Rasmus Hojlund’s return from international duty gives Napoli a timely reminder of the striker they are trying to bring fully into focus. Denmark’s defeat to Norway did not alter the result, but it offered a more forceful version of Hojlund: involved in the box, prepared to carry the attack and unwilling to accept the final score quietly.
Key takeaways
- Hojlund scored Denmark’s temporary 2-2 equaliser against Norway in the Nations League.
- The Napoli forward generated 0.65 expected goals on his own during the match.
- He has scored twice for Napoli this season, against Como and Inter.
- Napoli paid €50 million for the Danish international after competition from Milan in the summer of 2025.
- After losing to Norway, Hojlund promised a response in the next meeting with Erling Haaland’s side.
A performance to carry back to Naples
Hojlund found the net with a header after the ball broke back into the area, drawing Denmark level at 2-2. It was not his only threatening moment. Earlier, another header had been stopped by Nyland, while late in the game he tried to turn the contest himself, combining with a teammate before driving towards goal. The goalkeeper intervened and the ball then came back off the post.
For Denmark, Hojlund looked less like a forward waiting for service and more like the focal point of the attacking effort. His 0.65 xG accounted for the whole of Denmark’s expected-goals return, a significant contrast with some of his quieter early appearances for Napoli.
His start in the league has contained two goals, against Como and Inter, but not always a sustained presence near goal. In the opening Serie A match against Genoa, he finished without registering an expected-goals chance. His touches in the opposition penalty area have also been infrequent, averaging one every 26 minutes.
That has fed into the broader criticism surrounding Massimiliano Allegri’s Napoli. Yet Hojlund’s reduced impact cannot be separated from an attacking game that has at times appeared slow and predictable. The Danish striker is not simply a penalty-box finisher who can live off scraps; he needs workable deliveries, support around him and the right spaces in which to establish himself.
Allegri’s work and Conte’s old prediction
There are reasons for patience in Naples. Hojlund came through an unconvincing pre-season, a change of coach and a different interpretation of the team’s play. The demands of daily work have changed with Allegri, who had wanted the striker when he was at Milan and has now inherited him in Napoli colours.
A renewed connection with Kevin De Bruyne could also change the picture. Before the former Manchester City midfielder’s injury last season, De Bruyne and Hojlund had developed a productive understanding in Serie A and Europe, contributing to several goals together. Antonio Conte was able to use the pair at their best for nine matches; Allegri is still seeking the same balance.
Conte repeatedly described Hojlund as a player with the potential to become a major figure. That assessment remains the challenge for both player and club: turning promise into a regular influence over a full campaign rather than relying on isolated spells of excellence.
Hojlund’s response after the Norway loss suggested that his confidence has not faded. “I do not like losing, and I certainly do not like losing to Norway. Next time,” he wrote, directing the message towards Haaland and the next meeting between the two nations.
Napoli will hope that same edge follows him back to Serie A. The international display did not settle every question about his role, but it showed that the forward still has the personality and attacking weight to become much more than a peripheral presence in Allegri’s side.
