Rasmus Hojlund wins first major title with Napoli

Napoli’s rise back to the top of Italian football over the last season has a lot to thank Manchester United for.

After Antonio Conte rebuilt the side around a more aggressive, transition-heavy identity, last season’s Serie A title was defined by a midfield leader United fans know inside out.

Scott McTominay’s first year in Naples ended with the Scudetto, and his influence went well beyond the headline moments.

The Scotland international finished the league campaign with decisive goals from midfield, including scoring in the title-clinching win over Cagliari.

With 13 goals and six assists in 36 games, he was later recognised with Serie A’s MVP award and Player of the Year for his standout debut season.

That title success is also what opened the door for Rasmus Hojlund’s fresh start in Italy.

Manchester United confirmed the Denmark striker’s season-long loan to the reigning champions in late August, with Napoli offering him both a familiar league and a clear role in Conte’s forward rotation.

Now, Hojlund has his first piece of silverware as a Napoli player.

This evening, Napoli beat Bologna 2-0 in the Supercoppa Italiana final in Riyadh on Monday night, with David Neres scoring both goals to seal the trophy.

His opener saw a curling strike from outside the area before half-time hit the back of the net, before a Bologna mistake allowed him to add a second early in the second half as Napoli controlled the contest.

The win is Napoli’s third Supercoppa title, and their first in the competition since 2014.

This victory ended a mini-tournament that also saw them beat AC Milan 2-0 in the semi-finals, while Bologna reached the final by edging Inter on penalties.

For Hojlund though, this could be the start of his new chapter as the striker has previously hinted that he intends to remain with his new club after the season ends.