Viewers crash into TV channels to approach Eriksen after his collapse on the field of play and also show his troubled wife.
Football fans and commentators have expressed their outrage over the live broadcast of Christian Eriksen collapse during Denmark’s Euro 2020 clash with Finland, while praising his teammates for forming a wall to protect him from view.
Television viewers were appalled that the cameras continued to roll while medical professionals performed chest compressions on the 29-year-old boy after he suddenly fell on the pitch 42 minutes into Saturday’s match at Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium.
Several shots, even through the players’ legs, showed Eriksen receiving treatment, before turning to his clearly distressed wife, who was in the stadium and was comforted by Danish captain Simon Kjaer and the goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.
Doctors worked in Eriksen for nearly 20 minutes before being resuscitated and taken to hospital.
UEFA, the governing body of the tournament, said the attacking midfielder was “in stable condition”, while the Danish football federation said he was awake. The match resumed at 18:30 GMT.
While quickly flooding social media with prayers for Eriksen, many users also criticized national television for its coverage and applauded Danish players.
Here’s how people reacted to Twitter:
Human shield !! The Danish team protects his brother, his teammate #Eriksen from the cameras, the spectators of the stadium, the spectators from all over the world .. From all eyes. Respect .. #DENFIN #THE pic.twitter.com/HccXO0Yf7j
– Katami Michelle (@MichKatami) June 12, 2021
I’m still amazed to know what happened to Eriksen. It is sad that UEFA continues to zoom in with its cameras. We will not forget! God, help him! 🙏🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/YsU3kpmNhu
– Luka (#Eriksen 🇩🇰) (@ItsFrostelic) June 12, 2021
Wonderful to hear Christian Eriksen awake. We hope it continues to improve.
His Danish teammates deserve the utmost praise and respect.
They called for immediate medical help, took a screenshot of the cameras, preserved his dignity and comforted his family.
Inspirational
❤️🇩🇰– Dan Walker (@mrdanwalker) June 12, 2021
You forget the age of the boys who played football. A lot of them in their early twenties, the way they behaved today was not at all surprising.
Dignity, compassion and, according to all accounts, heroically by Simon Kjaer.
Nothing any team does in this tournament will surpass them. 🇩🇰 pic.twitter.com/fuppJmCco3
– Paul Senior (@ PaulSenior1) June 12, 2021
I’ve been crying and now I feel incredibly insensitive. Thinking of Eriksen’s partner who shouldn’t have seen her crying on camera. 🇩🇰
– Michael Bridge (@MichaelBridge_) June 12, 2021
#The it’s a team I’ll respect forever. Protection here should not be necessary because the cameras should have been cut off. I hope and pray that Eriksen is okay. pic.twitter.com/8sLzrs5LWT
– Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) June 12, 2021
Did you notice how the Danish players formed a protective circle to protect their teammate from the cameras? Notice how Eriksen’s troubled wife was filmed?
The Danish team showed integrity and care for their friend and teammate.
The respect I have for them is incredibly strong. pic.twitter.com/0WUjoin3Z7
– From The Anvil – West Ham ⚒ (@FromTheAnvilWHU) June 12, 2021
Great respect for the Danish players for protecting Eriksen from the camera. I saw some images circling as it is the most disgusting.
Don’t share images like this. He is now conscious according to various sources.May God bless you #Risk pic.twitter.com/boATx2OORu
– Hamza Kaleem (@ HKaleem23) June 12, 2021
Disgusting that the camera filmed Eriksen’s wife crying, privacy no longer matters, it seems? Just go to the studio as soon as they realize it’s an emergency, I hope it’s okay 💙
– Pys (@CFCPys) June 12, 2021
The camera men will walk away from the streaks but are happy to show Christian Eriksen’s wife crying next to the playing field
– Secret drug addicts (@ScrtDrugAddict) June 12, 2021
Very good for the Danish players to create a wall around Christian Eriksen, blocking this terrible view of the cameras.
Prayers for Eriksen, scary scenes. # EURO2020
– herculez gomez (@herculezg) June 12, 2021
It’s literally crazy how players have to group together and block out the situation that endangers Eriksen’s life from the coveted stations. It shouldn’t be like that. It should be common sense to turn off the cameras when something like this happens. Unreal. #DENFIN pic.twitter.com/6Fo6FCpU5g
– (@Trashnaldo) June 12, 2021