Posted by Chinenye on Tue 20th Oct, 2026 - tori.ng
A fresh revelation from former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has reignited debate about Cristiano Ronaldo’s time at the club.
(Cristiano Ronaldo. Photo by TEAMtalk)
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says Cristiano Ronaldo let the team down.
He made the claim in an interview with The Athletic on Tuesday.
Ten Hag said he flew to Portugal before joining United to plan the season with Ronaldo.
He said Ronaldo was one of the best players in football history and that he respected him a lot.
But as a manager he had to make a tough call.
He said Ronaldo struggled with fitness and did not prepare well.
According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo pulled out of some training sessions and did not reach the heart rate levels he needed.
After United lost 4-0 at Brentford in August 2022, Ronaldo also finished only two of three laps in a running punishment.
Ten Hag said Ronaldo did not run much during games, and that he told teammates to save their legs in training.
He added that a top player must work for the team, not just expect the team to work for him.