Euro 2020 already has its hero in Simon Kjaer! After clearing Christian Eriksen’s airways, he made his Denmark team-mates stand in solidarity and consoled the stricken player’s wife in a remarkable show of bravery and leadership
Simon Kjaer was a true captain when Christian Eriksen collapsed against Finland on Saturday.
He was the first to get to the 29-year-old and ensure he didn’t swallow his tongue to create more damage – there by protecting him when he was down. He watched on as he was treated, walked the medical staff out from the field and consoled Christian’s wife.
Euro 2020 already has its hero. The Denmark captain was flawless in handling the drama that risked seeing his team-mate fatally hurt.
Denmark captain Simon Kjaer (right) stood up as a leader when Christian Eriksen collapsed
Kjaer (left) was the first to Eriksen when he went to ground and helped clear his airways
Before the doctors arrived, Kjaer cleared Eriksen’s airways, started the resuscitation process on his heart, one of the fundamental procedures after when a cardiac arrest is suspected. An instinctive gesture that could have really saved his life, an act of heroism.
Leading NHS cardiologist Dr Scott Murray confirmed that this was the right procedure to do and that Eriksen was ‘lucky’ to have such a good support around him.
He told the MailOnline: ‘We’re just lucky that the players on the pitch knew what to do, to put him in a safe position and make sure he wasn’t choking and alert the medical team.’
As can be seen from the images, Kjaer also protected his suffering and unconscious team-mate on the ground as a real captain must do. Like a guardian angel ready to watch over his friend’s body with half-closed eyes: he called all his companions and he built a wall of red shirts to prevent the cameras from capturing Eriksen.
Denmark is the land of fairy tales and thanks to Kjaer, it looks like a bad nightmare will have a happy ending.
Kjaer (top) bravely stayed and watched on as Eriksen received CPR treatment from medics
Kjaer (second left) made sure his team-mates encircled Eriksen while he was unconscious
Kjaer deserves an award from UEFA and FIFA for the great courage shown in the very excited and difficult moments for any athlete to manage.
In a move which so few show in sport, the Danish defender did not take his eyes off of his friend and team-mate. An attitude of a captain – who asked and made sure that all of his team-mates on the field escorted Eriksen to the changing rooms while he was motionless on a stretcher with an oxygen mask attached to his nose.
In this way, Kjaer has prevented many photographers from taking photographs or making videos that could alarm or create unpleasant suggestions to fans all over the world through television.
The defender also consoled Eriksen’s partner Sabrina Kvist (left) when she came to the pitch
Kjaer (second from front) led his side back out to resume nearly two hours after the incident
The Finnish fans shouted the name Christian and all the Danish fans present at the stadium responded by shouting the surname Eriksen: the player was lulled by the noise of love coming from the stands in his darkest hour.
Kjaer’s great elegance was also manifested in consoling the player’s wife who ran to the pitchside area to get information of her husband’s condition.
Kjaer is one of Eriksen’s best friends, and the pair meet up together regularly in Milan, irrespective of the rival teams they play for in the city. And like every true friend he hugged and consoled Sabrina Kvist as a brother or a father would do.
Kjaer deserves to be considered one of the most correct and most human athletes in the history of football.
Now we must continue to investigate the player’s health and try to understand what happened to a healthy athlete who has never had serious physical problems in his career.
Kjaer was dejected after his side lost 1-0 to Finland – but he won the hearts and minds of many