Hojlund puts on a show on the night he pays tribute to his idol CR7: a new celebration and more goals in the Nations League than with Allegri’s Napoli
Hojlund’s brace on the night Portugal paid tribute to their idol Cristiano Ronaldo sends a clear message to Napoli too, where he has not managed to produce the same numbers under Allegri.
Denmark have thrashed Portugal on a night when the Portuguese national team paid tribute to Cristiano Ronaldo. Yet the star was a player who idolises CR7: Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund. The Napoli forward scored two superb goals, unveiled a new celebration and silenced the Portuguese crowd in Braga. His performance also sent a message to Italy and Napoli, where the Dane's displays are a far cry from those he produces for his national team.
What a match! - Both goals were superb. For the first, he timed his run between Ruben Dias and Alberto Costa at the far post to meet a cross from the right by Damsgaard, then struck a powerful left-footed volley. For the second, he received the ball in the area from Hojbjerg, shifted it onto his weaker foot in a tight space and found a finish that gave Diogo Costa no chance. He also completed 100% of his passes, won more than 50% of his duels, including aerial duels, and won two fouls in 73 minutes. It was a performance worthy of the best in his position.
New celebration and crowd silenced - In the first leg, when he scored the goal that temporarily made it 2-2 against Portugal (Denmark lost 4-2 at home), he celebrated with Cristiano Ronaldo's Siuuum. Ronaldo had already left the training camp by then amid an open dispute with Jorge Jesus. Hojlund's celebration was a tribute to his idol, but he did not repeat it in Portugal tonight. Instead, after scoring the goal to make it 2-0, Hojlund unveiled a new celebration: he held his thumb horizontally, swayed from side to side, then thrust his thumb downwards with a "boom" shouted towards the sky, followed by a throat-slitting gesture.
Hojlund's celebration did not go down well with the crowd at the Estadio Municipal de Braga, who booed and insulted him. The Danish striker responded immediately, putting a finger to his lips to silence the fans before pointing towards a particular section of the stadium.
More goals in the Nations League than for Allegri's Napoli - Hojlund's display also sent a message to Napoli and Massimiliano Allegri. The coach's tactical demands and view of football often stop him bringing Hojlund into play or putting him in a position to shine as he does for his national team. Heat maps from this and other matches show Hojlund covering smaller areas of the pitch than he does for Napoli and, above all, with his most active area much further forward. The numbers tell the same story: in five Nations League matches for Denmark, Hojlund's goal tally has reached five. In 14 league and Champions League matches for Napoli, his tally stands at three, with just one goal (against Monza) from 13 November to today.
