‘An example to us all’: Denmark captain hailed for ‘life-saving’ response to Eriksen collapse
Denmark football captain Simon Kjaer has been hailed as a hero for his quick response to teammate Christian Eriksen’s collapse during their Euro 2020 opener against Finland.
Eriksen is stable in hospital following the incident in Copenhagen on Saturday evening, which saw the former Tottenham star suddenly fall to the ground with no other players near him.
The 29-year-old, who had no history of heart problems, was shielded from the television cameras by his distraught Denmark teammates as medical staff tried to resuscitate him on the touchline.
Skipper Kjaer was among the first to rush to Eriksen’s side when he went down and has been credited with playing a potentially life-saving role in the response – as well as for how he led the Danish players in forming the ring and comforted Eriksen’s distraught partner, who went on to the pitch.
Denmark’s players were distraught as Eriksen received medical attention, forming a shield around him
“Captain and hero: Simon Kjaer,” said Sky Sports journalist Angelo Mangiante.
“Before the medics got there he secured his neck, cleared the airways and started CPR.
“Could have saved Eriksen’s life. Act of heroism.
“Kjaer trying to keep also Christian’s wife strong, is very emotional. What a man. So proud of you.”
Dr Philip Lee said that Kjaer had “saved his friend’s life”, and tweeted the 32-year-old to say: “Your leadership to the Danish team, your quick thinking, and your actions, are an example to us all.”
Former footballers are also among those to have praised Kjaer, who was said to have been left too overwhelmed to complete the match when it resumed later in the evening.
Finland went on to win the Group B fixture 1-0 via a 59th minute goal from Joel Pohjanpalo, who was restrained in his celebration in light of what had happened.
Joel Pohjanpalo didn’t celebrate his winning goal with much exuberance after the match resumed
Speaking afterwards, Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand: “Simon Kjaer was deeply, deeply touched. He was in doubt whether he could continue and gave it a shot, but ultimately he couldn’t. I completely understand that.”
Hjulmand – visibly drained at his post-match news conference – said UEFA didn’t put the players under any pressure to finish the match.
He added: “I completely understand that you can’t play a soccer match at this level after watching one of your best friends fight for his life.”
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand embraces his goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who has also been praised for his response to what happened to Eriksen
Kjaer plays his club football in the same city as Eriksen. The defender is with AC Milan, while Eriksen – who lit up the Premier League during his time with Spurs – is currently at rivals Inter.
Ex-Arsenal player Nico Yennaris said Kjaer “could possibly well have saved Eriksen’s life” on Saturday, but there are doubts over whether the midfielder will be able to play again.
Inter physician Piero Volpi told The Associated Press now was not the time to be making such assessments, adding Eriksen had never contracted COVID-19.
After being shielded from view during his on-field treatment, Eriksen appeared conscious as he was taken away on a stretcher with an oxygen mask on.
He was given a standing ovation from the 16,000 fans in the stadium, who had been stunned into silence when the gravity of the situation became apparent.
Eriksen played for Spurs until last year
As well as Kjaer, Denmark goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel – who plays for Leicester – and referee Anthony Taylor have also been singled out for praise.
Taylor, who referees in the Premier League, took seconds to halt play and call for medics.
English referee Anthony Taylor was quick to halt play and call for the medics when Eriksen collapsed
Among those to highlight Taylor’s response were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who tweeted after it emerged that Eriksen was stable in hospital.
“Well done to the medical team and Anthony Taylor for their calm and swift action,” they said.
The tweet was signed off by Prince William, who is president of the FA.
It’s not known if he’ll be at Wembley later when England begin their Euro 2020 campaign against Croatia. Both sides feature ex-Tottenham teammates of Eriksen, including respective captains Harry Kane and Luka Modric.
World
Trump criticises Putin after potentially ‘historic’ meeting with Zelenskyy before Pope’s funeral
Donald Trump has criticised Vladimir Putin and suggested a shift in his stance towards the Russian president after a meeting with Volodymyr Zelenskyy before the Pope’s funeral.
The Ukrainian president said the one-on-one talks could prove to be “historic” after pictures showed him sitting opposite Mr Trump, around two feet apart, in the large marble hall inside St Peter’s Basilica.
The US president said he doubted his Russian counterpart’s willingness to end the war after leaving Rome after the funeral of Pope Francis at the Vatican.
Follow live updates: 200,000 mourn at Vatican
In a post on his Truth Social platform, he said “there was no reason” for the Russian president “to be shooting missiles into civilian areas, cities and towns, over the last few days”.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
He added: “It makes me think that maybe he doesn’t want to stop the war, he’s just tapping me along, and has to be dealt with differently, through ‘Banking’ or ‘Secondary Sanctions?’ Too many people are dying!!!”
The meeting between the US and Ukrainian leaders was their first face-to-face encounter since a very public row in the Oval Office in February.
Mr Zelenskyy said he had a good meeting with Mr Trump in which they talked about the defence of the Ukrainian people, a full and unconditional ceasefire, and a durable and lasting peace that would prevent the war restarting.
Other images released by the Ukrainian president’s office show Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron were present for part of the talks, which were described as “positive” by the French presidency.
Mr Zelenskyy‘s spokesman said the meeting lasted for around 15 minutes and he and Mr Trump had agreed to hold further discussions later on Saturday.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy meet in the Basilica
But the US president left Rome for Washington on Air Force One soon after the funeral without any other talks having taken place.
The Ukrainian president’s office said there was no second meeting in Rome because of the tight schedule of both leaders, although he had separate discussions with Mr Starmer and Mr Macron.
The French president said in a post on X “Ukraine is ready for an unconditional ceasefire” and that a so-called coalition of the willing, led by the UK and France, would continue working to achieve a lasting peace.
There was applause from some of the other world leaders in attendance at the Vatican when Mr Zelenskyy walked out of St Peter’s Basilica after stopping in front of the pontiff’s coffin to pay his respects.
Donald Trump and the Ukrainian president met for the first time since their Oval Office row. Pic: Reuters
Sir Tony Brenton, the former British ambassador to Russia, said the event presents diplomatic opportunities, including the “biggest possible meeting” between Mr Trump and the Ukrainian leader.
He told Sky News it could mark “an important step” in starting the peace process between Russia and Ukraine.
Professor Father Francesco Giordano told Sky News the meeting is being called “Pope Francis’s miracle” by members of the clergy, adding: “There’s so many things that happened today – it was just overwhelming.”
The bilateral meeting comes after Mr Trump’s peace negotiator Steve Witkoff held talks with Mr Putin at the Kremlin.
They discussed “the possibility of resuming direct negotiations between Russia and Ukraine”, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
👉 Listen to Sky News Daily on your podcast app 👈
Russia and Ukraine have not held direct talks since the early weeks of the war, which began in February 2022.
Mr Trump has claimed a deal to end the war is “very close” and has urged Mr Zelenskyy to “get it done” in a post on his Truth Social platform.
He has previously warned both sides his administration would walk away from its efforts to achieve a peace if the two sides do not agree a deal soon.
Meanwhile, the Polish armed forces said a Russian military helicopter violated its airspace over the Baltic Sea on Friday evening.
“The nature of the incident indicates that Russia is testing the readiness of our air defence systems,” they said in a post on X.
On an extraordinary day, remarkable pictures on the margins that capture what may be a turning point for the world.
In a corner of St Peter’s Basilica before the funeral of Pope Francis, the leaders of America and Ukraine sit facing each other in two solitary chairs.
They look like confessor and sinner except we cannot tell which one is which.
Leaning forward hands together in their laps, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy stare at each other in one photo.
In another, the Ukrainian president seems to be remonstrating with the US president. This is their first encounter since their infamous bust-up in the Oval Office.
The two leaders held talks before attending the Pope’s funeral
Other pictures show the moment their French and British counterparts introduced the two men. There is a palpable sense of nervousness in the way the leaders engage.
We do not know what the two presidents said in their brief meeting.
But in the mind of the Ukrainian leader will be the knowledge President Trump has this week said America will reward Russia for its unprovoked brutal invasion of his country, under any peace deal.
Mr Trump has presented Ukraine and Russia with a proposal and ultimatum so one-sided it could have been written in the Kremlin.
Kyiv must surrender the land Russia has taken by force, Crimea forever, the rest at least for now. And it must submit to an act of extortion, a proposed deal that would hand over half its mineral wealth effectively to America.
The world leaders shared a moment before the service
Afterwards, Zelenskyy said it had been a good meeting that could turn out to be historic “if we reach results together”.
They had talked, he said, about the defence of Ukraine, a full and unconditional ceasefire and a durable and lasting peace that will prevent a war restarting.
The Trump peace proposal includes only unspecified security guarantees for Ukraine from countries that do not include the US. It rules out any membership of Ukraine.
Ukraine’s allies are watching closely to see if Mr Trump will apply any pressure on Vladimir Putin, let alone punish him for recent bloody attacks on Ukraine.
Or will he simply walk away if the proposal fails, blaming Ukrainian intransigence, however outrageously, before moving onto a rapprochement with Moscow.
If he does, America’s role as guarantor of international security will be seen effectively as over.
This could be the week we see the world order as we have known it since the end of the Second World War buried, as well as a pope.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports1 year agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway