Former Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo last night, whilst subsequently clashing with Portugal manager Jorge Jesus.

Hojlund scored Denmark’s second goal against Portugal on Thursday evening, levelling proceedings at two apiece before goals from Vitinha and Joao Felix took the game beyond the Danish.

After his goal, the striker hit Ronaldo’s iconic ‘Sui’ celebration, paying tribute to the forward who did not feature in the game after leaving the Portuguese camp before the fixture.

The drama did not there, though, with Hojlund appearing to push Portugal manager Jorge Jesus following the conclusion of the match. He also appeared to have a scowl on his face when looking at Jesus.

It is not the first time that Denmark’s starting frontman has copied Ronaldo’s celebration, with him also emulating it when scoring the winner against Portugal in March 2025.

Hojlund, commenting on his choice of celebration after that game, said that he did not intend to mock Ronaldo but instead wanted to honour his legacy.

“It was for my idol,” Rasmus Hojlund said.

“It wasn’t because I wanted to mock him or anything. He’s had such a big impact on me and my football career.

“It might be a bit ambivalent, but to score against him and Portugal, it’s huge.

“I remember him scoring from a free kick in 2009 when I went to watch the match and since then, I’ve been a huge Cristiano fan.

“I’ve always dreamed of doing Ronaldo’s celebration, especially against him.

“It’s not because it would be gloating, but more to show some respect. I’m a bit of a fanboy, if you can call it that.”

With tensions now high between Cristiano Ronaldo and Jorge Jesus, it is clear to see which side Rasmus Hojlund is taking.

Whilst Ronaldo is unlikely to feature against Norway tomorrow evening, having reportedly retired from international football, Hojlund could feature for Denmark against Wales.

Cristiano Ronaldo appears to be on his way out of international football currently but, for Rasmus Hojlund, the journey to success on the world stage is only just beginning.

Ensuring that the journey continues will be imperative, especially with the European Championships now under two years away. Honouring his idol and legend could be an essential part of that path.