Play halted for Eriksen tribute during Denmark-Belgium Euro 2020 game

Belgium stopped play after the clock hit 10 minutes as the 25,000 fans at Parken Stadium rose to applaud Eriksen. The midfielder wears the No. 10 shirt for Denmark’s national team.

Denmark and Belgium players halted their European Championship match Thursday for a stadium-wide minute’s applause for Christian Eriksen.

Euro 2020 - Group B - Denmark v Belgium - Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark - June 17, 2021 Denmark fans react after the ball is kicked out in the 10th minute of the match to applaud Denmark's Christian Eriksen who remains in hospital after collapsing during the match between Denmark and Finland last Saturday. (Pool via REUTERS)

Belgium stopped play after the clock hit 10 minutes as the 25,000 fans at Parken Stadium rose to applaud Eriksen. The midfielder wears the No. 10 shirt for Denmark’s national team.

Eriksen is recovering in a nearby hospital after suffering cardiac arrest during Denmark’s first game against Finland at Euro 2020. The hospital is close enough to Parken Stadium that Eriksen was expected to hear the tribute from his room.

Fans held up a sign that read ”All of Denmark is with you Christian” while the big screens in the stadium displayed a message that read ”Best Wishes Christian.”

UEFA also paid a special tribute to Eriksen before the game.

A giant Denmark shirt with Eriksen’s name and No. 10 shirt was unfurled on the field to a massive roar of approval from the fans. Such giant match shirts are unfurled for both teams before every game but this was the first time one carried a player’s name.

Yussuf Poulsen scored in the second minute to give Denmark a 1-0 lead.