Manchester United star Rasmus Hojlund denied that he intended to mock Cristiano Ronaldo during Denmark’s match against Portugal in the first leg of the UEFA Nations League quarter-finals.
Hojlund scored the winning goal for Denmark, then addressed the crowd and performed Ronaldo’s famous “SII” celebration in the presence of the Ronaldo on the pitch. Many considered this a mockery of the 40-year-old or an attempt to provoke him.
Hojlund responded by saying, “It’s not an exaggeration, but Cristiano Ronaldo is everything to me. I fell in love with football because of him, and I became a Manchester United fan because of him.”
He added, “I changed my entire lifestyle to be like Ronaldo. He’s my role model.”
He continued, “The celebration was an imitation of my idol. I never meant to provoke or mock him. Scoring against him and Portugal is something huge for me. I’ve dreamed of this moment many times.”
Portugal will host Denmark in Lisbon in the second leg next Tuesday, and the opportunity will be ripe for Ronaldo to respond to Denmark and Hojlund by advancing to the semi-finals.
