"I scored against my Idol"—Højlund Explains why he Copied Ronaldo's Celebration After Denmark Heroics

Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund played a crucial role for Denmark as he came off the bench to score the winning goal against Portugal in the first leg of their Nations League quarter-final. The young forward, who had been struggling to find the back of the net in recent months, showed his talent once again at the international level.

Before this game, Højlund had gone 21 matches without scoring for Manchester United and was also experiencing a 13-game goalless streak for Denmark. However, just days after finally ending his dry spell with United, he repeated the feat for his country, proving how unpredictable strikers can be.

The match saw several United players in action, with Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot starting for Portugal, while Christian Eriksen played for Denmark. Højlund, along with Patrick Dorgu, started on the bench but was given a chance in the second half. He took full advantage of it by scoring the decisive goal late in the game, securing a crucial 1-0 victory for Denmark ahead of the second leg.

Højlund celebrated the thrilling win by imitating Cristiano Ronaldo’s famous “siuu” celebration in front of the Portuguese legend. This move has been seen before when young players score against Ronaldo, often as a sign of admiration rather than disrespect.

Speaking after the match, Højlund confirmed this was the case for him, saying:

“It was great. It was a great day in many ways. I played against my idol, scored, and won the match. It couldn’t have been written much better.”

The young forward has always been a huge fan of Ronaldo, and this moment was like a dream come true for him.

With Denmark set to face Portugal again in the second leg, Højlund is now likely to start the match after his impressive performance. His return to goal-scoring form is good news for both his country and Manchester United.

United manager Ruben Amorim will be hoping Højlund can carry this confidence back to Old Trafford, just like he did last season. After struggling at the start of the previous campaign, the Danish striker went on a hot streak, scoring in six consecutive matches once he found his rhythm.

Højlund will be important to United’s quest for a successful season finale if he can regain his form. As he gets ready for the match against Portugal in the second leg, the Manchester United team will be carefully monitoring him hoping that their young striker is at last back to his best.