Erik ten Hag, Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United
20 October 2026
Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has publicly accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting down both the team and coaching staff during their difficult relationship in 2022. In a new interview with The Athletic, the Dutchman said Ronaldo’s preparation and willingness to contribute to the team’s playing system fell short of expectations.
Ten Hag said he travelled to Portugal before taking charge of United to discuss his plans with Ronaldo but later became frustrated with the forward’s training approach. He argued that elite players must also work for the team and disputed the suggestion that Ronaldo was simply unable to press because of his age. Their relationship deteriorated after Ronaldo refused to enter a match against Tottenham as a substitute, followed by a public interview criticising United and Ten Hag. Ronaldo left the club by mutual agreement in November 2022.