Rasmus Hojlund denied accusations that he was mocking Cristiano Ronaldo when copying his purpose celebration throughout Denmark’s Nations League win over Portugal.
The struggling Manchester United ahead, who ended a 21-game purpose drought with a current strike in opposition to Leicester Metropolis, scored the one purpose of the sport to assist Denmark take a large step in direction of the competitors’s semi-finals.
Hojlund celebrated the 78th-minute winner by imitating Ronaldo’s famed ‘siu’ celebration whereas the Portugal striker watched along with his fingers on his hips, however confronted a backlash on-line because it was prompt the 22-year-old was being disrespectful to a participant many take into account to be one of many best of all time.
However that wasn’t the case, Hojlund acknowledged after the sport, as he as a substitute revealed how a lot of an affect Ronaldo’s had on his profession so far.
“It was to not mock him or something, I’ve at all times stated he has had nice significance for me and my soccer profession,” Hojlund revealed to Danish broadcaster TV2. “I am enjoying in opposition to the world’s finest footballer, my idol, and to attain and turn out to be the [match] winner, it could not be higher.
“Scoring in opposition to him and Portugal is big, I went to see him in 2009, the place he scored from a free-kick, and I have been a fan ever since.”
Ronaldo was enjoying the 218th sport of a exceptional worldwide profession that has seen the 40-year-old rating 135 objectives – 23 greater than rival Lionel Messi.
He wasn’t in a position to rating on this event, although, with Portugal now needing a swift turnaround in Sunday’s second leg conflict in Lisbon. Elsewhere, Croatia earned an enormous 2-0 win over 2018 World Cup winners France, Germany bested Italy 2-1 in Milan and Spain earned a share of the spoils within the Netherlands due to a stoppage-time equaliser from Arsenal’s Mikel Merino.
