"Cristiano Ronaldo Didn't Prepare, Let The Club Down": Ex-Manchester United Boss Erik Ten Hag's Shocking Revelations

Erik ten Hag had a frosty relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo© AFP

Cristiano Ronaldo's time at Manchester United came to an ugly end in 2022, following a period of discontentment with then-manager Erik ten Hag and an infamous interview with journalist Piers Morgan. Ten Hag, who was sacked by United in 2024, has now made explosive revelations over Ronaldo's behaviour during his second stint at the club. In a recent interview, the Dutch manager has said that Ronaldo let both him and the club down, and that his poor conduct possibly had a negative influence on the rest of the squad.

"He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," ten Hag has stated, in an interview with The Athletic.

"I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United. 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," ten Hag has revealed.

During his second stint at United, Ronaldo's off-the-ball work-rate was a subject of heavy debate, with many critics pointing out that his lack of workrate led to a decline in the team's defensive shape.

However, ten Hag has explosively claimed that Ronaldo did not reach the correct fitness levels, and ended up being a liability both on and off the ball.

"Many times I say, 'Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you to bring you in the right position, but if you can't bring yourself in the box, you can't score'. He was not capable of doing this. It's the wrong idea to put this to me that I expected him to do the pressing, that he's exhausted. But he couldn't. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn't prepare himself," ten Hag has said.

"Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team," he's further said.

Ten Hag has then suggested that Ronaldo's conduct might've rubbed off on others in the dressing room. The likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho were reportedly reprimanded for poor attitude during that period.

"Players have to act, they have a big responsibility. Football is, for some, not the highest priority. And United for some wasn't the highest priority," he's said.

While Ronaldo left at the end of 2022, ten Hag stayed at United for a year and a half more, winning the EFL League Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

Things have momentarily, but not permanently, improved at Manchester United since ten Hag's departure. His spell was followed by a tumultuous period under Portuguese manager Ruben Amorim, under whom United finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final in 2024-25.

While Michael Carrick has taken United back to the Champions League, the Red Devils once again find themselves struggling in the ongoing 2026-27 season.

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