Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has stated that Cristiano Ronaldo was the reason he fell in love with football. The Danish striker also stated that he became a fan of the Red Devils because of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
In an interview ahead of Denmark's UEFA Nations League clash against Portugal, Hojlund expressed his admiration for Ronaldo. He told DR (via ManUtdNews):
“Now I’m not going to exaggerate, but Cristiano is everything to me, I fell in love with football because of Cristiano, I became a Manchester United fan because of Cristiano, I started self-training because of Cristiano, I started doing push-ups and sit-ups every day before I went to bed, because of Cristiano, because I wanted to be Cristiano.”
Hojlund, 22, joined the Red Devils in the summer of August 2023 from Italian side Atalanta BC for a reported £72m fee. However, the Dane has been inconsistent during his time at United. In 82 games for the club across competitions, Hojlund has scored 24 goals and provided four assists.
Portugal will take on Denmark in the Nations League quarterfinals on Thursday (March 20). Both players are expected to be in contention for a start for their respective nations in the above-mentioned fixture.
Who is Manchester United's top-scorer in the 2024-25 season?

Although Manchester United have endured an underwhelming campaign in the 2024-25 season, club captain Bruno Fernandes has performed at a consistently high level for the Red Devils. The Portuguese midfielder has been one of the few players that have given the supporters a reason to smile.
Fernandes has bagged 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 44 appearances across competitions this season and is the club's top-scorer across competitions. In the Premier League, he's Manchester United's top-scorer with eight goals in 28 games.
United will need Fernandes to deliver once again in the latter stages of the 2024-25 UEFA Europa League campaign if they are to salvage their season.