Kasper Schmeichel has revealed stricken Denmark team-mate Christian Eriksen is "smiling and laughing" in hospital after being kept alive by the "miracle" work of quick-thinking medics.

Inter midfielder Eriksen was given CPR on the pitch during the first half of Saturday's Euro 2020 clash with Finland in Copenhagen after collapsing with no other players around him.

Denmark's team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed on Sunday that the 29-year-old suffered a cardiac arrest and "was gone" before being resuscitated on the field.

In the latest update provided by the Danish Football Union on Monday, Eriksen is said to be in a "stable and good" condition as he continues to be monitored in hospital.

Eriksen also released a statement on Monday via his agent Martin Schoots, thanking those who assisted him and vowing to get to the bottom of what caused the cardiac arrest.

The former Ajax and Tottenham midfielder now appears to be on the mend, with Schmeichel allowed to visit him in hospital on Sunday.

Speaking at a news conference alongside Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Martin Braithwaite on Monday, Schmeichel said he is "grateful" his colleague is still alive.

"It was damn nice to see him smile and laugh and be himself, and just notice that he is there," Schmeichel said.

"Visiting him was a wonderful experience and something that has helped me see that he was okay after lying there.

"We talked about nothing and everything. As long as he is well, that has to be the most important thing. He has experienced something that we have not experienced. 

"He has a completely different experience of the situation. It was great to talk to him, and now we have a lot of work to try to navigate."

Denmark skipper Simon Kjaer has been widely praised for stopping Eriksen from swallowing his tongue and placing his stricken team-mate in the recovery position.

Medics were on the field within seconds and provided the playmaker with life-saving treatment, while Denmark's players formed a ring around their team-mate in an attempt to preserve his privacy.

Opening up on the horrific incident for the first time, Schmeichel added: "It's a violent experience. But he is here today, and I am very grateful for that.

"The only heroes there are the doctors who saved him. We are professional football players, but these people dedicate their lives to saving people. 

"That they could do it under that pressure... I cannot describe how much admiration I have for them. That they could bring him back is a miracle. 

"I even think about how I would have my team-mates react if I was lying there. Then we have some amazing people on this team. A captain and a coach who knows how to act.

"It characterises us as a team and country that we stand together until the very end.

"I knew Christian's wife, children, and parents were there, so at one point I tried to look for them. It is an inhuman situation for them to go through.

"I have chosen to say to myself that this has had a happy ending. It's not the end yet, but it could have been so much worse."

Hojbjerg was also on the field at the time of the incident and was left shaken by the experience of watching his close friend receive CPR.

"I saw Christian lying there and looking towards the field. His eyes were white and I thought it looked very strange," Hojbjerg said.

"I saw Simon Kjaer rush off, and then you start thinking what it is. I walked slowly across. More and more first aiders came over, and I could see Simon waving his arms.

"I stood for a long time with the coaches and talked, and I could see that there are some arms that move with the first aid. That was creepy."

Barcelona forward Braithwaite added: "We were all about to lose a friend and a team-mate. 

"I do not remember exactly what I said in the prayer. But it has strengthened my faith, that's for sure."

UEFA originally suspended the fixture, but it was agreed the match would resume from where it left off less than two hours later, with Finland winning the Group B match 1-0.

Denmark are back in action on Thursday with another home game against Belgium.

Danish footballers are frequently reminded of their country's Euro 1992 success, one of the competition's most-enduring underdog tales, meaning their failures can attract greater scrutiny.

Ever since their triumph some 29 years ago, Denmark have only reached the quarter-finals once in 2004, while their form at major tournaments in general has often been underwhelming.

For example, they head into Euro 2020 having not scored two goals in any of their previous 22 games in the Euros or World Cup, the last such occasion being a 4-1 win over Nigeria in 1998.

But there is arguably a greater sense of optimism for Denmark than they have had in a generation, with their squad an attractive blend of solidity and individual quality, while all three of their Group B matches will be played on home soil in Copenhagen.

"It's something completely unique and something I'll probably never experience again," goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel – whose father Peter was in the 1992 team – said of Denmark's role as one of the host nations.

"I am really looking forward to it. But on the other hand, we must also keep a cool head and not get swept up in the emotions and the football fever that is happening in Denmark. We have to go in and do our job."

On Saturday they go up against a Finland side competing at their first major tournament.

The newcomers will have to pay particular mind to Christian Eriksen, who has had a hand in 39 per cent (30 – 23 goals, seven assists – out of 70) of Denmark's competitive goals since the start of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Denmark – Jonas Wind

So much of the creative and scoring burden has been on Eriksen in recent years, with Denmark struggling to produce the type of centre-forward who can find the net on a reliable basis, but the winds of change may finally be here. Jonas Wind has just enjoyed something of a breakout season for Copenhagen, scoring 15 goals and getting eight assists (six in open play) in the Superligaen. His impressive physique coupled with technical efficiency make him an effective link-up player but he's also capable of finding the net.

Finland – Teemu Pukki

While Lukas Hradecky looks likely to have a busy tournament between the posts, if Finland are to have any hope of an unlikely trip into the knockout phase, they will likely need a goal or two. Norwich City's Pukki is, perhaps rather obviously, their biggest threat in this regard having netted eight goals more (10 in total, a national record) than any other Finn in qualifying. Although his electric start in the 2019-20 Premier League season fizzled out, his haul of 11 goals was respectable for someone in a relegated team and he followed that up with 26 this term in the Championship.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Finland became the first European team to qualify for a major tournament for the first time (World Cup/European Championship) since Albania and Iceland at Euro 2016. The former were knocked out in the group stages whilst the latter reached the quarter-final.

- Finland won 18 points from their 10 Euro 2020 qualification matches; this is their best points return from a single qualification campaign since winning 18 points from 10 games during qualification for the 2010 World Cup. They finished third in their group on that occasion and failed to qualify.

- Denmark did not lose a single game in their last major tournament (W1 D3 at World Cup 2018) but were knocked out in the round of 16 by Croatia on penalties (1-1 a.e.t., 2-3 penalties).

- This is the first meeting between Denmark and Finland at a major tournament (World Cup/European Championship). Their last encounter dates back to a 2-1 friendly win for the Danes in November 2011.

- While Finland are taking part in their first ever major tournament (World Cup/European Championship), this is Denmark's ninth European Championship appearance and their first since 2012. They won the tournament in 1992, when they only qualified after Yugoslavia were expelled as a result of war in the Balkans.

Youri Tielemans has been tipped to sign a new contract at Leicester City by Andy King after writing his name in the club's folklore with his stunning FA Cup final winner.

The Belgium international scored the only goal of Saturday's showdown with Chelsea in front of 21,000 supporters with a right-foot drive into the top-left corner from 25 yards.

Leicester survived a nervy finale to win their first ever FA Cup at the fifth attempt, making it one of the most famous days in the Foxes' history.

Match-winner Tielemans - the third Belgian to score in the showpiece after Eden Hazard in 2018 and Kevin de Bruyne a year later - was rightly acclaimed after the match.

The 24-year-old has impressed throughout the season for Leicester, who will now switch focus to trying to nail down a top-four finish and Champions League football when they face Chelsea again on Tuesday.

Despite rumoured interest from other Premier League heavyweights, former Leicester midfielder King believes Tielemans can achieve all his career aims by staying on at the King Power Stadium.

"It's important Leicester keep him. Only he will be able to tell you whether it's going to be difficult to keep him because you never know what certain players' ambitions are, but days like Saturday certainly help," King told Stats Perform.

"He knows he can win trophies at Leicester and he knows he can play in the Champions League - that's what all the top players want.

"So, you never know, especially with players who aren't from the UK, if they want to play in another country or try something new.

"But from what I've heard, read and seen, he is really, really happy here, so I wouldn't be surprised to see him sign some sort of new contract in the not-too-distant future. I'm not saying I know he's doing it, but it just seems the right fit.

"He's probably been Leicester's Player of the Season this year – he has been absolutely outstanding. He's got everything, and for someone so young to score the match-winning goal in an FA Cup final is amazing."

That stunning Wembley strike took Tielemans' goal tally for the season to nine in all competitions – six of those in the Premier League – and he has also chipped in with four assists.

The former Monaco midfielder, who has two years to run on his existing deal, is third behind Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (2,615) and Rodri (2,683) for passes attempted among Premier League midfielders this term with 2,355.

He also ranks ninth in the division for tackles by midfielders (74), joint-10th for tackles won (39) and joint-11th in terms of chances created (44), underlining his all-round ability in the middle of the park.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has been credited with getting the most out of Tielemans, who arrived for a reported club-record fee of £40million in July 2019, and King feels the former Liverpool boss can also play a part in keeping the player at the club.

"He really likes the manager," said King, who won the League One, Championship and Premier League titles during his time with the Foxes. "The manager really likes him as well and he's now playing the best football of his career.

"He's just won a trophy and [can still get] into the Champions League, so I don't think he will be in any sort of rush to get out of the situation he's in at the moment.

"The way Leicester are going now, with one of the best training grounds in Europe, plans to extend the stadium, he's going to enjoy all that. 

"He's young and has plenty of years ahead of him, so hopefully he can sign that new contract and carry on playing the way he is."

While Tielemans' strike will long live in the memory of Leicester supporters, goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel also cemented his status as one of the Foxes' all-time greats with some big saves against Chelsea.

Schmeichel turned Ben Chilwell's header on to the post and then somehow kept out Mason Mount's powerful shot en route to becoming the first goalkeeper to captain the winning side in an FA Cup final since David Seaman with Arsenal in 2003.

"Kasper is someone who is made for big moments," King said of his former team-mate. "He is driven to improve himself every day and improve those around him to make sure standards don't slip.

"He's vocal in the dressing room, and the best thing for us is that he really does love and care for the club. He cares about the owner and the supporters and will do anything to make sure Leicester win a game.

"He thrives off the big occasion and that save off Mason Mount is world class, an unbelievable save.

"I was sat right behind the shot, and just the sheer power on it, you think he might get a hand to it, but he's not going to be able to keep it out. He's a world-class goalkeeper."

Kasper Schmeichel lauded Leicester City's "undescribable" FA Cup final triumph as a 1-0 win over Chelsea gave them the trophy for the first time.

Youri Tielemans hit the only goal in the rain at Wembley on Saturday, allowing the Foxes to celebrate with their returning fans under the arch.

That was Leicester's only shot on target, though, and the rest of the drama was reserved for the opposite end of the pitch in the closing stages.

A Wes Morgan own goal was ruled out by the VAR as Ben Chilwell strayed offside, but Schmeichel had twice brilliantly denied Chelsea before that incident.

The Leicester goalkeeper made only three saves yet crucially lunged after a downward Chilwell header and then denied Mason Mount.

Schmeichel became the first keeper since Arsenal's David Seaman in 2003 to captain a side to an FA Cup win, Leicester's first at the fifth time of asking.

"Amazing, undescribable," he told BBC Sport of the victory. "It's what dreams are made of. I've dreamt of this since I was a child.

"We've talked about wanting to win trophies, and the performance today... the determination. I'm so, so proud of everybody.

"Everybody's contributed. To get to the final, everybody's played, everybody's been sensational, all the team behind the team, the medical staff, everybody, all amazing.

"That's why when you work together, you do things properly, you have an eternal belief, that's what you can achieve."

Schmeichel dedicated the win to late Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in a helicopter crash following a match in 2018.

"It's exactly that. None of you will be able to see – on the inside of our shirts, we have a picture of him, so he's always with us, Khun Vichai," he said.

"And obviously, for Top [Vichai's son Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha], this is what we dreamt of, this is what we talked about for so many years.

"Today, for the fans, look at it, it's amazing."

This was Leicester's first FA Cup win over Chelsea in 10 attempts, but they must now quickly rally and defeat the same opposition again in the Premier League on Tuesday.

A win in that match would secure Leicester's place in the Champions League for next season, potentially at Chelsea's expense.

"Today is a great day and we'll enjoy it thoroughly, but we play them again on Tuesday in a massive game again," Schmeichel added.

"Today we enjoy it, tomorrow we have to dust ourselves down and can't really think about it again. They're a top class side, they're going to want revenge."

Schmeichel was part of the Foxes team that remarkably won the Premier League in 2015-16, but fellow final hero Tielemans, who created two chances and supplied two tackles as well as scoring, was a subsequent signing.

The Belgium international said: "I think the start was when they won the league. That was when something special started.

"We are just building that up. Hopefully we can continue. We have a very important game on Tuesday. If we win, we are hopefully in the Champions League.

"We just have to go again. Now we will enjoy and celebrate, but we will think about Tuesday later on."

The most notable element of a disjointed goalless first half in Saturday's FA Cup final was the organic soundtrack.

At the Leicester end of the 21,000-strong crowd, there was a throaty collective roar when Kasper Schmeichel completed a routine catch from a right-wing corner. Referee Michael Oliver had plenty of unflattering appraisals of his work and a wildly off-target drive from Chelsea forward Timo Werner drew hearty guffaws.

There aren't really buttons on a fake crowd noise soundboard for any of that stuff.

The most significant crowd any of these footballers had played in front of for 14 months also seemed to have an impact on some adrenaline levels and resulting performances.

Leicester great Gary Lineker, so poignantly emotional after his boyhood club closed out an unforgettable 1-0 win, has enjoyed an enduring post-career link up with Walkers. The Foxes' current main goal threat, Kelechi Iheanacho, played like a punter who'd collected 10 crisp packets and won the chance to try playing at Wembley.

Iheanacho entered the game as the joint top scorer in this season's FA Cup and with 13 goals in his past 12 outings across all competitions. It counted for nothing, the Nigeria international's touch as heavy as his legs, while muddled decision making did nothing to lengthen the short leash Antonio Rudiger kept him on.

Werner draws another blank

Werner would give plenty for some of Iheanacho's prolific form, the type he enjoyed only last season at RB Leipzig. Here, we again witnessed the Chelsea version – tireless probing running to push the opposition defence deep and prescribe Jonny Evans a swift return to the treatment table.

But Werner snatched at his shots, inadvertently touched a goalscoring chance away from captain Cesar Azpilicueta and then saw Wesley Fofana hurl himself into back-to-back blocks. When the ball broke clear, Werner threw himself at Luke Thomas with the same gusto but none of the expertise to be booked.

The occasion was encouraging commitment, anxiety and a dearth of quality, with the notable exception of Mason Mount.

Chelsea's playmaker pirouetting under a high ball to stun a volleyed pass into Azpilicueta's path was easily the most beautiful piece of play before the interval. His shot from the return ball was deflected wide by Fofana, who seemed to take any attempt to test Schmeichel as a personal affront.

Azpilicueta found himself forward so often because he featured at wing-back, with the more naturally attacking Reece James on the right of Chelsea's back three.

The Blues began their run to the final with a victory over Morecambe and, to paraphrase the Lancashire town's favourite son, it felt like Thomas Tuchel had selected all the correct right-sided defenders but not necessarily in the right order.

In reality, however, the move came to look inspired, at least defensively as James effectively shackled Jamie Vardy's livewire running.

Youri's glory

The opening stages of the second half, Leicester finally managed to peg their opponents back. James still dealt with everything in immaculate fashion until, well, he didn't.

The 21-year-old botched a routine pass, hitting it at Ayoze Perez. Thomas snaffled the loose ball and Youri Tielemans straightened his run towards the Chelsea box.

Like Evans earlier, Thiago Silva's combination of old head and old legs persuaded him to let his opponent advance towards goal. Unlike Werner, though, Tielemans is a supreme technician at the top of his game.

The Belgium midfielder unleashed an unerring 25-yard firecracker into the top corner. Some thunder to go with the Wembley rain. Behind the goal, bedlam. Limbs. A cup final goal for the ages.

Tuchel decided to act and a pair of double substitutions followed, including former Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell's introduction. His every touch was booed, until he got his head to a cross from N'Golo Kante – the Foxes' 2015-16 title-winning hero, who endured no barracking.

That moment was one for a sharp intake of breath but Schmeichel plunged to his right for a stunning save. His later stop from Mount was even better.

Captain Morgan's VAR cocktail

The dying minutes meant time for another of Claudio Ranieri's old stagers as Wes Morgan came on for his first action since December, immediately barking instructions. The band, or what remains of it, were back together.

When he hoisted the Premier League trophy aloft five years ago, Morgan or none of the rest of us lived in the altered reality of VAR. But it saved him here after Chilwell tore off in villainous celebration, his attempt having cannoned in off his old captain after Caglar Soyuncu had tried to hack it clear. The replays showed a tight but obvious offside.

Morgan, Schmeichel and Vardy have a first FA Cup to go with their club's first league title. They are sporting immortals of the east midlands.

The Leicester faithful also have a new trophy-winning hero in Tielemans after his majestic man-of-the-match showing. Following Eden Hazard in 2018 and Kevin De Bruyne in 2019, another Belgium playmaker scored in an FA Cup final victory. A niche and far more palatable new normal.

And that was the best thing about the rash tackles, the blocks, the screamer, the bedlam, the shredded nerves, the drama, the villains and the heroes. The wonderful atmosphere in which it unfolded was all so instantly and beautifully normal.