Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku has been praised after he paid tribute to Denmark’s Christian Eriksen and dedicated a win to the footballer after he collapsed during a Euro 2020 match on Saturday evening.
Eriksen received CPR on the pitch after he collapsed to the ground in the closing minutes of Denmark’s group stage game with Finland. The 29-year-old was quickly treated by the medical team and was placed in a stable condition before being moved to a hospital in Copenhagen where he was announced as awake.
Shortly after this Belgium started their Euro 2020 campaign as they kicked off against Russia in Saint Petersberg. The Belgians were comfortable 3-0 winners during the game with Lukaku scoring the first and third goals.
After netting the first, Lukaku ran over to the pitchside cameras and said “Chris, Chris...I love you!” a clear message of support for Eriksen. The two stars are teammates at Inter Milan.
"Chris, Chris... I love you!" ❤️
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 12, 2021
Romelu Lukaku gives #BEL an early lead over #RUS - before delivering a message of love for club team-mate Christian Eriksen 👏#ITVFootball | #Euro2020 pic.twitter.com/AJsMrQloyu
Speaking to the press afterwards, Lukaku explained that although he was happy with the win it was a difficult game to play and he was scared for Eriksen. He dedicated Belgium’s win to his club teammate.
"I cried a lot because I was scared."
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 12, 2021
Romelu Lukaku dedicated Belgium's win to Inter Milan team-mate Christian Eriksen ❤️#bbceuro2020
First of all my thoughts are with @chriseriksen8 and @timothycastagne. Stay strong my friend and i hope both of you make a fool recovery 🙏🏿. Good win by the team @belgianreddevils 🙏🏿❤️ pic.twitter.com/lVzoY7N1Fc
— R.Lukaku Bolingoli9 (@RomeluLukaku9) June 12, 2021
This was after the Belgium team were booed by Russian supporters for taking the knee to continue some nations stance against racial inequality.
There was an immediate outpouring of respect and applause for Lukaku for his generous gesture to Eriksen as well as dealing with the jeers from the Russian supporters in a professional manner.
Two hours after hearing his club teammate collapsed and 10 minutes after he was booed for taking a knee, Romelu Lukaku responds like this. An incredible striker, an incredible human being. https://t.co/il1Ozqy5Cb
— Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) June 12, 2021
Class from Lukaku. “Chris, I love you" . #eriksen #inter
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 12, 2021
Romelu Lukaku cried before the game because he was worried about his teammate Christian Eriksen.
— Siavoush Fallahi (@SiavoushF) June 13, 2021
Took the knee before the game.
Then went on to score two goals.
Dedicated the first to Eriksen. The second was pure class.
One of the best strikers in the world pic.twitter.com/Tc68IVKxaP
Romelu Lukaku dedicated his two goals to Christian Eriksen. 👏🏻👏🏻💙
— Jerry Mancini (@jmancini8) June 12, 2021
Big Rom 🔥💪🏻
Outstanding player.
pic.twitter.com/sTRYEzc6Wi
I love Lukaku very much and I am relieved Eriksen is ok. https://t.co/c3r3nrXgsH
— Carl Anka (@Ankaman616) June 12, 2021
Lukaku. Incredible human being 🇧🇪 https://t.co/Y6Ykln498Z
— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 13, 2021
Heart Warming from @RomeluLukaku9 #EURO2020 https://t.co/fyNgUfnA91
— Owls Republic (@theowlsrepublic) June 12, 2021
Best tribute Lukaku gives to Erkisen.❤️👍🏻#Eriksen
— 𝐀𝐛𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐡 ½ (@aboodlavish) June 12, 2021
https://t.co/afhRes6bvs
Lukaku scoring after Russia fans booing Belgium taking the knee. YLTSI. Dedicated the goal to Eriksen too.
— Rik Sharma (@riksharma_) June 12, 2021
Lukaku scores and immediately goes to the camera to tell Eriksen he loves him.
— Alex Goldberg (@AlexGoldberg_) June 12, 2021
Powerful 💙
Eriksen’s fellow Inter teammate Achraf Hakimi also paid tribute to the Dane after he scored in Morocco’s 1-0 friendly win over Burkina Faso.
After Lukaku, Hakimi has also dedicated his goal to Eriksen. pic.twitter.com/ITYIbQei5j
— FedeNerazzurra 🍋 (@FNerazzurra1908) June 12, 2021
Christian Eriksen’s Inter teammates, Romelu Lukaku and Achraf Hakimi, each dedicated their goals to Eriksen today 💙 pic.twitter.com/HgrBEvrPql
— International Champions Cup (@IntChampionsCup) June 12, 2021
Meanwhile, Gary Lineker and his colleagues at the BBC were also praised for how they dealt with the situation with their compassionate words and thoughts. This came after the BBC was criticised for lingering on the treatment of Eriksen for too long. The cameras were out of control of the BBC, who apologised for not returning to the studio sooner.
In 25 years of doing this job, that was the most difficult, distressing and emotional broadcast I’ve ever been involved with. Thanks to @cesc4official @AlexScott @MicahRichards for your professionalism, warmth and empathy. Get well soon, Christian Eriksen. 🙌🏻
— Gary Lineker 💙 (@GaryLineker) June 12, 2021
The host broadcasters will get flak for the live coverage going on as long as it did, and the focus on Mrs Eriksen especially, but that was an incredibly difficult situation and I thought @garylineker and his panel dealt with it as well as anyone could. It is so so sad
— ALASTAIR CAMPBELL (@campbellclaret) June 12, 2021
Gotta say, @AlexScott, @MicahRichards, @cesc4official and @GaryLineker have done an incredible job in the studio. They've conducted themselves with sensitivity and empathy in an incredibly distressing situation - remarkable professionalism there.
— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) June 12, 2021
Credit to Gary Lineker, Alex Scott and the rest of the studio, that must have been incredibly hard to be on air and they were measured and well spoken.
— Sam Farley (@FarleyWrites) June 12, 2021
I thought you and the team dealt with an extremely harrowing situation very well
— Toby Earle (@TobyonTV) June 12, 2021
Extraordinarily, after it was confirmed that Eriksen was in a stable condition the match resumed just over an hour later. Finland would go on to win 1-0.
