Ten Hag says Ronaldo Disappointed United, Blames Poor Preparation

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said Cristiano Ronaldo let the team and him down during their time together. Ten Hag travelled to Portugal before taking the United job in 2022 to discuss his plans with the forward and said he respected Ronaldo as one of football’s greats. He added that Ronaldo missed several training sessions, showed low intensity in others and stopped short of a squad running exercise after United’s 4‑0 loss to Brentford early in the 2022‑23 season. Ten Hag confronted the player, telling him that everyone wanted his best but he could not expect pressing or scoring if he did not work hard in training. Ronaldo reportedly told teammates to “save your legs” in training, a comment Ten Hag said hurt squad morale and suggested football was not the top priority for some players. Ronaldo returned from Juventus in August 2021, scoring 24 goals in 38 games that season, but his relationship with the club deteriorated after Ten Hag’s May 2022 appointment. In October 2022 he refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham and left Old Trafford before the final whistle; he was omitted from the squad against Chelsea shortly after. In a November interview with Piers Morgan he claimed he had no respect for Ten Hag, prompting United to announce his departure by mutual agreement that month. Ronaldo signed for Saudi club Al‑Nassr in December 2022.

Context

Conflicts between a star player’s fitness habits and a manager’s expectations can unsettle a team’s discipline, especially at clubs that rely on collective effort to succeed.