In Portugal's first match since Cristiano Ronaldo's international retirement, one of his possible successors at Manchester United could be one of the main protagonists.
Rasmus Hojlund arrived at Old Trafford in the summer of 2023, just a few months after the Portuguese star's second departure from the Red Devils. However, he struggled to establish himself in the Premier League.
Now at Napoli, who made his move permanent after paying €44 million for him, the 23-year-old is searching for a definitive breakthrough at the top level.
After missing out on the 2026 World Cup, partly because of his teammate Scott McTominay, who played a decisive role in the crucial qualification match won by Scotland, the former FC Copenhagen striker is going through a defining period in his career.
With Denmark, the centre-forward started all four of their matches in the first rounds of the UEFA Nations League, playing 341 minutes in total. He scored three goals in that run and has established himself as the focal point of his national team.
Lack of ruthlessness in Italy
That is the complete opposite of the situation he is experiencing with Napoli, where he has scored just three goals all season across 10 league appearances. His goals against modest opponents such as Monza and Frosinone came after an important strike against Inter, although Napoli went on to lose that match.
In the Champions League, meanwhile, the Scandinavian is still waiting for his first goal despite making four starts.
In Napoli's latest match, a 1-1 home draw against Lazio, the entire 'Maradona' stadium gasped when Hojlund failed to convert from less than a metre out. The miss sparked groans around the club.
His lack of ruthlessness in the final metres has become a longstanding problem, although he does have one significant mitigating factor: Massimiliano Allegri's conservative approach hardly puts him in a position to receive many balls inside the opposition penalty area. As a result, his chances to score have decreased.
The statistics from the start of the year show that the Dane is the striker with the fewest touches inside the opposition penalty area. That basic circumstance does little to help him improve his main weakness: His lack of cutting edge in front of goal. With Denmark, however, the 23-year-old forward transforms.
There is hope in Hojlund
While the limited service from the flanks and lack of through balls with Napoli do little to bring out his goalscoring instinct, things are different with his national team. The bursts down the wings from the likes of Patrick Dorgu and Gustav Isaksen, combined with Mikkel Damsgaard's vertical passing, make Hojlund a highly dangerous attacking outlet.
It may be down to the team's more direct approach and quicker ball movement, but Hojlund operates at a different speed with Denmark. More precisely, he is better able to control that speed while carrying the ball. At Napoli, he is often criticised because his momentum is greater than the ball's trajectory. It is a flaw that highlights his difficulty in judging timing and distance.
Brian Riemer's more direct style with the national team brings out Hojlund's qualities as a ball-carrying counter-attacker. We have also seen flashes of those bursts in the Napoli shirt, when he has left several opposing defenders trailing, but he still has to prove in the penalty area that he is a hungry centre-forward.
Saturday's test in Braga could be a turning point for him and his national team, who are eyeing a spot in March's Nations League quarter-finals.
Born and raised in Naples, forged in Spain and Argentina, Antonio Moschella is a Football specialist editor for Flashscore. He's always looking for the best option to mix the proper football experience with backpack travel.
