Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed when he believes Cristiano Ronaldo began losing his ability to perform at the highest level, pointing to the Portuguese forward’s departure from Real Madrid in 2018.
Speaking during an interview with ESPN, the Dutchman reflected on Ronaldo’s career and their time together at Manchester United, describing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as one of football’s greatest players while suggesting his best years were already behind him.
Ten Hag acknowledged Ronaldo’s remarkable achievements but insisted that the forward’s ability to consistently deliver at the highest level had declined significantly after leaving Real Madrid.
“He is of course a tremendous player, one of the greats of all time. But that is also the reality, over the last seven, eight years, he can simply no longer deliver. From Juventus onwards, it’s simply over,” Ten Hag said.
The former United boss, who now serves as technical director at FC Twente, also praised Real Madrid for their ability to recognise when established players are approaching the end of their peak years.
According to Ten Hag, the Spanish giants have consistently demonstrated good judgement by allowing players to leave when the time is right rather than waiting until their performances decline further.
“And that is actually the great gift of Real Madrid: they always know when to say goodbye to players at the right moment,” he added.
Ronaldo left Real Madrid for Juventus in the summer of 2018 after winning numerous major trophies, including four Champions League titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Portugal captain enjoyed an impressive spell in Italy, scoring 101 goals in 134 appearances across three seasons with Juventus.
He subsequently returned to Manchester United in 2021, where he registered 27 goals in 54 appearances during his second spell at Old Trafford.
However, his return to the Premier League giants eventually ended in controversy, with his relationship with Ten Hag deteriorating during the 2022-23 season.
In November 2022, Ronaldo accused the Dutch manager of betraying him during an explosive interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.
The disagreement eventually resulted in the termination of Ronaldo’s Manchester United contract, allowing him to leave the club before completing a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
Despite the difficult ending to his second Manchester United spell, Ronaldo has continued his professional career in Saudi Arabia, while Ten Hag’s latest comments have reignited discussions about when the Portuguese superstar began experiencing a decline in his performances.