Erik ten Hag says Cristiano Ronaldo ‘let Manchester United down’ before 2022 exit

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has criticised Cristiano Ronaldo’s training standards and commitment to the team, saying the forward “let me down” during his second spell at Old Trafford.

Ten Hag, who managed United from 2022 to 2024 and is now technical director of FC Twente, discussed the breakdown of their relationship in an interview with The Athletic. He acknowledged Ronaldo’s status as one of football’s greatest players but said difficult decisions had to be made in the interests of the team.

The Dutchman said Ronaldo struggled with the physical demands he placed on his players, including maintaining intensity in training and completing scheduled running exercises. He claimed the Portugal forward did not finish all the laps assigned to the squad after United’s 4-0 defeat by Brentford in August 2022.

Ten Hag rejected suggestions that he had expected excessive pressing from a player of Ronaldo’s age and physical profile. He also said he repeatedly challenged Ronaldo over his positioning and his movement into the penalty area, arguing that the striker needed to find better positions to score.

The manager believed Ronaldo’s preparation and training habits were limiting his ability to contribute to United’s playing style. He also claimed Ronaldo encouraged team-mates to conserve energy during sessions, although Ten Hag accepted that workload management could be appropriate for players who had already reached the required fitness level.

“The top player has to work for the team,” Ten Hag said, highlighting the difficulty of balancing Ronaldo’s status with his own demands for collective discipline and adherence to his tactical system.

Tottenham incident accelerated split

The relationship reached breaking point in October 2022 after United’s Premier League match against Tottenham Hotspur, when Ronaldo walked out. The incident intensified uncertainty over his future.

In November, Ronaldo gave an interview in which he said he felt “betrayed” by Manchester United and did not respect Ten Hag. He also accused the club of trying to force him out.

United and Ronaldo then agreed to terminate his contract by mutual consent. He left having scored three goals in 16 appearances under Ten Hag during the 2022-23 campaign.

Ten Hag said Ronaldo was not the only player who frustrated him. He felt Manchester United was not the highest priority for some members of the squad and that the club’s wider culture made it difficult to establish a consistent winning mentality.

Appointed after a successful spell at Ajax, where he won domestic honours and developed tactically disciplined teams, Ten Hag won the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024. However, inconsistent Premier League performances and disagreements over recruitment and the club’s long-term direction led to his dismissal in October 2024.

He said he had wanted Manchester United to sign Frenkie de Jong, Harry Kane and Declan Rice, with central defence, midfield and goalscoring identified as areas requiring improvement. De Jong, previously coached by Ten Hag at Ajax, stayed at Barcelona, while Kane and Rice also did not join United.

Ten Hag opposed Scott McTominay’s sale to Napoli in August 2024 and described his dealings with the hierarchy as involving “broken promises”.

The interview comes as Ronaldo faces a separate disciplinary case involving Portugal. The Portuguese Football Federation suspended him for 30 days and fined him €255 after his walkout from the national team during the previous international break. Ronaldo has said he remains available for selection.

Ten Hag left United with two major domestic trophies. His Carabao Cup victory ended a six-year wait for silverware, while the 2024 FA Cup final win over Manchester City provided another highlight. Since his departure, successor Ruben Amorim has also left, with Michael Carrick taking charge.