ERIKSEN ‘WAS GONE’ BEFORE BEING RESUSCITATED AT EUROS, TEAM DOCTOR SAYS

Denmark’s team doctor said Sunday that Christian Eriksen’s heart stopped and that “he was gone” before being resuscitated with a defibrillator at the European Championship.

Eriksen collapsed during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 group game against Finland on Saturday and was given lengthy medical treatment before regaining consciousness.

“He was gone. And we did cardiac resuscitation. And it was cardiac arrest,” said team doctor Morten Boesen, who led the work in giving Eriksen treatment on the field.

“How close were we? I don’t know. We got him back after one defib. That’s quite fast.”

Eriksen was in stable condition at a Copenhagen hospital and had spoken to teammates via video link on Sunday, team officials said.

Boesen said it was still unclear what caused the midfielder’s collapse.

He also said the 29-year-old Eriksen may not have survived had the game not been played at a major soccer tournament with top-class medical equipment at hand.

The Danish players and team staff are being given crisismanagement assistance as they process the incident.

Eriksen fell face-forward to the ground late in the first half and his teammates formed a protective circle around him while the medics gave him treatment.

The game was suspended for about 90 minutes before resuming. Finland won 1-0 after scoring in the second half.