Belgium will help Denmark pay tribute to Christian Eriksen by kicking the ball out of play in the 10th minute of their Euro 2020 game so the stadium can applaud the Danish playmaker.
Fans at Parken Stadium are planning a loud ovation for Eriksen - who wears the No. 10 shirt - following his collapse against Finland. Eriksen remains in a Copenhagen hospital close to the stadium after suffering cardiac arrest during Saturday’s game.
Belgium forward Romelu Lukaku, who plays with Eriksen at Inter Milan, dedicated his first goal of the tournament to the Danish midfielder.
Lukaku scored twice in the 3-0 win over Russia, game and ran to a TV camera after the first goal to shout: “Chris, Chris, Strength boy, I love you” in a mixture of Dutch and English.
With Belgium set to face Denmark in Copenhagen on Thursday, Lukaku says both teams will stop playing to join in the tribute.
"We will kick the ball out for a throw-in to stop and applaud and mark this moment," Lukaku said on Wednesday.
Lukaku said he "cried a lot" before Belgium’s 3-0 win over Russia after hearing about the collapse.
Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand said on Wednesday that he expects Eriksen to be able to hear the tribute from his hospital bed, and that the midfielder will probably be watching on TV.
"I think he'll be in his (Denmark) shirt and watch the game," Hjulmand said.
Lukaku said he has exchanged text messages with Eriksen since the incident but was told it wasn't yet possible to visit him in the hospital.
The striker warned, though, that he won't take it easy on Denmark when play starts.
"We must also not forget," Lukaku said, "that we have to win a game."
