Rasmus Højlund copied Cristiano Ronaldo’s trademark celebration after scoring Denmark’s late equaliser against Portugal, helping his side secure a 2-2 draw in a dramatic Nations League group-stage meeting at Parken.
The Denmark striker raced towards the corner flag after finding the net and leapt into the air before unleashing Ronaldo’s famous “Siiiu” cry. The celebration carried added significance, coming against Portugal only hours after their captain had left the national-team camp.
Portugal were the visitors at Parken in Copenhagen for the third round of the group stage, but were without their long-standing captain in unusual circumstances. Højlund’s goal brought Denmark level and sent the home supporters into celebration, while his choice of tribute appeared to add another layer to the tension surrounding Ronaldo’s departure.
Ronaldo left Portugal’s camp on Wednesday and returned to Madrid after a serious dispute with manager Jorge Jesus. The disagreement followed the forward’s failure to play even a minute in Portugal’s previous match against Norway in the second round, despite having received assurances that he would feature.
The Portuguese star chose to leave only a few hours after comments from Jesus in which the manager said he had the final say over team matters. Jesus also acknowledged that he had failed to keep his promise to Ronaldo regarding his involvement against Norway.
Against that backdrop, Højlund’s decision to celebrate in the same manner as Ronaldo appeared to be a direct message to Portugal following the controversy involving their captain. It also turned Parken into the scene of a celebration associated with a global football icon who had left his country’s squad shortly before the match.
The equaliser was described by beIN SPORTS as a “superb finish” in a post shared on 1 October 2026, accompanying video of Højlund’s goal and the resulting celebrations.
The 2-2 scoreline gave Denmark a memorable result in front of their home crowd, while Højlund’s goal and celebration ensured the match would be remembered for more than the points shared between the two teams.