Erik ten Hag claims Cristiano Ronaldo has not delivered for seven or eight years

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo has not been able to deliver at the top level over the last seven or eight years. This fresh comment follows a public fallout between the pair during Ronaldo's second stint at Manchester United, which ended in November 2022 when the club terminated his contract.

The Fallout

Ten Hag managed Manchester United between April 2022 and October 2024. During this time, he dropped Ronaldo to the bench after a slow start, leading the player to refuse to come on as a substitute and storm off during a match against Tottenham Hotspur. Ten Hag barred him from the squad for one match as a result. Ronaldo later gave an interview discussing their rift around the time of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Recent Comments

Speaking on ESPN, Ten Hag stated that while Ronaldo is an all-time great, top players must work for the team. He claimed that Ronaldo's decline began from his time at Juventus onwards. He also praised Real Madrid for knowing when to say goodbye to players at the right moment before their level drops. In a previous interview with The Athletic last month, Ten Hag stated that Ronaldo had let him down and missed training sessions or skipped required running exercises.

Context

Football management often involves difficult decisions regarding aging star players and team tactics. The relationship between high-profile athletes and their managers frequently draws intense media attention in modern professional sports.