Cristiano Ronaldo has never been one to back down from a challenge. And after watching Rasmus Højlund mimic his iconic “Siu” celebration in Portugal’s 1-0 loss to Denmark, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has made one thing clear: he plans to return the favor—right in Højlund’s face.
With Portugal trailing heading into Sunday’s decisive second-leg quarterfinal, the stage is set for fireworks. Højlund, fresh off his match-winning goal on Thursday, turned heads not just with his finish, but with his post-goal antics. The 22-year-old Manchester United striker celebrated as if he were Ronaldo himself, arms spread, mid-air twist, landing in the famous stance. It was bold. Audacious. Maybe even a little reckless.
For a moment, the cameras cut to Ronaldo. No reaction. No anger. Just silence. But everyone watching knew what was coming next. And now, ahead of the second leg in Lisbon, Ronaldo has broken that silence—with a warning.
“I hope to do it in front of him tomorrow,” the Portugal captain said with a smirk.
No anger. No malice. Just a competitive fire that has burned for two decades.
The Thin Line Between Tribute and Taunt
Højlund insists there was no disrespect in his celebration. “Cristiano is everything to me,”
he told Danish outlet DR, sounding like a kid who grew up watching Ronaldo dominate the sport. “I became a Manchester United fan because of Cristiano. I started training like crazy because of Cristiano.”
Fair enough. But was Thursday night really just an innocent tribute? Or was there something more behind it?
Because if there is one thing every footballer knows, it is this: mimicking a legend’s celebration—especially against them—is playing with fire.
Ronaldo may not have found the net in the first leg, but his influence was still felt. Just before Christian Eriksen’s missed penalty, unseen footage caught him whispering something to Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa. A few seconds later, Costa saved Eriksen’s spot-kick. Coincidence? Maybe. Or maybe not.
Ronaldo and Eriksen shared a dressing room at Manchester United not too long ago. If anyone knows Eriksen’s penalty habits, it is him. And while the cameras never picked up what Ronaldo said, the timing was hard to ignore.
Now, Sunday night looms large. Denmark has the advantage. Portugal has the pressure. And Ronaldo? He has unfinished business.
Højlund wanted a moment. He got it. But in football, moments are fleeting. And when the ball rolls at the Estadio José Alvalade, there will be one man on the pitch looking to remind everyone especially Højlund who the real master of the “Siu” celebration is.