Rasmus Højlund has defended his celebration after scoring the decisive goal for Denmark against Portugal, emphasizing that he had no intention of mocking his “idol,” Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Manchester United striker calmly finished after a cross from Andreas Skov Olsen, securing victory in the first quarter-final match of the UEFA Nations League.
After scoring, he celebrated by imitating the Portuguese star’s iconic “Siu” move.
“It wasn’t meant to mock or anything else. I have always said that he has had a huge impact on me and my football career,” Højlund told the Danish broadcaster TV2.
“I’m playing against the best footballer in the world, my idol, and scoring the winning goal is something unbelievable.
“Scoring against him and Portugal is a big deal. I first saw him in 2009 when he scored from a free kick, and since then, I’ve been a fan of his.”
Former Manchester United and Real Madrid star Ronaldo, who now plays for Saudi club Al Nassr, played the full 90 minutes for Portugal.
Højlund’s goal in the 78th minute continued a positive streak for him, as he had also found the net last weekend in the Premier League against Leicester, ending a 21-game goal drought.
