"Ten Hag asserts that Ronaldo wasn't the primary issue during his tenure at Manchester United"
Erik ten Hag, the current manager of Bayer Leverkusen, has publicly disputed the narrative that Cristiano Ronaldo was the root cause of problems during his second spell at Manchester United. Despite reports of a strained relationship that ultimately led to Ronaldo’s departure to Al-Nassr, ten Hag has emphasized that Ronaldo was never the problem.
Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021 for a second spell, during which he scored 19 goals in the Premier League and registered 3 assists. He also created 32 chances, making 40 appearances before his contract was terminated before the 2022 World Cup. The termination was due to a fallout with manager Erik ten Hag.
The issues reportedly stemmed from a rocky relationship between Ten Hag and Ronaldo during their overlapping period at the club. However, Ten Hag has taken a subtle swipe at the club’s management for how things unfolded, acknowledging that there were difficulties but emphasizing that Ronaldo was not the cause of the club's troubles.
Despite the turbulent period with Ronaldo, Ten Hag did not blame him for the problems. Instead, he focused on moving forward with his coaching career at Manchester United, leading the team to win the EFL Cup and FA Cup during his tenure. The EFL Cup and FA Cup were the only trophies won by Manchester United during the 2024-25 season.
Erik ten Hag's time at Manchester United came to an end in October 2024, following a poor start to the 2024-25 Premier League season. His sacking was not directly related to his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Since leaving Manchester United, Ronaldo has been openly critical of Ten Hag and the club’s management. However, Ten Hag has refused to blame him, instead wishing him all the best for the future.
In summary, their strained relationship involved personal and professional disagreements, but Ten Hag disputes the narrative that Ronaldo was the root cause of underperformance or club issues. Their dynamic, while tense, did not prevent subsequent team successes after Ronaldo’s exit. Ronaldo’s departure did mark a significant turning point, with performance and club atmosphere continuing to evolve under new leadership.
[1] BBC Sport. (2022, November 22). Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United by mutual consent. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/63742045
[2] The Guardian. (2022, November 22). Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United by mutual consent. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/nov/22/cristiano-ronaldo-manchester-united-mutual-consent-al-nassr
[3] Sky Sports. (2022, November 22). Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United. [online] Available at: https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11681/12587368/cristiano-ronaldo-leaves-manchester-united
[4] The Telegraph. (2022, November 22). Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United by mutual consent. [online] Available at: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2022/11/22/cristiano-ronaldo-leaves-manchester-united-mutual-consent/
[5] ESPN. (2022, November 22). Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United by mutual consent. [online] Available at: https://www.espn.com/football/manchester-united/story/4831869/cristiano-ronaldo-leaves-manchester-united-by-mutual-consent
Ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United saw them win the EFL Cup and FA Cup in the 2024-25 season, despite the turbulent period with Ronaldo. In contrast, European leagues and other football competitions might have different outcomes for a team without a controversial figure like Ronaldo.
