Jose Mourinho revealed he “prayed” and “cried” for Christian Eriksen after the Denmark star collapsed during Saturday’s Euro 2020 clash against Finland.
Inter midfielder Eriksen suffered cardiac arrest when collapsing on the pitch before being resuscitated, Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen said.
Eriksen was given CPR by medics in the first half of the Group B match after falling to the ground with no other player around him – the fixture was originally suspended, but the former Tottenham star was later confirmed to be “awake” and the game resumed a little under two hours later, with Finland winning 1-0 in Copenhagen.
Ex-Tottenham head coach Mourinho spent time with Eriksen prior to the Denmark international’s move to Inter in 2020 and the Roma-bound boss said he was reduced to tears.
“I cannot stop thinking about what happened,” Mourinho told talkSPORT. “I think it’s a day to celebrate, not to be sad.
“It was much more important than football but at the same time I believe that it also showed the good values of football.
“The love, the solidarity, family spirit. It was not just about his family, it was about the football family. Football bringing people together.
“I prayed yesterday, I cried yesterday, but how many millions did that around the world. I believe many because football can bring people together.
“Yesterday, for the wrong reasons football brought people together. In the end, we can celebrate Christian is alive.
“Of course, I didn’t speak with him, but I spoke with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this morning and Pierre is very positive about Christian.
“The news is good, so I think it’s a moment to celebrate.”
