Rasmus Højlund's 'Siuuu' vs Portugal: Why the Denmark Striker Says It Was a Tribute to Ronaldo

Why Rasmus Højlund is trending in India

Rasmus Højlund became one of India's trending football searches on 2 October 2026, with Google Trends recording roughly 600% growth in queries over the previous 24 hours. The spike followed Denmark's UEFA Nations League match against Portugal in Copenhagen on 1 October, where the Napoli striker scored and then celebrated by copying Cristiano Ronaldo's famous "Siuuu" — just a day after Ronaldo had dramatically left the Portugal camp.

Indian football fans searching for the full story behind the celebration found a mix of tribute, controversy and a post-match confrontation. Here is what actually happened, and what Højlund himself said about it.

What happened in Denmark vs Portugal

Højlund scored in the 53rd minute to bring Denmark level at 2–2. He then raised a finger to the Copenhagen crowd, leapt, spun and performed Ronaldo's trademark celebration. The timing made it impossible to ignore: Ronaldo had left the Portugal national team camp a day earlier after a dispute with coach Jorge Jesus, and this was Portugal's first match without him.

Portugal ultimately won 4–2, with late goals from Vitinha and João Félix, taking control of Group 4A with nine points. Rafael Leão, handed Ronaldo's No. 7 shirt for the night, had a mixed game and was substituted in the 63rd minute. But the post-match debate centred not on the result but on Højlund's gesture — and on an awkward moment at full time when television footage appeared to show him pushing Jesus away during the handshakes, an exchange Jesus reportedly brushed off with a smile.

Højlund's explanation: tribute, not mockery

Facing suggestions that he had disrespected Portugal, Højlund clarified after the match that the celebration was meant to honour Ronaldo, whom he has described as his idol since childhood. He said he wanted to dedicate the goal to the 41-year-old "after everything that happened to him" and stressed there was no disrespect intended toward the Portugal team.

The claim is consistent with Højlund's history. He performed the same celebration when Denmark met Portugal in March 2025 — with Ronaldo on the pitch that time — and had publicly declared his admiration for the Portuguese star when he joined Manchester United in 2023, crediting his father for introducing him to Ronaldo's mentality and calling him the best player ever. A Goal.com analysis of the match noted the gesture could be read either as tribute or provocation, but that the shove toward Jesus suggested Højlund had taken the treatment of his idol personally.

The Ronaldo–Jesus dispute behind it all

Ronaldo's departure from the Portugal camp followed Jesus's pre-match press conference. According to reporting cited by the Times of India, Ronaldo had been an unused substitute in Portugal's 2–1 win over Norway, and El Chiringuito journalist Edu Aguirre reported that Jesus had promised to publicly acknowledge his mistake over that decision — but did not do so. Ronaldo left camp on the Wednesday before the Denmark match, saying he would explain his reasons "in due time." Jesus, for his part, said before the game that he was "completely calm, with a clear conscience regarding this situation."

How to read the trend

It is worth separating what is confirmed from what is interpretation. Confirmed: the goal, the celebration, Højlund's post-match tribute explanation, the on-camera exchange with Jesus, and Portugal's 4–2 win. Interpretation: whether the gesture was purely affectionate or carried an edge given the circumstances. Search interest — including the India spike tracked by Google Trends — reflects curiosity about the incident, not proof of either reading. Højlund's own words, and his long-documented admiration for Ronaldo, currently support the tribute explanation; the shove, caught only on television footage, remains ambiguous.