Ten Hag Accuses Cristiano Ronaldo of Letting Him, Manchester United Down

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting both him and the team down during their time together at Old Trafford, citing concerns over the forward’s fitness, training commitment and preparation.

In an exclusive interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, Ten Hag said he had made significant efforts to involve Ronaldo in his plans before taking charge of the Premier League club but was ultimately forced to make decisions based on what he believed was best for the team.

“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him. I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United,” Ten Hag said.

The Dutch coach acknowledged Ronaldo’s standing as one of football’s greatest players but maintained that his responsibilities as manager required him to prioritise the team’s needs over individual reputations.

“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,” he added.

Ten Hag alleged that Ronaldo struggled to meet the physical demands expected at Manchester United, claiming the forward sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to reach the required heart-rate levels during fitness work.

He also recalled an incident following United’s 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, alleging that Ronaldo completed only two of three laps during a running exercise imposed on the players after the loss.

According to Ten Hag, he confronted the Portuguese international over what he perceived as shortcomings in his preparation and ability to get into scoring positions.

“I confronted him with this,” the former United manager said, explaining that he repeatedly urged Ronaldo to improve his movement and positioning in the penalty area.

Ten Hag argued that even an elite striker needed to maintain the fitness and work rate required to contribute effectively to the team’s attacking play.

He further claimed that Ronaldo was reluctant to run both with and without possession and recalled the forward telling teammates to conserve their energy during training.

“Ronaldo was telling the players: save your legs at training,” Ten Hag said.

The former manager acknowledged that managing the workload of elite players could be important but insisted that maintaining peak fitness required consistent effort on the training ground.

“I understand it when you are top fit, but first you have to train yourself to get into the right fitness levels,” he said.

Ten Hag concluded that while top players deserved to be accommodated within a team’s tactical plans, they also had a responsibility to contribute to collective objectives.

“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” he said.

The relationship between Ten Hag and Ronaldo became a major talking point during the Dutchman’s tenure at Manchester United, particularly in 2022, when disagreements over the forward’s role and conduct attracted widespread attention.

Ronaldo left United by mutual agreement in November 2022 after an explosive television interview in which he criticised the club and its leadership. Ten Hag was dismissed by Manchester United in October 2024.

Ten Hag’s latest comments offer his account of the tensions surrounding their working relationship and the challenges he said he faced in managing one of football’s most prominent players.