Rasmus Hojlund has explained the message behind his Cristiano Ronaldo inspired celebration after scoring for Denmark against Portugal, insisting that his gesture was a tribute to his football idol rather than an attempt to mock the Portuguese superstar.
Hojlund scored Denmark’s second goal during the Nations League encounter in Copenhagen, producing a composed finish after being played through by Mikkel Damsgaard. The striker then celebrated with Ronaldo’s trademark “Siu” celebration, immediately drawing attention because Ronaldo was absent from the Portugal squad after leaving the team’s training camp.
The Danish forward has previously spoken openly about Ronaldo’s influence on his career and has described the five time Ballon d’Or winner as his idol...READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Hojlund made it clear that his celebration was not intended to disrespect Ronaldo. Instead, he said it was dedicated to the Portuguese forward because of the enormous influence Ronaldo has had on him as a footballer.
The moment carried additional significance because of the circumstances surrounding Ronaldo’s absence. The Portugal captain had left the national team camp shortly before the match following a disagreement over his role in the squad.
That situation had generated considerable attention ahead of the Denmark encounter, making Hojlund’s celebration even more noticeable.
Hojlund has previously explained that Ronaldo played a major role in his decision to follow football and that he admired the Portuguese star’s mentality, work ethic and desire to continue improving.
The Danish striker’s admiration for Ronaldo dates back years. He has spoken about watching the Portuguese star play and how Ronaldo’s performances influenced his own development as a young footballer.
Despite Hojlund’s personal tribute, Denmark were unable to hold on to their advantage as Portugal eventually completed a dramatic 4–2 victory.
Portugal responded strongly after Denmark had twice found the net, with João Cancelo, Gonçalo Ramos, Vitinha and João Félix contributing to a comeback victory for Jorge Jesus’ side.
The match therefore became a significant night for Hojlund despite Denmark’s defeat. His goal and celebration attracted attention beyond the result, particularly because of his longstanding admiration for Ronaldo.
The 23 year old forward has made no secret of the fact that Ronaldo remains one of his biggest footballing inspirations, and his latest celebration offered another public reminder of that relationship.
For Hojlund, however, the message was straightforward. His celebration was about honouring the player who inspired him, rather than making fun of Ronaldo during a period of controversy surrounding the Portugal captain.
