Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting the team down, claiming the Portugal forward failed to prepare properly and did not meet the demands expected of him.
Speaking to The Athletic, Ten Hag said he had repeatedly challenged Ronaldo over his training and movement on the pitch, arguing that the forward was not doing enough to put himself in scoring positions.
“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” Ten Hag said.
He acknowledged Ronaldo’s place in football history but defended his decisions as manager.
“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 and keep the players I admire in,” he said.
Ronaldo returned to United for a second spell in August 2021, before Ten Hag took charge ahead of the 2022-23 season. Their relationship deteriorated in October 2022, when Ronaldo refused to come on as a substitute during a win over Tottenham Hotspur. He later criticised the club in a televised interview, and his contract was mutually terminated in November that year.
Ten Hag also claimed Ronaldo repeatedly withdrew from training and failed to complete a running exercise assigned to players after United’s 4-0 defeat by Brentford early in the Dutchman’s tenure.
The former manager rejected suggestions that he had expected Ronaldo to perform the same pressing duties as other players, saying the forward had not prepared himself adequately.
Ten Hag was sacked in October 2024, with United 14th in the Premier League, five months after winning the FA Cup and signing a contract extension.
He also accused the club’s owners of failing to honour commitments made during negotiations over his new deal, including promises of support and communication.
“They promised me loyalty, they promised me backing, they promised communication, that we get aligned. We spoke about the issues. But the promises, they didn’t keep,” he said.
Ten Hag said he was particularly disappointed by United’s decision to sell midfielder Scott McTominay to Napoli, despite his opposition to the transfer.
“I said, ‘No selling Scott McTominay’. And in the end they sold him,” he said.
The interview provides Ten Hag’s account of his strained relationship with Ronaldo and his disagreements with United’s leadership before his departure.
