Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has criticised Cristiano Ronaldo’s fitness and commitment during their time together at Old Trafford, saying the Portuguese forward could “no longer deliver” at the highest level after leaving Juventus in 2021.
Ten Hag, who is now the technical director of Dutch club FC Twente, made the remarks during an interview with ESPN NL’s Goedemorgen Eredivisie on Sunday, reflecting on his strained relationship with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo returned to Manchester United from Juventus in 2021 and scored 27 goals in 54 appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag.
However, his relationship with the Dutch manager deteriorated as he was frequently left out of the starting line-up.
United eventually terminated his contract in November 2022 following his explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he said he felt “betrayed” by Ten Hag and criticised the club’s hierarchy.
Reflecting on the challenges of managing the forward, Ten Hag said Ronaldo’s reluctance to put the team first created problems within the squad.
“The challenge is to get the team functioning, really as always. Every player is important in that and you need top players to be able to win. Every top team must embrace the top player, but the top player must work for the team. And that was simply the problem with Ronaldo.”
He acknowledged Ronaldo’s influence among his teammates but insisted the forward’s performances had declined.
“The players wanted to work for him and they looked up to him because let there be no misunderstanding about that. 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 simply can no longer deliver. From Juventus onwards it’s simply over.
“And that is actually the great gift of Real Madrid — they always know when to say goodbye to players at the right moment. They recognise when a player’s level is declining and they say goodbye at a moment when to the outside world, they still appear to be at their peak. But they can no longer actually deliver.”
Ronaldo was 36 when he returned to the Premier League, where his perceived inability to press opposition defenders attracted criticism from pundits and commentators.
Ten Hag, however, argued that the issue went beyond the forward’s age, claiming he was no longer willing to push himself physically during training.
“I naturally gave him a special status,” Ten Hag said. “I also went to him, I spoke to him prior to that job, I explained to him how we were going to play, what his role in that would be, what I expected of him, and what he could expect from me and from the team. But ultimately you also have to deliver yourself and he was no longer capable of pushing himself to the limit.
“As I just said, he could no longer bring himself to push through the pain, to give everything every single day and to train at his maximum in order to get fit. And if you’re not fit in the Premier League, Champions League, or with the Portuguese national team, well, then you simply have no chance.”
Asked about Ronaldo’s reputation for exceptional dedication to physical fitness, Ten Hag said the perception did not entirely reflect the situation during their time together.
“That’s not entirely true, but that is the image. And that is of course how he became so good. But ultimately he could no longer bring himself to do that.
“If you can’t do it, well, then the laws of the Premier League are merciless. Then you can no longer keep up, you are no longer able to get into the box. He can still finish a chance, you still see that. But to get into that power and intensity of the Premier League, that’s no longer possible. For that you need to be fit.”
The former United manager also dismissed suggestions that Ronaldo’s goals had changed his assessment of the forward’s performances, saying the player arrived late for pre-season preparations.
“That didn’t happen because he arrived very late due to personal circumstances. By then the season had already started and things went wrong straight away. He wasn’t fit and couldn’t deliver.”
Despite his criticism, Ten Hag praised Ronaldo’s contribution to football but maintained that he had to make decisions in the interest of Manchester United.
He also compared the forward’s approach to that of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, arguing that even the greatest players must prioritise their teams.
“No one is bigger than a club or a country,” Ten Hag said. “Not even Cristiano Ronaldo and not even Messi. In the end, the team always comes first. And so, as I just said, every top team must embrace the top player, but the top player must yield to the team. And if he no longer does that, well then it can’t be a success and it will never become a success. Then it simply stops.
“That is also what’s remarkable about Messi — how he worked at Argentina. That was fantastic to see. But that also required a big investment from Messi himself. Ultimately everyone went along with it and everyone worked for him but he of course gave an enormous amount back.”
Ten Hag’s latest comments come after Ronaldo was suspended for 30 days by the Portuguese Football Federation following his walkout on the national team during the October international break. He was also fined €255 but has indicated his willingness to represent Portugal again.
The Dutchman also addressed his departure from Manchester United, dismissing suggestions of bitterness towards the club.
Asked whether restrictions surrounding his exit had prevented him from speaking publicly for two years, Ten Hag said:
“I was allowed to give interviews, but not to damage the club. But I wouldn’t have done that anyway — that goes without saying.
“United gave me so much and I worked there with such great pleasure, with the people. [We] simply had a fantastic relationship, built fantastic connections. And the fans, such fantastic moments in those FA Cup finals, League Cup, [they] always supported. So there’s no bitterness.”
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