Denmark's Eriksen says 'I'm fine' from hospital after collapsing in Euro 2020 football match

Denmark's Christian Eriksen, who collapsed on the pitch on June 12, posted a photo on Instagram saying he was fine. PHOTOS: AFP, INSTAGRAM

COPENHAGEN (AFP) - Christian Eriksen, the Danish football player who collapsed on the pitch in his country's opening Euro 2020 game last Saturday (June 12), said that he was doing "fine", in an Instagram post from hospital on Tuesday (June 15).

"I'm fine - under the circumstances, I still have to go through some examinations at the hospital, but I feel okay," he wrote in a post accompanying a photo of him smiling and giving a thumbs-up.

“Now, I will cheer on the boys on the Denmark team in the next matches. Play for all of Denmark."

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said it would be “very emotional” for the players to return to the stadium where they witnessed their teammate collapse.

“I have said – very a propos – that Christian is the heart of our team. He is the pulse, the rhythm of our game,” Hjulmand told reporters on Tuesday.

“No one can replace Christian... But together we will do something together, something different."

Eriksen collapsed just before half-time in the match against Finland and was taken to hospital after receiving cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the pitch.

Uefa offered the players, who gathered in the locker room, the choice of resuming the match on Saturday evening or beginning again on Sunday at noon local time (1000 GMT).

Hjulmand sharpened his criticism of governing body Uefa's handling of the incident.

“I felt that the players and I were being put under pressure. That is the truth. Everything else is not true,” the 29-year-old midfielder said.

“I would have liked if Uefa had said: Of course there will be no more playing tonight, go home and we’ll look at it later,” he added.

Uefa said on Monday that it had dealt with the matter as carefully as it could at the time.

“Uefa is sure it treated the matter with utmost respect for the sensitive situation and for the players. It was decided to restart the match only after the two teams requested to finish the game on the same evening,” it said.

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