Ronaldo's return to Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in August 2021 after a 12-year absence, signing a contract that saw him score 18 goals in the Premier League and six in the Champions League during his first season, which ended with his departure for Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia in January 2022.

Erik ten Hag's comments on Ronaldo

Erik ten Hag, who became Manchester United's manager that summer, stated in an interview with The Athletic that Ronaldo had "left the team" and that he had made a "rational decision" to retain players he admired despite Ronaldo's status as one of the greatest players in football history.

Ten Hag's discussions with Ronaldo

Ten Hag said he had traveled to Portugal before joining Manchester United to discuss his goals with Ronaldo. He explained that Ronaldo's attitude and suboptimal physical condition were reasons for his decision to bench him starting in October 2021.

Ronaldo's performance issues

According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo missed several training sessions and performed poorly in physical tests. During a heavy 0-4 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, Ronaldo stopped after two laps of the pitch when the coach asked for three.

Ten Hag's critique of Ronaldo's play

Ten Hag said he confronted Ronaldo about his inability to perform the pressing required by the team. He stated that Ronaldo was not able to position himself properly to score and that it was a misconception to blame him for not being able to press due to fatigue.

Ronaldo's impact on the team

Ten Hag also mentioned that Ronaldo's influence on his teammates was negative, as he advised them to "save their legs" during training. Ten Hag acknowledged that it is reasonable for a player at the top of their form to conserve energy during training but emphasized that the first step is to train to reach the required physical level.