Reflecting on his Manchester United tenure, Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of failing both his teammates and their manager. The Dutch coach also attributes his October 2024 dismissal to commitments the club’s ownership failed to honour.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure and the breakdown in relations
August 2021 marked the start of Cristiano Ronaldo’s second stint at United. He was therefore already part of the squad when Ten Hag took over from Ole Gunnar Solskjær in 2022. Their working relationship soon deteriorated: during October’s victory against Tottenham, the attacker declined an instruction to enter from the bench. A subsequent television appearance brought public criticism of United, before November saw both parties agree to end his employment.
Speaking to the Athletic, Ten Hag explained that Ronaldo had disappointed him personally as well as the squad, since preparations had included the forward. Despite regarding the player as among the game’s greatest ever and holding him in high esteem, he felt managerial responsibility demanded a reasoned choice over which players he admired would remain in his selection.
The coach further alleges that Ronaldo failed to finish the running assignment imposed on the squad following their 4-0 defeat against Brentford, near the beginning of his time in charge. He says he challenged the forward over that failure. Recalling repeated conversations in which he addressed him as Ronnie, Ten Hag described how everyone was willing to help create favourable opportunities for him, but stressed that scoring required the striker to get into the penalty area himself.
Ownership commitments and the Scott McTominay sale
An FA Cup triumph and a subsequent agreement extending his contract preceded Ten Hag’s dismissal by just five months. According to the Dutchman, negotiations about that renewal included undertakings from United’s owners that never materialised. Those assurances concerned loyalty, support, dialogue and a shared approach, with the problems discussed between them. He maintains that the ownership did not deliver what it had pledged.
The transfer of Scott McTominay to Napoli was, he says, approved without his agreement, leaving him embarrassed. Ten Hag recalls explicitly opposing any sale of the midfielder, only for the move to proceed regardless, an outcome he describes as deeply disappointing as well as embarrassing.
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