Ten Hag Critiques Ronaldo’s Fitness and Commitment During Manchester United Tenure

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has shared his thoughts on why Cristiano Ronaldo struggled during their time together at the club. He stated that Ronaldo’s fitness and commitment declined after leaving Juventus in 2021.

In an interview with ESPN NL, Ten Hag reflected on his difficult relationship with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner. Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 and scored 27 goals in 54 matches. However, his standing with Ten Hag weakened as he was often left out of the starting lineup. The club eventually ended his contract in November 2022 after Ronaldo’s controversial interview with Piers Morgan, where he claimed to feel “betrayed” by Ten Hag.

Ten Hag explained that Ronaldo’s unwillingness to prioritize the team’s needs created issues within the squad. He emphasized that while Ronaldo is a remarkable player, his performance had declined significantly over the years. Ten Hag noted that Real Madrid has a knack for parting ways with players at the right time, before their abilities diminish further.

At 36 years old when he returned to the Premier League, Ronaldo faced criticism for not being able to keep up with the fast pace of the game. Ten Hag pointed out that the problem was not just Ronaldo’s age, but also his lack of effort during training. He mentioned that he had given Ronaldo special treatment, but ultimately, the player needed to perform at his best.

Despite acknowledging Ronaldo’s past dedication to fitness, Ten Hag stated that this was no longer the case during their time together. He argued that without being fit, players cannot compete effectively in the Premier League or other top competitions.

Ten Hag also addressed the timing of Ronaldo’s arrival for pre-season training, which was delayed due to personal reasons. This late arrival contributed to his lack of fitness and poor performance at the start of the season.

While Ten Hag criticized Ronaldo’s approach, he still praised his contributions to football. He emphasized that no player is bigger than the team, using both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as examples of how even the greatest players must work for their teams. Ten Hag’s comments come after Ronaldo faced a 30-day suspension from the Portuguese Football Federation for leaving the national team during a recent break.