Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has blamed Cristiano Ronaldo's lack of fitness and preparation for the forward's struggles during his second stint at the club, stating the Portugal international "let the team down." Ronaldo won three Premier League titles under Alex Ferguson before leaving United for Real Madrid in 2009, returning to Old Trafford in 2021.
However, under the Dutchman Ten Hag, Ronaldo struggled in the 2022-23 season, scoring once in 10 league appearances before departing in November 2022. "He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," Ten Hag told The Athletic in an interview published on Tuesday.
Ten Hag, who guided United to a third-place league finish in 2022-23, said he had confronted Ronaldo about his performance. "Many times I said, 'Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you into the right position, but if you can't bring yourself into the box, you can't score.' He was not capable of doing this," said Ten Hag, who was sacked by United in 2024.
"It's the wrong idea to suggest I expected him to do the pressing, that he's exhausted. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession.
The reason was because he didn't prepare himself." Ronaldo joined Saudi club Al-Nassr in December 2022 and scored 14 league goals in 16 appearances before the end of the season. "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 and keep the players I admire in," Ten Hag added.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo, Portugal's all-time leading scorer, was handed a 30-day ban by the country's football federation on Monday following a rift with coach Jorge Jesus. The 41-year-old forward is expected to play for Al-Nassr in a Saudi Pro League match later on Tuesday, as he remains 19 goals short of his 1,000-career-goal milestone.
The football world continues to debate the legacy of the veteran striker as he approaches the twilight of his illustrious career in the Middle East. Analysts suggest that while his goal-scoring record remains formidable, the tactical demands of modern European football have created a significant divide between traditional strikers and high-pressing systems.