Erik ten Hag Reveals Cristiano Ronaldo's Problems During His Second Period at Manchester United

Former Manchester United Manager Erik ten Hag has revealed the underlying issues during Cristiano Ronaldo's second spell at Old Trafford. According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo was not in optimal physical condition nor properly prepared upon his return to the Red Devils, leaving him unable to meet the club's expectations throughout the 2022/2023 season.

Ten Hag described this situation as deeply disappointing, especially since Manchester United had already formulated dedicated plans to maximise Ronaldo's contributions. These plans ultimately did not unfold as intended.

“He let the team down, and he let me down too. We had built plans together with him,” he told The Athletic in an interview published Wednesday.

Ronaldo previously enjoyed a legendary first tenure at Manchester United. He lifted three Premier League titles under Sir Alex Ferguson before departing Old Trafford for Real Madrid in 2009.

After spells at multiple elite European clubs, Ronaldo made his high-profile return to Manchester United in 2021.

The Portuguese striker's homecoming initially sparked massive optimism among supporters. However his second stint at United quickly unravelled, particularly after Ten Hag took over as head coach in May 2022.

Across the 2022/2023 campaign, Ronaldo registered just one goal from 10 Premier League appearances before exiting the club by mutual agreement in November 2022.

Ten Hag clarified that the problems were not solely related to tactics or playing time, but also Ronaldo's ability to position himself in dangerous attacking zones.

Ten Hag stated he repeatedly held private conversations with Ronaldo, instructing the striker to move into optimal finishing positions during attacking sequences. These directions were not consistently followed as requested.

“Time and time again I told him, ‘Ronnie, everyone on this team works to get you into good positions. But if you will not get yourself inside the penalty box, you will not score goals’. He could not do that,” Ten Hag revealed.

The Dutch manager rejected widespread claims he forced Ronaldo to perform exhausting excessive pressing duties. Instead, Ten Hag identified Ronaldo's personal physical preparation as the root problem.

“He would not run. Not when we had the ball, not when we were defending. The simple reason for that was he had not properly prepared his body,” Ten Hag stated.

Despite the friction, Ten Hag acknowledged Ronaldo's status as one of the Greatest Players of all time. He emphasised all decisions regarding the striker were made for team interests, with no personal grudge involved.

“I have the utmost respect for him. But at that moment, as coach I had to make rational decisions and protect the trust of the rest of the squad,” Ten Hag added.

Under Ten Hag, Manchester United finished 3rd in the Premier League for the 2022/2023 season. His tenure at Old Trafford ultimately ended when he was dismissed by the club in October 2024.

After leaving United, Ronaldo joined Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr in December 2022. He immediately returned to prolific form, scoring 14 goals from 16 league matches for the remainder of that season.

In October 2026 Ronaldo faced further disciplinary action, this time at international level. The Portuguese Football Federation issued a 30-day playing ban on 19 October 2026, after Ronaldo walked out of the national team training camp during a public dispute with head coach Jorge Jesus.

Ronaldo is set to return to action for Al-Nassr in a Saudi Pro League fixture on 20 October 2026. He remains just 19 goals away from the historic milestone of 1000 professional career goals.

Ten Hag has struggled to find consistent work since leaving Manchester United. He lasted only three matches as head coach of Bayer Leverkusen before being sacked in September 2025. He currently holds the position of Technical Director at Dutch Eredivisie club FC Twente.