CNN
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More than 18 months have passed since then Christian Eriksen He collapsed on the field at Euro 2020 after being knocked out Cardiac arrest.
The Danish midfielder received life-saving treatment during his country’s match against Finland in June 2021, and was eventually resuscitated and taken to hospital.
Players on the pitch, on the pitch and fans around the world held their breath as Eriksen’s teammates linked arms to hide his fight for survival.
The scenes bore similarities to Monday Night when he was a Buffalo Bills player Hamelin’s devastation collapsed in the field.
Like Eriksen, Hamlin also suffered a cardiac arrest. According to the Bills, his heartbeat was restored on the field and the 24-year-old remains in a “critical condition” at a Cincinnati hospital.
The Buffalo Bills coaches got to Hamlin within 10 seconds of his collapse, similar to the team doctors who saved Eriksen’s life.
“Well, what should I say? He’s gone,” He said Danish team doctor Morten Posen at the time.
“And we did CPR and it was cardiac arrest. How close did we come? I don’t know.”
Eriksen was later fitted with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), a type of pacemaker intended to prevent fatal cardiac arrests by discharging a jolt to restore a regular heart rhythm, and incredibly returned to the sport he loved.
Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland was restarted later the same evening after a request was made by both teams’ players to end the game.
Eriksen was conscious when he left the pitch, even waving to fans as he was carried away on a stretcher, and a statement from the Danish Football Association shortly afterwards confirmed that he was awake in hospital awaiting further examination.
This was in contrast to Hamelin. The NFL player was resuscitated only once after collapsing on the football field Monday night, a representative for Hamlin’s family said, friend and marketing representative Gordon Rooney told CNN on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Hamlin’s uncle told CNN and ESPN that the Buffalo Bills safety had been revived twice — once on the field and once in the hospital — but Rooney said the uncle got it wrong.
“His uncle is incredibly supportive of his nephew… I think he, you know, just wanted to do his part to share some good news and I think he just screwed up,” Rooney said.
Despite the decision to restart the game by the players, Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand admitted the next day that he thought it was a “wrong decision”.
“It was very difficult for the players,” he told reporters. “They didn’t even know if they were likely to lose their best friend.
“I have a feeling we shouldn’t have played and the players should have made the decision. I’m really proud of the way the world has reacted to this incident.
“It’s often about money, but yesterday we saw what football is all about – compassion and love.”
Just 259 days after his collapse, Eriksen made his competitive return in the Premier League after signing for Brentford.
Italian club Inter Milan – who was signed at the time of the accident – allowed the midfielder to move abroad as he was unable to play in Italy unless the ICD device was removed.
Eriksen came on in the 52nd minute in Brentford’s 2-0 loss to Newcastle United in February 2022 and received a hero’s welcome.
“If you take away the result, I’m a happy man. To go back to what I went through, to come back is a great feeling,” Eriksen said afterwards.
After a brief but successful spell at Brentford, Eriksen moved to Manchester United in July 2022 where he continues to play a pivotal role in the team.
He has played 15 league matches so far this season, scoring once.
Then, in November 2022, Eriksen fulfilled his dream of playing for Denmark in the World Cup for the third time.
The 30-year-old played every minute of Denmark’s three matches at Qatar 2022, before leaving his country in the group stage.
Speaking before the tournament, Eriksen said the Euro 2020 incident had changed his view of football and life.
“I think it gave me … let’s say appreciation for being alive and being with my family. I think everything else has moved to the side,” he told reporters.
“The goal was really to have the possibility to go back and be who I used to be. My number one goal was always to be a friend and a father.
“It’s still very special to be in the World Cup. The national team is something I’m excited to be a part of again.”