Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting both Manchester United and him down during their time together at Old Trafford, claiming the Portuguese superstar struggled to meet the club’s fitness and training standards.
In an exclusive interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Ten Hag reflected on his turbulent relationship with Ronaldo, whose second spell at Manchester United ended in controversy in November 2022.
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” Ten Hag said.
The Dutchman revealed that he travelled to Portugal before taking charge of United to discuss his plans with Ronaldo and explain the role he envisioned for the forward under his management.
“I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United,” he added.
Despite his criticism, Ten Hag acknowledged Ronaldo’s legendary status in football, describing him as one of the greatest players in the history of the game. However, he insisted that his responsibilities as manager required him to make decisions based on the needs of the team.
“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 Questions Ronaldo’s Fitness and Training Standards
Ten Hag also raised concerns about Ronaldo’s fitness levels, alleging that the forward sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to meet the physical standards expected at Manchester United.
The former Ajax manager recalled an incident following United’s humiliating 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022. After the loss, Ten Hag ordered his players to run laps as punishment, but he claimed Ronaldo completed only two of the three laps.
Ten Hag said he also confronted the forward about his positioning and ability to get into scoring areas, arguing that Ronaldo needed to do more to benefit from the work of his teammates.
“I confronted him with this,” Ten Hag recalled.
“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.”
According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo’s contribution to the team’s pressing and defensive work was another source of concern during their time together.
He further alleged that Ronaldo encouraged teammates to conserve their energy during training rather than pushing themselves to reach the required fitness levels.
“Ronaldo was telling the players: save your legs at training,” Ten Hag said.
“I understand it when you are top fit, but first you have to train yourself to get into the right fitness levels.”
Ten Hag Insists Ronaldo Had to Work for the Team
Ten Hag maintained that successful managers must find ways to accommodate their most talented players while ensuring that individual stars remain committed to the collective objectives of the team.
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” he said.
His comments underline the challenges he faced while attempting to reshape Manchester United following his appointment in 2022, particularly as he sought to establish his preferred tactical approach and standards of discipline.
Ronaldo’s relationship with Ten Hag deteriorated during the 2022/23 season. The dispute escalated in November 2022 when Ronaldo gave a controversial interview criticising Manchester United and its management.
The club subsequently ended his contract by mutual agreement, bringing his second spell at Old Trafford to an abrupt conclusion. Ronaldo later continued his career in Saudi Arabia with Al Nassr.
Ten Hag’s latest remarks offer further insight into the tensions between the manager and one of football’s most celebrated players, highlighting the difficulties of balancing individual reputation with a team’s tactical and physical demands.