On June 12, 2021, Denmark was playing Finland in Copenhagen when midfielder Christian Eriksen collapsed on the field just before halftime. Captain Simon Kjaer was one of the first to reach him and appeared to clear his airway. Medics rushed in to resuscitate him. While they worked, his teammates did something simple and beautiful. They locked arms in a ring around him to give him some privacy from the crowd and the cameras. Many of them were in tears. Some appeared to pray. In the stands, Finland fans chanted “Christian” and Denmark fans answered “Eriksen.” He survived. One Danish newspaper summed it up: Denmark lost, but life won. When a brother goes down, the best thing we can do is surround him, cover him, and pray.
