It was a moment of pure defiance and confidence—a young striker finding his form and making a bold statement in front of a soccer legend. In Denmark’s UEFA Nations League quarter-final clash against Portugal, Rasmus Hojlund delivered a decisive blow, scoring the winning goal and immediately rubbing it in by hitting Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Siu’ celebration.
With Portugal’s talisman watching from just a few yards away, the Danish forward wheeled away in celebration, while Ronaldo’s reaction said everything. This wasn’t just a goal. It was a statement.
Hojlund’s recent struggles in front of goal have been well documented. Before last weekend, the 22-year-old had gone 21 matches without scoring for Manchester United. His lack of form had fueled speculation that United could be in the market for a new striker this summer, raising doubts about whether Hojlund would even have a long-term future at Old Trafford.
However, that changed against Leicester City last weekend. Hojlund finally broke his goal drought, netting in a 3-0 victory for United. More importantly, the goal seemed to reignite his confidence—and that belief carried over to the international stage.
Against the Seleção das Quinas, Hojlund found himself in the right place at the right time, meeting Andreas Skov Olsen’s cross and coolly finishing into the bottom corner in the 78th minute. The goal gave Denmark a crucial 1-0 win in the first leg, putting them in control ahead of the return fixture on Sunday. But it was what happened next that made headlines.
Rubbing it in Ronaldo’s face
After scoring the winner, Hojlund ran toward the Danish supporters and celebrated in a way that left no doubts about his intentions—he performed Ronaldo’s signature ‘Siu’ celebration, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.
Cristiano Ronaldo, still on the pitch, could only stand and watch. The 40-year-old forward—who remains Portugal’s key man despite questions over his long-term future—had no response. His body language spoke volumes: hands on his hips, an unimpressed expression, but no visible reaction.
For Hojlund, this was a surreal moment. Just a few years ago, he idolized Ronaldo, even shaping his career after the Portuguese superstar.
Hojlund: From Ronaldo’s biggest fan to his rival
Hojlund has never hidden his admiration for Ronaldo. In an interview with DR.dk, he openly admitted that Cristiano was the reason he fell in love with soccer. “Now I’m not going to exaggerate, but Cristiano is everything to me,” he said.
“I fell in love with football because of Cristiano. I became a Manchester United fan because of Cristiano. I started self-training because of Cristiano. I started doing push-ups and sit-ups every day before I went to bed because of Cristiano, because I wanted to be Cristiano.”
