Christian Eriksen has issued a short statement on his condition after suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s opening Euro 2020 fixture against Finland.

The midfielder dropped to the ground at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen shortly before half-time, leaving players from both teams in clear distress.

Cameras showed medics desperately trying to stabilise the former Tottenham player, as his teammates formed a protective circle around where he lay on the pitch.

As he was being treated on the pitch during the televised game, Eriksen's team-mates formed a wall in efforts to protect the Inter Milan midfielder’s privacy.

On Sunday night, Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen has confirmed Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest and that “he was gone” prior to being resuscitated.

At a press conference arranged by the Danish Football Federation on Sunday afternoon, Boesen said: “He was gone. We did cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest.

“How close were we to losing him? I don’t know, but we got him back after one defib, so that’s quite fast.

“We don’t have any explanation why it happened. The details about what happened I am not quite sure of because I am not a cardiologist, I will leave that to the experts. I didn’t see it live, only on screens afterwards.”

In his first public message since being taken ill, Eriksen says he "feels better" in a short statement released through his representatives to the Italian media.

It read: "Thank you, I won't give up. I feel better now - but I want to understand what's happened. I want to say thank you all for what you did for me."

Lancashire Telegraph: Denmark players formed a ring around their teammate (Friedemann Vogel/AP)Denmark players formed a ring around their teammate (Friedemann Vogel/AP)

Meanwhile, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has criticised the BBC for continuing to broadcast as Denmark midfielder Christian Eriksen received emergency treatment on the pitch.

The BBC has apologised following complaints, and said the footage is controlled by Uefa.

Speaking on LBC, Labour leader Sir Keir said: “I watched this live and it was awful.”

He continued: “There are those rare occasions where you know it’s serious from the start – the players’ expressions who are on the pitch, the fans’ expression – it becomes very sombre very, very quickly.

“I really feared the worst. I thought I was watching something no football fan ever, ever wants to watch.

“I thought they could have cut away sooner and I think his partner came onto the pitch at one point and I don’t know why they had the cameras on her at all.”