Denmark boss Kasper Hjulmand paid tribute to ‘great inspiration’ Christian Eriksen and unveiled a special ring gifted to him by the midfielder after leading his side into Euro 2020’s last 16.
Just nine days on from Eriksen’s cardiac arrest on the same pitch, Denmark’s players returned to Copenhagen’s Parken Stadium to qualify for the knockout stage of the tournament with an emphatic 4-1 defeat of Russia.
Artem Dzyuba’s 70th-minute penalty had provided a small scare after earlier goals from Denmark’s Mikkel Damsgaard and Yussuf Poulsen but a thunderous long-range effort from Andreas Christensen and Joakim Maehle’s late strike secured victory.
Belgium’s 2-0 win over Finland in Monday’s other Group B game confirmed the Danes progressed to the next round as runners-up and there were emotional scenes as Hjulmand’s players celebrated in front of a rapturous partisan crowd in the capital.
They will take on Group A runners-up Wales for a quarter-final place at Amsterdam’s Johan Cruyff Arena on Saturday evening.
‘I have never worn jewellery in my life, but Christian Eriksen has given me this ring,’ Hjulmand told Denmark’s TV3 shortly after the win.
‘So we do what we can to have him with us all the way on our journey.
‘I had him with me all the way. I think about him a lot and he is – as I have always said – our beating heart.
‘We kept going for his sake today. He is a great inspiration to us.’
Hjulmand added: ‘I am lost for words when describing the admiration I have for this team. They are so strong.
‘And at the same time, I want to thank the whole of Denmark, the whole population and everyone in the stadium here…
‘All the care and love that the whole of Denmark has shown us has helped us and given the boys strength in their legs out on the pitch.’
Yussuf Poulsen, who doubled Denmark’s lead on the hour-mark, claimed the arduous and emotional nature of their campaign made qualification all the more ‘euphoric’.
‘It has just been fantastic. It is so rare that you are allowed to experience something like this here at home in front of so many Danes,’ he said.
‘One could not have wished for any better. And with all that we have been through, it just makes the euphoria even greater.’
The RB Leipzig forward added: ‘I think Eriksen is just as happy as we are right now.
‘He will probably come at see us over the coming days I imagine. He should definitely be part of this celebration.’
Eriksen, who was discharged from hospital at the weekend, applauded his team-mates in a short message on his Instagram page after their triumph.
It’s been confirmed the Inter Milan playmaker, formerly of Tottenham, will be fitted with an ICD heart-starting device following his cardiac arrest.
