Manchester United and Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund broke his silence over the hidden meaning behind one of his actions in the Champions League against Sporting CP.
Rasmus Hojlund impressed on Wednesday night for Napoli and the 22-year-old Manchester United loanee netted a sensational brace in the 2-1 win.
The Denmark striker played a starring role for his side alongside fellow summer signing Kevin De Bruyne, who picked up both assists in Hojlund’s Napoli brace.
Kevin De Bruyne played Hojlund through in the first half and the Napoli striker slotted a cool finish past Sporting CP shot-stopper Rui Silva in the 36th minute.
Luis Suarez pulled one back for Sporting in the second half of Wednesday’s Champions League tie, but Hojlund returned again and had another major impact.
De Bruyne fired a superb cross into the Sporting box and Hojlund rose to meet the ball and turned his header past Rui Silva to put Napoli 2-1 up in the 79th minute.
Rasmus Hojlund explains a key detail from one of his Napoli celebrations in the 2-1 Champions League win over Sporting CP
Rasmus Hojlund’s brace for Napoli against Sporting CP proved to be the difference-maker on the night between the two European sides in the Champions League.
Antonio Conte and his men chalked up their first Champions League points of the 2025-26 season after the result at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
Hojlund’s opener in the match saw the striker wheeling away in celebration before he stood in front of the Napoli fans and touched the badge on the side of his shirt.
The on-loan Manchester United star explained that he touched the Champions League badge on his shirt because of his impact in Europe’s top-tier competition.
“It was the night you dream of, playing in the Champions League,” he told UEFA’s official website.
“I celebrated touching the Napoli badge because I’m happy to play here and the Champions League badge because I love to score in Europe.”
Man Utd striker Rasmus Hojlund reacts to Kevin De Bruyne’s Napoli performance vs Sporting CP in the Champions League
Kevin De Bruyne, who left Manchester City at the end of last season and signed on a free for Napoli, was widely hailed for his impact in Wednesday evening’s result.
The 34-year-old former Manchester City playmaker was deployed in a central role and De Bruyne played 69 minutes before Napoli boss Antonio Conte hooked him off.
Speaking after the result at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, Napoli summer signing Hojlund praised De Bruyne’s “special” performance against Sporting.
“I don’t like to talk about my performance, but about the team,” Hojlund explained.
“Playing with an exceptional talent like Kevin De Bruyne is special. I just need to get into space and he’ll get me the ball.”
Hojlund completed a deadline-day move to Napoli on loan in September and the Denmark international has scored three times in five matches for the Italian side.
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