Denmark’s Euro 2020 game against Finland was suspended after Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field, in distressing scenes in Copenhagen.
Eriksen, the former Tottenham midfielder, was given CPR treatment by medical staff as stunned team-mates watched on in tears, with the game called off around 6pm.
Three minutes before the end of the first-half, Eriksen fell to the floor as he ran to control the ball from a throw-in, with no players near him, and English referee Anthony Taylor immediately called for assistance.
Eriksen appeared to receive heart treatment from medics, with some of his Denmark team-mates praying as the Parken Stadium fell silent.
TV cameras panned away as the Inter Milan player received further medical attention, with Eriksen’s partner Sabrina comforted by Denmark captain Simon Kjaer and goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel on the pitch.
Officials at the stadium held up two white sheets to ensure supporters could not see Eriksen being treated.
BBC’s Match of The Day were screening the game and ended the scheduled show shortly after 6pm, when news of the postponement had been made official.
The sickening incident evoked memories of Fabrice Muamba, the former Bolton midfielder, who suffered a cardiac arrest in an FA Cup tie against Tottenham nine years ago.
Muamba tweeted on Saturday night ‘Please God’.
05:03 PM
Denmark’s players around Eriksen
04:56 PM
Denmark players around Eriksen
Looks like they are trying to prevent the TV cameras from getting any closer footage, which is quite right.
04:54 PM
All that needs saying
04:53 PM
This is horrendous
The fans in the stands have hands on their heads and the Denmark players are standing around Eriksen. You have to wonder how long the cameras will keep rolling, given this looks to be an incident of the gravest kind it is possible to imagine on a football pitch.
04:47 PM
The medics look to be carrying out PCR
This is one of the most sickening and worrying incidents I have ever seen on a football pitch. The only comparable scenario I can recall is Fabrice Muamba at White Hart Lane in the FA Cup all those years ago for Bolton.
Some players are in tears and the commentators are desperately searching for words. This could lead to the game being suspended.
04:45 PM
Horrible scenes here: Christian Eriksen has collapsed to the turf
Anthony Taylor called for medical assistance straight away and players from both teams look in some distress. We should not speculate about what the problem is but it looks extremely serious. Medics are surrounding Eriksen now and he is down on the turf.
04:43 PM
42 minutes
Good work in midfield from the Finland captain Sparv who is a big presence in the middle of the part. Kamara then gives the ball away cheaply but Finland deal with Hojberg’s through ball.
04:40 PM
39 minutes
Denmark making inroads down the left again through the left-back Maehle but Brathwaite shoots wide with his right peg from the left corner of the box. The clock is ticking towards half time but there will be significant stoppage time.
04:37 PM
Hojberg’s chance
04:35 PM
35 minutes
The game is back under way and Denmark have another corner thanks to a burst down the left from Maehle. Then there’s ANOTHER clash of heads, which is a bit disappointing for the flow of the game. O’Shaughnessy down after a whack in the nose. He is good to continue.
04:30 PM
29 minutes
A short stoppage in play with Christensen down with a facial injury. He looks like he should fine to carry on after some treatment.
There will be another stoppage on the way though after Finland goalkeeper Hradecky clatters his own man Uronen when dealing with a cross to the back post. The defender was trying to usher Poulsen out of the way but clashed heads with his goalkeeper.
04:26 PM
26 minutes
Finland cause their own problems by sending a throw-in square across midfield, but Brathwaite lets them off the hook by blasting past the near post from a tight angle on the left. His conversion rate is not really international class.
04:24 PM
24 minutes
That is the kind of moment Finland are waiting for! Denmark’s defenders were pushed up the pitch and Pukki beat Kjaer to a bouncing ball. He claims he was held back when the Danish defender battled to get back at him, but I think it was just a good turn of pace from Kjaer. Had a foul be given, it would have been a clear goalscoring opportunity. Anthony Taylor turns down the appeal, rightly so.
04:22 PM
22 minutes
Finland do not convince when defending a regulation cross from the left and concede a corner. It breaks for Delaney at the back post, but he was always leaning back and scooped over the bar. His technique let him down there.
04:21 PM
Some Irish presence at least
04:19 PM
20 minutes
Eriksen with a clean strike from just outside the box which Hradecky beats away. Feels a matter of time before Denmark find the breakthrough here, they are playing pretty well. Kjaer wastes another potential attack with a long ball to nobody.
04:18 PM
18 minutes
Finland fire a pass into Pukki on halfway and he does well to make it stick. This is much better from Finland, playing the ball around the back with composure. Kamara brings it forward, but a throw-in decision goes Denmark’s way.
04:16 PM
15 minutes
That was a good intervention from Hradecky though. Hojberg made an uncharacteristic burst into the box and got his head to a cross but the goalkeeper tipped it over the bar. Pukki tries to gain some yards for Finland but Poulsen gets back at him to win the ball back.
04:13 PM
13 minutes
Denmark have another corner after more good football. Hradecky spills the attempted catch but gathers at the second attempt. Nervous start from the goalkeeper.
04:12 PM
11 minutes
Finland dropping into a 5-3-2 shape when out of possession. The vulnerability of that system can be quick switches of play to the opposition full-backs, which slowly drains the midfielders of energy as they are forced to sprint out wide. Delaney whips a cross in but Wind glances a difficult header wide.
04:10 PM
9 minutes
Braithwaite looks to play a one-two with Eriksen at the edge of the box but the ball runs away from him. Denmark moving the ball with a good tempo so far, looking to drag Finland out of shape. The underdogs are just about hanging in there.
04:08 PM
7 minutes
Denmark settling into a good period of possession and it ends with their first shot in anger. Wind let fly from 22 yards or so but the ‘keeper Hradecky was equal to it and pushed it away. Denmark are looking to crowd him at corners but Finland survive this one.
04:06 PM
5 minutes
Finland’s Robin Lod has picked up a very early booking, sliding through Brathwaite close to the touchline. Moments later the Danish forward wins a corner. Eriksen to deliver an inswinger. The Finland goalkeeper Hradecky makes a meal of the ball to the near post but eventually gathers.
04:03 PM
3 minutes
Denmark playing with a back four, Christensen and Kjaer at the heart of it. The Chelsea man was excellent when he replaced Thiago Silva in the Champions League final, Kjaer was a regular for a Milan team who qualified for the Champions League. Delaney and Hojberg will sit in front of them.
Finland gain some early territory as Kamara wins a throw deep in the Denmark half. O’Shaughnessy fires a long throw into the box but Denmark clear.
04:00 PM
KICK OFF!
The stadium in Copenhagen is very close to full which is great to see. Denmark, who are the home team, get us started.
03:55 PM
The teams are on their way out
Separate tunnels in Copenhagen. Of course, this was the stadium where Arsenal won their last European trophy in the 1994 Cup Winners’ Cup.
03:54 PM
An all Scandinavian affair
Finland and Denmark have roughly equivalent populations but Finland has a far greater land mass, much of it uninhabited. There is no great animosity between the two teams though, in fact this is their first competitive meeting. Denmark vs Sweden is the fixture that tends to get lively.
03:43 PM
The warm ups
03:38 PM
Pukki starts for Finland
The striker was doubtful with an ankle problem so that is great news for Finland fans. He might have to plough a lone furrow for long periods of this game
03:08 PM
All of our predictions in one place
Winners, top goalscorer, star of the tournament, how far England will go and much more. Find out what our writers think here.
03:08 PM
Who makes your top 10?
Our series ranking the best 50 players in the tournament reaches its conclusion today as Sam Dean names his top 10. How many England players are in there? Find out with our final verdict here.
03:01 PM
Finland manager Markku Kanerva
02:58 PM
Denmark team and subs
Starting XI: Schmeichel, Wass, Kjaer, Christensen, Maehle, Eriksen, Delaney, Hojbjerg, Poulsen, Wind, Braithwaite
Subs: Andersen, Vestergaard, Skov Olsen, Dolberg, Damsgaard, Norgaard, Lossl, Stryger Larsen, Cornelius, Ronnow, Jensen, Boilesen
02:55 PM
Finland team and subs
Starting XI: Hradecky, Uronen, Toivio, Arajuuri, O’Shaughnessy, Raitala, Sparv, Kamara, Lod, Pohjanpalo, Pukki
Subs: Vaisanen, Taylor, Jensen, Schuller, Joronen, Soiri, Hamalainen, Kauko, Lappalainen, Jaakkola, Ivanov, Forss
02:46 PM
A quick guide to Denmark
02:36 PM
Scenes from the city centre
02:28 PM
Finland make their tournament debuts against a Denmark team with aspiration
The postponement of Euro 2020 was particularly tortuous for Finland, made to wait an additional 12 months to take part in their first major tournament.
There again, after decades of qualification near misses, hard luck, underachievement and watching other Scandinavian nations enjoy their time in the footballing sun, the Fins probably have the patience to endure the delay. They have produced some fine individuals down the years – notably Jari Litmanen, Sami Hyypia and Antti Niemi (“no he’s not, he’s 28!”) – but have always fallen short of the big stage until now. Coached by Markku Kanerva, Finland were a solid unit in qualification with speed on the counter-attack. Goalkeeper Lukáš Hrádecký plays for Bayer Leverkusen, Glen Kamara won the Scottish title with Rangers last season while Teemu Pukki is a willing runner up front. Aside from North Macedonia, Finland are the tournament’s big underdogs.
They meet Denmark for the first time in a competitive game for what promises to be a stiff test. The Danes are one of the teams with home advantage as they play in Copenhagen, 29 years on from their unlikely 1992 triumph. Unbeaten in qualification, though they drew four matches, Denmark have been tipped widely as promising outsiders with a potentially favourable route through the competition. Kasper Schmeichel starts in goal, they have Simon Kjaer, Andreas Christensen, Jannik Vestergaard and Joachim Andersen to choose from at centre-back and they will be screened by Spurs and Dortmund midfielders Pierre-Emile Hojberg and Thomas Delaney. Defensive solidity is key at tournaments, so you can see why Denmark are well fancied. Scoring goals might be a harder task for them though – they have not scored more than one goal in 22 consecutive tournament matches going back to the 1998 World Cup. Christian Eriksen remains their most creative outlet.
Full team news on the way shortly.