Ronaldo let Manchester United down - Ten Hag

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told The Athletic that Cristiano Ronaldo let the team and himself down during his second tenure at Old Trafford. Ronaldo, a Portugal forward, was part of United's squad when Ten Hag came on board in the summer of 2022, but left the club under controversial circumstances a few months later.

Ten Hag explained to the publication that he spoke with Ronaldo about his objectives before taking charge at United. The Dutch legend, one of football's greatest ever, was respected by the manager, but the manager had to make a rational decision to retain the players he admired. The turning point came when Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham three days prior to a Premier League match against Chelsea in October 2022.

In response, Ten Hag dropped the player from the starting lineup. The controversy escalated further when Ronaldo gave an interview in November, claiming to have been "betrayed" by United, not respecting Ten Hag, and feeling forced out of the club before his departure was mutually agreed upon. Ronaldo was subsequently given a 30-day suspension and fined £215 by the Portuguese Football Federation for leaving the international camp.

Ten Hag's criticism of Ronaldo's physical condition and lack of preparation came after the player scored just three goals in 16 outings during his time under the manager. Ten Hag, who left United in October 2024, had hoped to sign Frenkie de Jong, Harry Kane, and Declan Rice, and was against the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli in August 2024. The biggest issue, Ten Hag claimed, was the lack of goals during his three years at the club.