Christian Eriksen has spoken publicly for the first time since his heart “stopped” during a Euro 2020 game.

The Danish midfield player has told fans “I won’t give up”.

Eriksen collapsed minutes before half time in the game against Finland.

He received lengthy treatment on the pitch before being transferred to hospital.

He is said to be in a “stable condition”.

Denmark’s team doctor, Morten Boesen, said Eriksen “was gone” before being resuscitated with a defbrillator.

He added: “How close were we to losing him? I don’t know.”

In a message from Eriksen to his fans he said:

“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.”

However, Eriksen may not play professional football again, warns a leading sports cardiologist.

Professor Sanjay Sharma, of London’s St George’s University, said the football would be “very strict” about letting him again.

Professor Sharma – who worked with Eriksen at Spurs – added:

“Clearly something went terribly wrong.

“But they managed to get him back.

“The question is what happened?

“And why did it happen?

“This guy had normal tests all the way up to 2019 so how do you explain this cardiac arrest?”

The Professor said reports Eriksen was awake in hospital was “a very good sign”.

He added: “I’m very pleased.

“The fact he’s stable and awake, his outlook is going to be very good.

“I don’t know whether he’ll ever play football again.

“Without putting it too bluntly, he died today, albeit for a few minutes, but he did die, and would the medical professional allow him to die again?

“The answer is no.”