Norwich’s Brandon Williams Pushes Christian Eriksen, Then Hugs After Brief Clash

It was a heartfelt moment between Williams and Eriksen.

In what could have been an unpleasant dispute between Norwich City and Brentford in Saturday’s Premier League clash ended up being a heartfelt moment shared between two players.

39 minutes into the match, Norwich City left back Brandon Williams knocked a ball past Brentford’s Christian Eriksen. While Williams had an opportunity to break away, Eriksen committed a foul on Williams by intentionally tugging at his shirt.

As Williams fell to the ground in frustration, he appeared about to confront his opponent until he realized it was Eriksen, the former Spurs midfielder who had recently returned to soccer after collapsing from cardiac arrest during the Euros in June 2021. 

The priceless flipping of the switch: Brandon Williams is about to throw down after a tackle, realizes it's Christian Eriksen, smiles and hugs him instead 😅

(via @NBCSportsSoccer) pic.twitter.com/FhdbBwbyKd

— SI Soccer (@si_soccer) March 5, 2022

When Eriksen collapsed on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest during Denmark’s first match of the tournament against Finland last summer, Denmark team doctor Morten Boesen administered CPR and eventually used a defibrillator to keep Eriksen alive.

The midfielder signed with Brentford during the winter transfer window, making his return to the Premier League. He received a standing ovation when he made his first appearance in the English top flight since leaving Tottenham in 2020. 

While he missed Denmark’s run to the Euro semifinals, Eriksen said his goal is to play in the upcoming World Cup for his country.