Cristiano Ronaldo has responded after Rasmus Hojlund performed his famous ‘Siu’ celebration during Denmark’s victory over Portugal in the UEFA Nations League quarter-final first leg.
Ronaldo watched from a distance as Hojlund, who came off the bench for Denmark, celebrated in style after scoring the opening goal in Copenhagen. His decision to replicate Ronaldo’s trademark move sparked debate, with some interpreting it as an act of mockery. However, Hojlund later clarified that it was done purely out of admiration for one of the greatest footballers of all time.
“It’s for my idol. It’s not like I’m mocking him or anything,” Hojlund explained after the match. “I’ve always said that he has a lot of importance to me and my football career.”
Now, Ronaldo has addressed the situation, making it clear that he took no offense. The five-time Ballon d’Or winner acknowledged that players across the world perform his celebration and sees it as a mark of respect rather than an insult.
“It’s no problem for me. I know it wasn’t out of disrespect. It is not only him who does my celebration around the world,” Ronaldo said ahead of the return leg. “I’m smart enough to understand that. For me, it is an honour. I hope to do it in front of him tomorrow. It will be good. I’m glad he likes my celebration.”
Hojlund, who joined Manchester United in 2023, has been open about the impact Ronaldo has had on his career. He has spoken at length about how the Portuguese superstar inspired him from a young age and shaped his passion for football.
“Now I’m not going to exaggerate, but Cristiano is everything to me,” Hojlund previously stated. “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.”
The admiration between the two players is evident, and the mutual respect will add extra intrigue to the second leg, where Portugal will attempt to overturn their deficit. With the return fixture set to take place at the Jose Alvalade Stadium in Lisbon, both teams will be eager to secure a place in the semi-finals.
