Rasmus Højlund is back in Italy, looking to find his best form again. He recently had a less-than-stellar time playing for Manchester United. Now, the Danish forward is on loan at Napoli until the end of the season. He’s leaning on an old source of inspiration: his lifelong hero, Cristiano Ronaldo. Højlund makes no bones about it; he wants to follow in Ronaldo’s footsteps, explaining why he looks up to the Portuguese star so much.
Højlund shared his thoughts with ‘La Repubblica’, explaining his mindset. “Throughout my career, I never felt like the most talented in the group,” he admitted. “Even though you need to be top-tier when playing for clubs like United or Napoli. But I always had to work harder than the others; I’m aware of that. That’s why Cristiano is my idol: he always wants to improve and works immensely to become better.” It’s clear Højlund sees a path to greatness through sheer dedication, just like his role model.
Because of this deep respect, Højlund places Cristiano Ronaldo at the very top of his list of the world’s best players. He then rattled off other names he holds in high regard. “In my opinion, the best players in the world are Cristiano Ronaldo, Haaland, Lewandowski, and Gyokeres.” When focusing on his current league, Serie A, he added, “In Serie A, I’d pick Lukaku, Vlahovic, Lautaro Martinez, and then me, Rasmus.” It’s a bold statement, showing his confidence despite his recent struggles.
Talking about his current stint at Napoli, Højlund noted that Serie A hasn’t really changed since his previous time with Atalanta. He described the Italian game as “very tactical, with many body-to-body duels.” Comparing it to his experience in England, he saw a clear difference. “In the Premier League, the pace is a bit higher. Everything is faster, tougher, and more explosive from a physical standpoint.” For him, this physical intensity is the main thing that sets the two leagues apart.