Exclusives

ENGLAND’S stars all had cardiac screening tests to reduce the risk of the ­horror collapse which felled Christian Eriksen, it was revealed yesterday.The FA ordered thorough heart checks on the football aces leading the charge towards Euro 2020 glory.
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England players underwent cardiac screenings prior to the EurosCredit: Reuters
Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during Saturday’s matchCredit: Reuters
The Denmark player had to be revived before being carried off the pitchCredit: AFP
They would not be allowed to play unless they had passed specialist electrocardiogram tests, checking for ­abnormalities, within the last year.
The players also had to have a detailed echocardiogram ultrasound scan within the last two years.
FA sources said it is now ­policy to regularly monitor England’s top men’s senior stars — and also England players across every age group.
‘NO CHANCES TAKEN’
Precautions and training were ramped up after the horror collapse of Bolton star Fabrice Muamba during an FA Cup match against Tottenham in 2012.
In addition, all England medical staff are now required to have an Advanced Trauma Medical Management In Football certificate.
That means all medics will be ready to act to save lives should a player suffer a collapse or serious injury.
It is now policy to regularly monitor England stars’ heart healthCredit: AFP
Eriksen’s team-mates looked distraught as they formed a protective ring around the stricken starCredit: Getty
He was taken off the pitch on a stretcher after 13 minutes of intense medical treatment
A source told The Sun: “All England medical staff also have the highest standard of medical equipment with them pitchside to quickly and efficiently manage incidents.
“They’re ready to react quickly and effectively should the worst kind of incident occur, both in a match and training scenarios.
“It’s an issue which is taken incredibly seriously in the light of what happened to both Fabrice and Christian. No chances are taken.”
Denmark’s team doctor Morten Boesen confirmed that Eriksen was “gone” before being revived. He said: “We did cardiac resuscitation, it was a cardiac arrest.
“When I got to him he was on his side, he was breathing, I could feel a pulse but suddenly that changed and we started to give him CPR.
“The help came really fast from the medical team and the rest of the staff with their co-operation, and we did what we had to do and managed to get Christian back. How close were we to losing him?
“I don’t know, but we got him back after one defibrillation so that’s quite fast. The examinations done so far look fine. We don’t have an explanation why it happened.”
In 2012 Bolton’s Fabrice Muamba collapsed during an FA Cup matchCredit: AP:Associated Press
Muamba’s heart stopped for 78 minutes but he miraculously survived after a doctor ran on the field to help resuscitate himCredit: Getty
Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand revealed Eriksen said: “I don’t remember much but I’m more concerned about you guys. How are you doing? I think you’re feeling worse than I am. I feel as if I’m about to go training now, boys.”
Hjulmand said: “That’s typical Christian. It was good to see him smile. Christian is in good spirits and it’s a huge relief for the players. We’ve been on the ropes.”
Former Spurs boss Jose Mour­inho, who coached Eriksen before the player left for Inter Milan, said: “I prayed yesterday, I cried yesterday. God was looking at football.”
Prior to England’s game against Croatia, fans at Wembley applauded Eriksen as the stadium announcer wished him a speedy recovery.
Skipper Harry Kane tweeted: “Chris. I’m sending all my love to you and your family. Stay strong mate.”
Meanwhile, the BBC removed footage of Eriksen’s collapse from its iPlayer yesterday as broadcasting regulator Ofcom prepared to launch a probe.
Ref’s wife ‘proud’By Richard Moriarty
THE wife of the English ref at the centre of the Christian Eriksen health scare yesterday told of her pride at his actions.
Premier League ref Anthony Taylor was widely praised for his quick action in halting the game within three seconds of the ex-Spurs star collapsing during Saturday’s clash between Denmark and Finland.
Taylor, 42, born in Wythenshawe where Marcus Rashford also grew up, was congratulated by Prince William for “calm and swift action”.
And his wife Anne-Marie told The Sun: “I am very proud of him.”
Asked if he was upset by what happened, she said: “I have spoken to him. He is fine now. He is good.”

England won their first ever Euro opener yesterdayCredit: Getty

Hundreds of viewers complained after live footage of the frantic attempts to revive him was beamed into millions of homes.
They branded the Beeb “shameful” for not cutting away from the upsetting scenes.
Host Gary Lineker later apologised in a tweet.
Denmark head coach gets emotional at post-match press conference after Christian Eriksen collapsed More

ENGLAND will beat Croatia in their Euro 2020 group opener tomorrow — according to the nation’s most intelligent dog.Willow the wonder pooch can count to ten, spell her own name and identify shapes — and she has form for correctly predicting results of major events.
Willow the wonder dog is predicting an England victoryCredit: Glen Minikin
Now, after studying The Sun’s football guide, the clever cockapoo has picked out Harry Kane’s England side to win at Wembley tomorrow afternoon.
She made her prediction yesterday, in strictly controlled scientific conditions, after we presented her with three bowls, each containing a football.
On the front of each bowl we stuck a flag for England, Croatia and then a third had both for a draw.
Willow’s owner Charlotte Price, 30, then asked her: “Who will win on Sunday, or do you fancy a draw?”
Willow’s owner Charlotte says she is ‘never wrong’Credit: Glen Minikin
After a moment’s paws, Willow pounced on England’s bowl — and with her track record, that is good news for manager Gareth Southgate.
Special needs teacher Charlotte said: “This should be a great relief for England fans. She’s never wrong about these things.”
Charlotte proudly revealed Willow has form for predicting major events — including last year’s US presidential race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden.
She added: “She’s so clever that we’ve often wondered if she might be able to predict things.
“Me and my husband have often had a little giggle with stuff — like last year’s run-off between Biden and Trump and she was right behind Biden.
Willow predicts Harry Kane’s England will win at WembleyCredit: Getty
“We also asked her to pick between Jeremy Corbyn and Boris Johnson at the last General Election. She didn’t need long to think about that one and pounced on Boris.
“And she did the same with this year’s Champions League final. Most people backed Manchester City but she went for Chelsea. She’s not been wrong yet.”
A pun-tastic England doggy XI
Her skills echo those of tentacled tipster Paul the Octopus, who successfully predicted the results of Germany’s seven matches at the 2010 World Cup.
The patriotic cockapoo was wearing an England shirt at home in Baildon, West Yorks.
The property is also decked out in England bunting, flags and balloons.
Charlotte started training Willow as a pup in 2018 and quickly moved on to tricks.
She chose between her teddy and a ball — and letters and numbers.
Willow has been training for this moment for three yearsCredit: Glen Minikin

Willow gets a treat for every five she identifies. She also picks out shapes, including her favourite, the pentagon.
Weather symbols are also her thing but we didn’t need her to tell us it will be sunny.
BBC radio host Rachel Burden got her dog Mae to predict tomorrow’s winner — but she picked Croatia.
Willow could be a good luck charm for England at Euro 2020Credit: Glen Minikin
England vs Croatia live stream, TV channel and kick-off time and team news for Euro 2020 match More

WHILE their lives couldn’t be more different, Jose Mourinho and James Corden have more in ­common than you may think.Both are seasoned pros in their chosen field with legions of fans around the globe — and a shared obsession with the beautiful game.
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Jose Mourinho chatted with James Corden ahead of this weekend’s EurosCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
The TV legend grilled The Special One on everything from his trophies to cricketCredit: Daniel Jones – The Sun
So who better to quiz The Special One than a London-born boy done good?
Who wants to know if one day Jose would plump for a job at his beloved West Ham? Jose, 58, is now at Roma after parting company with Spurs.
Speaking on Zoom, James, 42, got Jose chatting about Harry Kane’s future, the 25-and-a-half trophies he’s won and the advice he’d give to Gareth Southgate.
The England boss famously missed a penalty at Euro 96, one of several shootout heartaches over the years. But Jose says our “mental wall is broken” after spot-kick joy against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup.

JAMES CORDEN: How are you, Jose? This is such a thrill, I’m a big fan.
JOSE MOURINHO: I can’t believe that. You must be a fan of David Moyes.
JC: Yes, Moyesiah — he’s incredible. So, are you excited for this new chapter?
JM: I am. I felt a very good connection with the owners. It’s the feeling of working not for them but with them.
JC: How much of your day is spent thinking about how much you want to improve that squad?
JM: There is a lot of work to do. Zoom made things easy. I don’t like making phone calls. I like to see people.
JC: Fans got to see your reaction to lockdown in the Amazon documentary with Tottenham. Was that in your contract?
Mourinho spoke about Harry Kane’s future, saying he is a ‘very Premier League guy’Credit: Getty
JM: Yes I was informed about it. I gave them my opinion. It would disturb the work we were doing but it would be a good thing for the club.
JC: Reading between the lines my feeling was that Mauricio Pochettino did not want those cameras there. Did you know that was an issue?
JM: No not at all. It was something that was done and it is not even for me to ask why or how.
The positives were more important. And that it is.
JC: I feel you’ve always known when something is going to work or not in the long term. Like at Manchester United, you came to Los Angeles and we filmed something for my show. I had a feeling you thought that season would not end well.
JM: Manchester United was a situation where we won three trophies in the first season. When I met you I wanted more.
JC: I remember you saying to me, “I have no players” and I was like, “No you have this and this.” You said it wasn’t enough.
JM: I am very optimistic but I am very realistic. When we did that at Manchester United by winning the Europa League, and the domestic cup, I felt for the next step it would not be enough.
This season, people were saying, “Great season, you finished second.” I’d say, “We finished second. It’s a bad season.”
He spoke about Gareth Southgate’s heart-breaking missed penalty at Euro 96Credit: Getty
Mourinho revealed the advice he’d give the England bossCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
JC: Why is finishing second a bad season?
JM: I like Manchester United, the fans were amazing with me. And I think it is good for them that another season without trophies is seen as positive.
But with me the level of expectation coming from the media is completely different.
JC: But some of that pressure you bring on yourself. In press conferences you’ll say things like, “Three, three!”
JM: That’s a reaction! I don’t arrive and say three or five. James, if you want to be proactive you can ask me how many trophies I have won in my career — 25 and a half.
JC: What is the half?
JM: The half is the final I didn’t play with Tottenham.
I’ve won 25 and a half trophies…the half is the final I didn’t play with Spurs.
JC: Were you disappointed you didn’t get to manage?
JM: Of course. To have a chance to win a trophy with a club that doesn’t have many, that was a dream.
JC: Did you ever say, “Let me manage the final, win the trophy and I will leave?”
JM: It is not for me to make that decision.
Corden grilled Mourinho, aka The Special One, on ZoomCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers
Corden admits he’s a big fan and says he feels a very good connection with David Moyes
JC: What advice would you give the new manager?
JM: I am not going to give any advice. I say goodbye, I wish you luck and I move on.
JC: Would you not just say, “Try and keep Harry Kane?”
JM: That’s obvious. He is one of the top strikers in the world.
JC: Did you like working with Harry?
JM: I did enjoy it very much. I love his partnership with Son.
JC: Do you see the ambition in Harry that you have seen in Zlatan, in Ronaldo?
JM: Yes but when I work with these guys they were winning titles. It is about legacy. Legacy is about medals.
But who knows? In five weeks Harry could be a European champion.
JC: I am sure you won’t answer this, but where do you think Harry Kane should play his football next year?
JM: I think he has to play where he is happy. And I think he is happy in England. He is a very Premier League guy.
Mourinho has won 25½ trophies in his career, including a final he didn’t play with TottenhamCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
He admits he’s been offered international management jobs at England and PortugalCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
The football legend says he doesn’t know what he’d do without the beautiful gameCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd
JC: Let’s talk about the Euros. Are you excited?
JM: I am always excited about football. We have a break and I feel lost and empty. I don’t know what to do after dinner. I am just zapping zapping zapping with no proper football.
JC: What do you make of England’s chances?
JM: They can win it. I only see France has an incredible squad but apart from that I don’t see one team that is better than the others.
Who knows, in 5 weeks Harry Kane could be a European champion.
JC: Have you ever been offered international management jobs?
JM: England when I left Chelsea but I realised it was too early for me. I had Portugal when I was at Real Madrid. It was a crazy offer for a part-time job. It is the kind of job I think I will enjoy later.
JC: You said you don’t know what to do without football. So what do you do to keep yourself entertained?
JM: I am a very complicated guy. I am totally absorbed by sport. I will be addicted to the Olympics. I am addicted to F1, I am addicted to tennis. There is one sport that I still don’t understand, cricket.
When I was working for Sir Bobby Robson, I could not understand how much he loved the game, because I didn’t understand the game.
Mourinho reckons England can win the Euros, saying ‘I don’t see one team that is better than the others’Credit: The Sun
JC: Sir Bobby because he was clearly a mentor to you. Do you have anyone you consider yourself a mentor to?
JM: I am more than a mentor, I am an agent without commission. I get so many jobs from so many friends. People want advice and opinions.
JC: Did you know about the Super League before us?
JM: I knew the project was in the kitchen and it would come out.
JC: Were you surprised by how quickly it fell apart?
JM: The way people reacted was incredible. I am a football lover. I got emotional about that reaction.
JC: If you had been at Tottenham or Man Utd, and they said, “This is the Super League, we’re going to enter it”, would you have said, “Guys this is a PR disaster?”
JM: I don’t think we have any power in any club at this moment. We have power in relation to our opinion. The old-fashioned football manager with lots of power in the club, I think that has disappeared.
JC: Back to the Euros, from a manager’s point of view, what should Gareth Southgate say to his five?
JM: You know my record on penalties? I lost two Champions League semi-finals on penalties.
JC: So what did you say? Then Gareth Southgate can say the opposite?
JM: When I trust players over my feelings it doesn’t work. For example Chelsea versus Liverpool, one of the players was not on the list. He came to me in the middle of Anfield and he said to me, “Am I the first or fifth?” I said, “You are the sixth or the seventh.”
He says the best player he’s ever coached was MessiCredit: Reuters
He said, “I want to go because I will score.” So with that, I thought, “OK.” He took it but he missed.
I also had the European Super Cup, Chelsea versus Bayern. Again the guy who missed shouldn’t have taken the penalty. The last time this happened I won. It was this season, Tottenham versus Chelsea. And the same thing happened to me. I told the player, “No.”
England don’t need my advice now. That mental wall is broken. They want it.
JC: That is a great bit of advice for Gareth Southgate. OK let’s finish up with some quickfire. The best player you never coached?
JM: Messi.
JC: The best football game you have been a part of?
JM: Benfica and Porto. That game for us Portuguese is everything. It is tribal, North versus South.
JC: Your favourite food?
JM: I am from a fisherman’s city but I am a meat guy. I like my beef medium well, with amazing chips.
The old-fashioned football manager with lots of power in the club, I think that has disappeared.
JC: Your favourite song?
JM: I wouldn’t say I have a favourite song but I like Bryan Adams, Bruce Springsteen and U2.
JC: Your favourite place in the world?
JM: My city Setubal.
JC: Your favourite thing to do on a day off?
JM: I don’t have days off. There’s not one day when I can disconnect from football, where I can ignore the telephone.
JC: And finally, be honest, everything you have achieved in your career, 25-and-a-half cups, do you feel with every move you are getting closer to your dream of becoming the manager of West Ham United?
JM: It is not my dream.
JC: If it’s not a dream because it’s just so far out of reach for you I get it, I totally get it.
Corden casks whether he’s getting closer to achieving his dream of becoming West Ham’s manager
Unfortunately he shoots Corden down as he says Roma is his futureCredit: Louis Wood News Group Newspapers Ltd

JM: Maybe, James. I am not a club man. That is clear. I am a guy of many clubs. Roma is my future.
JC: My admiration for you never stops growing. Thank you for this. It has been a thrill.
JM: See you in LA, I will go to Coachella.

IN return for this article, at James’ request, The Sun has made a donation to Magic Breakfast charity, which helps provide breakfasts to school kids. For more information, visit www.magicbreakfast.com. More

FOOTBALL anthem Vindaloo is being remade for the Euros — with   Danny Dyer and Paddy McGuinness on vocals.Scenes for the video were shot this week, with actor Will Mellor, comic Leigh Francis and dancer Bez belting out a new version of the spicy Fat Les hit.
Happy Mondays star Bez and actor Will Mellor led the filming for Vindaloo in LondonCredit: Alamy
But EastEnders star Danny and Top Gear host Paddy also sing on the unofficial England anthem, originally recorded for the 1998 World Cup.
A source said: “Danny and Paddy are secret stars of the Vindaloo re-recording.
“They laid down their lyrics in a studio at the end of last month but their schedules couldn’t allow them to make filming. But it’s obvious who sings what lines in the track and the new version sounds brilliant.”
Corrie actor Will, Keith Lemon star Leigh, and Happy Mondays’ dancer Bez were seen filming in Hoxton, East London.
The source went on: “The video for the updated version is very much in line with the original. Everyone involved in the remake thinks it will blow the original out of the water. It’s brilliant fun.”
Fat Les’ song Vindaloo was a hit in 1998 and still lives on as an England terrace anthemCredit: Rex

Fat Les was formed by Blur bassist Alex James, Lily Allen’s dad Keith, and the artist Damien Hirst.
They hit No2 with Vindaloo, with the star-packed video also featuring Matt Lucas and David Walliams.
The Euros start on Friday. England open their campaign against Croatia on the Sunday afternoon, a day after Wales play Switzerland.
Paddy McGuinness is hoping to have a chart hit with VindalooCredit: PA
EastEnders actor Danny Dyer took part in the Vindaloo remakeCredit: Getty
England fans recreate Fat Les’ Three Lions anthem ‘Vindaloo’ More