Simon Kjaer admits he can’t go more than one or two days without thinking about his Denmark teammate Christian Eriksen. Eriksen collapsed of a sudden cardiac arrest on-pitch during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 football match against Finland. Denmark’s captain and a Milan defender, Kjaer says on Eriksen’s collapse – ‘It has become a part of us.’
We, as everyone, hailed Kjaer as a hero after he quickly put Eriksen in the recovery position (the football news).
During this opening UEFA Euro 2020 game, he also shielded him from the crowd and cameras during a cardiac massage. It was he, the captain, who got his players together to form a protective circle around Eriksen, unconscious, and medics.
Not only this, Kjaer, himself in a state of shock, nonetheless then went on to comfort Inter midfielder’s Eriksen’s partner.
Kjaer Says on Eriksen’s Collapse: It Has Become a Part of Us
And now, the exemplary Denmark captain has recalled the incident and shared his persisting feelings about it, even now.
“There’s a day, maybe two, that go by when I don’t think about it. No more than that,” Simon Kjaer confessed to Sport Bild.
“It has become part of us. When we played against Scotland in the World Cup qualifier, we entered the Parkenstadion in normal circumstances, but the bad memories flared right up.
“I had to take it one step at a time. First during the warm-up, then the anthem, it all shocked me a little, personally.
“Once we started playing, though, the feeling was similar to what we experienced there against Belgium and Russia in the Euros. In that stadium, you feel more protected and secure than any other place in the world.”
The UEFA Euro 2020 match against Finland resumed after both teams were assured that Eriksen was fine and undergoing hospitalization.
However, Kjaer was too shaken to play the rest of the game.
Later in Euro 2020, Denmark went on to reach the tournament’s semi-finals, where England defeated (eliminated) them in extra time.
Meanwhile, Eriksen recovered completely. He even had a cardiac implant fitted in, which is preventing him from playing in Serie A (football transfer news).
Kjaer also answered questions of whether he still hopes to play with Eriksen again, either for Denmark or in a Milan derby:
“I’ve said it a hundred times and I’ll say it another hundred times: the only thing that matters is that Christian is ok. All the rest is not important for me.”
