Ronaldo watches on as Hojlund celebrates
Ronaldo watches on as Hojlund celebrates
Rasmus Højlund stole the spotlight with a decisive goal and a nod to his idol, Cristiano Ronaldo, during Denmark's 1-0 victory over Portugal in the Nations League quarter-final first leg on Thursday.
Coming off the bench, the Manchester United forward broke the deadlock in the 78th minute at Parken Stadium, ensuring Denmark took a crucial advantage into the second leg. Højlund's strike followed a missed first-half penalty from Christian Eriksen, rescuing the Danes in a tightly contested match.
Reflecting on his match-winning moment and his celebration mimicking Ronaldo's iconic 'Siu,' Højlund said: "It was fantastic, it was a great day in many ways. I played against my idol and scored and was the match-winner. It couldn't have been written much better."
The goal marked Højlund’s second in as many games, following his recent strike for Manchester United against Leicester City. The forward latched onto Andreas Skov Olsen's pinpoint delivery, finishing clinically into the bottom corner to spark wild celebrations among the Danish fans, many of whom joined in with his Ronaldo-inspired move.
Ronaldo, starting up front for Portugal, was still on the pitch to witness Højlund's celebration. However, the 40-year-old appeared unimpressed, standing with his hands on his hips as the Danish fans reveled in the tribute.
Højlund's rising form comes less than a year after joining Manchester United, a move that followed Ronaldo’s controversial departure from the club. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner exited Old Trafford in late 2022 after a turbulent end to his second stint, marred by tensions with then-manager Erik ten Hag.
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