, Chris, be strong — I love you.”
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