Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting the club and him down during their time together at Old Trafford, alleging that the Portuguese forward failed to meet the team’s fitness and training expectations.
Ten Hag made the claims in an interview with The Athletic, reflecting on his strained relationship with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner during his spell as United manager.
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” the Dutchman said.
Ten Hag explained that he had travelled to Portugal to meet Ronaldo before taking charge of Manchester United, where he outlined his plans and expectations for the forward.
Despite the disagreement, the former manager acknowledged Ronaldo’s status as one of football’s greatest players, saying he had considerable respect for the forward but was required to make decisions in the club’s interest.
“Obviously, he’s one of the best in football history. I respected him a lot. But at that time, as a manager, I had to make a rational decision,” he said.
Ten Hag further alleged that Ronaldo struggled to meet the club’s fitness requirements, claiming that the forward sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to reach the required heart-rate levels.
He also recalled an incident following United’s 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, when players were ordered to run laps as punishment. According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo completed only two of the three laps.
The former manager said he confronted the forward about his fitness and positioning, arguing that Ronaldo needed to work harder to get into scoring positions.
“Many times I say, ‘Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can’t bring yourself in the box, you can’t score’. He was not capable to do this,” Ten Hag said.
He also accused Ronaldo of contributing insufficiently to the team’s pressing and defensive duties, claiming that the forward encouraged teammates to conserve their energy during training.
“Ronaldo was telling the players: save your legs at training,” he said.
Ten Hag acknowledged that managers must accommodate their best players but insisted that star footballers also have a responsibility to work for the collective good of the team.
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” he said.
The relationship between Ten Hag and Ronaldo deteriorated during the 2022/23 season, eventually leading to the forward’s departure from Manchester United in November 2022.
Ronaldo left the club following a controversial interview in which he criticised United and its management, bringing an end to his second spell at Old Trafford.
