Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of letting both the club and him down during their time together at Old Trafford, claiming the Portuguese forward failed to meet the team’s fitness and training standards.

Ten Hag made the remarks in an exclusive interview with The Athletic on Tuesday, reflecting on his strained relationship with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner during his tenure as United manager.

“He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him,” Ten Hag said.

“I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United.”

Despite his criticism, the Dutchman acknowledged Ronaldo’s status as one of football’s greatest players but insisted that his responsibilities as manager required him to make decisions in the team’s best interests.

“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,” he added.

Ten Hag also questioned Ronaldo’s commitment to the club’s fitness demands, alleging that the forward sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to reach the required heart-rate levels.

He recalled an incident following United’s 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, when players were ordered to run laps as punishment. According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo completed only two of the three laps.

The former manager said he confronted the forward about his fitness and movement on the pitch, arguing that he needed to work harder to position himself for scoring opportunities.
“I confronted him with this,” Ten Hag said.

Ten Hag further accused Ronaldo of contributing too little to the team’s pressing and defensive efforts, claiming that the forward encouraged teammates to conserve energy during training.
“Ronaldo was telling the players: save your legs at training,” he said.

Emphasising the importance of collective responsibility, Ten Hag said even the biggest stars must work for the team.

“Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team,” he said.

Ronaldo’s relationship with Ten Hag deteriorated during the 2022/23 season, culminating in his departure from Manchester United in November 2022.

The forward left following a controversial interview in which he criticised the club and its management, bringing his second spell at Old Trafford to an acrimonious end.