Hey Football!
The world of Football is an unknown territory for me. The sports of Cricket, F1 and Tennis (I hope) are familiar to me. But Football is just another sport on the last and second last page of The Times of India. A news here and another there, but no in depth research, no frantic tracking of scores, no midnight watches, no cheering.
But something happened. I worried, just as I worry about the players I love and admire. The difference you ask me? Well, I never heard of the match, nor the players. The league, I know it exists. I had no idea about the records, the system, the protocols and the policies. The rules of Football to me are far away from what one would say as ‘understood’.
Now, I just told you all of this to substantiate the fact that I know nothing about Football and I don’t get immersed into it. Onto the thing that changed.
It was the late evening of the 12th of June when an Inshorts notification popped. Read it below. For someone who hates having her notification unread, I opened this one, just like others.
It was about the Euro 2020 match between Denmark and Finland. Both teams were at 0–0 and it was almost half time. Christian Eriksen (for the uninitiated, he is the player for Denmark) collapsed suddenly and dropped to the ground just before halftime near the left touchline of the pitch.
There IS one thing you should know about me. I LOVE spoilers. It is impossible for me to not know what comes next. I am one of those (if there are others) who will not be offended if spoiled and will willingly ask for them. I can’t deal with uncertainty.
So my immediate reaction was to know what happened to him. To Christian Eriksen. He was awake and stabilized. I Google searched it, if you are wondering how I came to know. An Inshorts notification came an hour later confirming what I read earlier. Christian Eriksen was alive and well. (THANK GOOD SPIRITS, major phew)
But this isn’t what led to me being fascinated by the sport or by this particular match. This match was the thing that led to whatever won over my heart (and several others).
It started right when Christian Eriksen collapsed. The captain of the Denmark Football Team Simon Kjaer was first by Eriksen’s side. He attempted to clear Christian’s airways. The referee came rushing too. It was that moment when the people in the stadium and people watching around the world realized it was serious. Simon Kjaer was there, right by his teammate’s side.
In the meantime, Denmark’s players came running to the scene of the collapse. Soon after, other teams’ players came through too. All of them realized that it was severe. In that moment, all the rivalry dissolved and all anyone (and everyone) cared about was the life of another human being.
As the severity of the situation became apparent, the players of the both the teams urged the medical staff to hurry on. Denmark players made a huddle around the medics and Christian Eriksen as the medical staff attempted to resuscitate Eriksen.
Formation of a huddle has essentially been a symbol over the years. A huddle is essentially formed at the start of the match to strategize and get the team together. It is also often formed when the victory is being celebrated or a loss is being absorbed. A huddle is a team banding together to protect an emotion, to protect what they perceive as family. Christian Eriksen was being protected when his teammates formed the huddle around him. The teammates were visibly distraught, tears filling their eyes and prayers on their minds. Most of them were looking away. All they could do was wait and HOPE that their brother was alright.
The medical staff soon performed CPR on Eriksen as his teammates provided some much needed privacy from the 15,200 fans watching from the stands and the millions watching it on television.
Christian Eriksen’s partner was in he stands watching the match. Henry Winter (The Times’ chief football writer), told BBC Radio 5 Live “If you know the Danish side these are not simply team-mates, people like Simon Kjaer and Kasper Schmeichel. They are friends and they responded to Christian Eriksen in his moment of need. Because of the substance of the men involved, they consoled Christian’s partner, who was distraught pitchside. We build players up and put them on a pedestal but they are humans like the rest of us.” In those moments, everyone prayed for the safety of Christian Eriksen and to provide strength to his mates and his partner.
That day, in those minutes, the medical staff saved the life of Christian Eriksen. The rapid response saved a life. When the medical staff got their, he was breathing and he had pulse but it changed and that’s when he was given CPR. It was after that and one defibrillation, that he came back. Reports said that he talked to a few people before being stretchered off to the hospital.
As he was being stretchered off, the fans of Finland provided their country flags to the Danish players to form a curtain around Christian and the medical staff to shield him. This was another moment that night that made me proud of humans and believe in Hope & Humanity. Fans generally fight when it comes to their loyalties, I know. But that day, the fans of Finland gave the respect Christian Eriksen, his partner and other Danish players deserved. For the first time in my life, I saw the meaning of sportsmanship.
For the first time, nobody tried to invade their privacy, infact they provided for it. In times of crisis, humans rise to the occasion and this moment was testament of this.
One more thing, after the play was suspended until the proceedings were decided and an update was given, the fans of Finland started chanting Christian Eriksen’s name. As they chanted Christian, Danish fans replied with chants of Eriksen. The scene was overwhelming to say the least. Absolutely beautiful!
A decision was made that night. to play on, to carry on the sport. After the match, Danish manager, Kasper Hjulmand was quoted saying, “There was no pressure from UEFA to do it tonight. These two options were clearly lined up. There were no other options because Finland play the 16th and we play the 17th. Had they played the same day, we could have played the match a day later. But it was either tonight or tomorrow at 12.00. It was totally unmanageable for the players to imagine not being able to sleep tonight and then having to show up tomorrow and drive the bus in and play the match tomorrow. It was more confusing than trying to get in now and quite frankly trying to get it over with. Getting it put behind us. It was the choice that time went by. It was the choice that the players chose together.”
As the Danish players came out to resume play, they were applauded for the courage to carry on. It is the courage that counts. It always should.
I have loved sports for a very long time (a story for another time, probably) and throughout these years I have gestures that have reimbursed and made my faith stronger in it. The collapse of Christian Eriksen and whatever followed was just another gesture.
Football just became a little more familiar, a little more human. For the first time, I saw Football beyond the glamor and I absolutely adored what I saw!
For Updates on Christian Eriksen and his health:
