Rasmus Hojlund
Rasmus Hojlund copies Cristiano Ronaldo's celebration - while Ronaldo watches on
Less than two weeks ago, Rasmus Hojlund looked like a goalscorer who might never score again. He had been dropped for Manchester United's Premier League clash with Arsenal, and when he came on, he fluffed his lines.
When presented with one opportunity, he took forever to try to get a shot away and was then ruthlessly denied a second chance by some excellent Gabriel defending. The Brazilian's defending was brilliant, but Hojlund looked like a player whose confidence was shot.
What used to come naturally was suddenly requiring a longer thought process. When Casemiro won possession high up the pitch, the ball fell perfectly to Hojlund, but he took a heavy touch, took too long to sort his feet out and allowed Declan Rice to get back in and make the challenge.
That took his goal drought to 20 games and it would tick over to 21 against Real Sociedad, when chances again came and went. But at least he was getting chances, something that hadn't been happening for most of his three-month wait to score again.
And then, it happened. Even when Bruno Fernandes' pass found Hojlund in space at the King Power Stadium last Sunday, there was a brief hesitation, a pause in the run to check if there was a square pass. But the ground had opened up in front of him, and the 22-year-old charged towards goal and finished on his right foot.
Finally, he had scored again., and sometimes that is all it takes. The confidence that looked to have vanished against Arsenal is now back. The weight he was carrying on his shoulders has gone.
He left for international duty with Denmark with a spring in his step and a request from Diogo Dalot and Fernandes to go another week without scoring, with Portugal the opponents for a two-legged Nations League quarter-final. It fell on deaf ears.
Hojlund came off the bench in Copenhagen but still scored the game's only goal, making an excellent run to meet a low cut-back and again finish with his right foot. How he celebrated was the true indicator of his confidence, however. He spun a confident finger around in the air as he demanded attention before imitating Cristiano Ronaldo's siu celebration in the corner.
What Ronaldo made of it, standing up the other end of the pitch, is anyone's guess. They didn't overlap at United and Hojlund insists the celebration was meant as a tribute more than anything else.
"I’m playing against the world’s best footballer, my idol, and to score a goal and win the match... it couldn’t be better," he told told TV2.
It’s not like I’m mocking him or anything. I’ve just always said that he has a lot of importance to me and my football career. Scoring against him and Portugal is huge. I was there and saw him in 2009 when he scored from a free kick and I’ve been a fan ever since."
Hojlund will hope he has done enough to earn a start in Lisbon in the second leg on Sunday, and that might well be a wise move. He has been here before, after all.
When he scored his first Premier League goal against Aston Villa on Boxing Day in 2023, it ended a run of 14 league fixtures without scoring.
But suddenly, he couldn't stop, going on a run of eight goals in eight games in the best period of his time at Old Trafford so far.
Having backed up his strike at the King Power Stadium with another on Thursday night, Hojlund may be getting the taste for goals again. If so, Denmark and United could benefit over the next few weeks.