Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting Manchester United down during their time together at Old Trafford, claiming the forward failed to meet the physical and professional standards he expected.
The former United manager discussed his strained relationship with Ronaldo in an interview with The Athletic, published by Sky Sports, explaining that he had initially planned around the Portuguese superstar before becoming frustrated by his contribution to the team.
Ronaldo ‘let the team down’
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” Ten Hag said.
The Dutchman acknowledged Ronaldo’s standing in football history and said he respected the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
However, he insisted that even the biggest names must meet a team’s collective requirements.
Ten Hag recalled travelling to Portugal to speak with Ronaldo before taking charge at United in 2022, outlining his plans for the club and the role he envisaged for the forward.
He later confronted Ronaldo over his positioning and lack of contribution to the team’s pressing, arguing that the striker needed to improve his preparation and fitness.
‘He just didn’t run’
“I confronted him with this,” Ten Hag said. “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'.”
Ten Hag rejected the suggestion that his expectations were simply about demanding excessive pressing from an ageing forward.
“He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn't prepare himself,” he claimed.
The Dutchman also alleged that Ronaldo encouraged team-mates to conserve energy during training, a mentality he believed was incompatible with reaching the fitness levels required at an elite club.
Breakdown in philosophy
“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” Ten Hag said.
Ronaldo’s relationship with Ten Hag deteriorated during the 2022-23 season, culminating in the forward’s departure by mutual agreement in November 2022 following a controversial public interview.
Ten Hag, who won two domestic trophies during his Man United tenure, has now offered a detailed account of the tensions that contributed to one of the club’s most high-profile managerial-player disputes in recent years.
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