Are you 24 or older?

Help us verify your age by providing an honest response. This site contains gambling advertising for 24+.

Age-restricted content

You’re not old enough to view betting content. You’ll be redirected to the homepage.

alt
LiveTickets
+18 | Commercial Content | T&C's Apply | Play Responsibly | Publishing Principles
Explore Betting on GOAL
FBL-EUR-NATIONS-DEN-PORAFP
Emanuele Tramacere
Translated by

Leao does not shine in Cristiano Ronaldo's No 7, Hojlund celebrates with his "siuuum"

R. Leao
C. Ronaldo
R. Hoejlund
Denmark vs Portugal
Denmark
Portugal
UEFA Nations League A
AC Milan
SSC Napoli

CR7 was not on the pitch, but his presence in Denmark-Portugal was still felt.

In the end, Jorge Jesus was right. The first Portugal without Cristiano Ronaldo won and impressed 4-2 against Denmark in a game that was open at the back but packed with goals and chances. AC Milan's Goncalo Ramos stood out with 1 goal and 1 assist, but inevitably it was the greatest absentee of them all who was the focus of the debate around this match.

For one, there was the huge pressure on former AC Milan man Rafael Leao, who wore his No 7 shirt. Then came the provocative "siuuum" celebration from Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund.


  • Leao do not shine

    Jorge Jesus had, definitively or almost definitively, closed the Cristiano Ronaldo chapter before the match. "I am completely calm, with a clear conscience regarding this situation." He then chose to start Rafael Leao.

    Wearing the No 7 shirt, the former AC Milan man again mixed bright moments with poorer ones. He almost scored early on when he cut inside onto his right foot, but then missed from a few yards out and gave the ball away in the final third often enough to leave his team-mates doing extra work.

    His night ended in the 63rd minute when the Portuguese head coach sent on Trincao in his place, but the decision to start him with the No 7 in the first match of the post-CR7 era still feels like a signal.

  • Hojlund’s siuuum

    Yet it was Rasmus Hojlund who pulled at Cristiano Ronaldo's sleeve, despite not even being on the pitch, just as had happened before in meetings between Denmark and Portugal. In the 53rd minute, after making it 2-2, he pulled out a celebration that was anything but ordinary: first he raised his finger to grab the attention of the fans, then he leapt, turned in the air and mimed the trademark "Siuuum" made famous by the former Portuguese Ballon d'Or winner.

    Tribute on a day of controversy, or provocation? Hojlund had already done it before, in 2025, when CR7 was on the pitch as his opponent. He had also already declared his admiration for the Portuguese star in the press: "My idol, however, is Cristiano Ronaldo, he is a winner and always wants to improve"

    • ENJOYED THIS STORY?

    Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

    Add as preferred source on Google