According to Erik ten Hag, a former manager of Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo let down not just the club but also himself and the squad, despite the fact that they had plans together.

Ten Hag said in remarks cited by The Athletic FC that he had sought out Ronaldo to share his ideas with before to assuming leadership at Old Trafford. It was with the express purpose of seeing the striker and outlining his goals for Manchester United that the Dutch coach went to Portugal, according to him.

"I travelled to Portugal to discuss my goals with him before joining United," Ten Hag said.

Ten Hag insisted that, as manager, he had to put the team's interests ahead of Ronaldo's reputation when making choices, even if he acknowledged Ronaldo's outstanding accomplishments.

"He's up there with the greatest of them all. He was highly esteemed by me. The manager in Ten Hag's position had to make a reasonable choice, nevertheless.

One of the most talked-about incidents during Ten Hag's tenure at Manchester United was the argument between the two individuals. Because of his history of success with the club and his standing as one of the most revered players in sport, Ronaldo brought huge expectations when he returned in August 2021.

However, he finally left Old Trafford due to rising concerns with his position, playing time, and relationship with the management.

According to Ten Hag, he was especially let down by the disagreement as he had anticipated Ronaldo to be involved in his schemes. It was not just Ronaldo's abilities that were considered, but also the manager's belief in what was needed to keep the squad headed in the right way, as he put it.

The striker's public criticism of the club and Ten Hag in an interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022 led to his resignation from the club. Subsequently, Manchester United said that Ronaldo had departed amicably.

A further chapter in the legendary career of the Portuguese international began when he joined the Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr.

Managers have a tough balancing act when dealing with established superstars, as shown once again by Ten Hag's most recent comments. Ten Hag maintained that, as a manager, he was obligated to make judgements that he thought would be good for Manchester United collectively, regardless of how much respect Ronaldo received for his individual accomplishments.

Disagreements about expectations, power, and team responsibilities may derail even the most illustrious individual careers in professional football, as this episode shows. It is a pivotal moment in both men's careers.

Source: https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2112472113953091801