Ten Hag Reveals Ronaldo's Shortcomings at Manchester United

In an interview published on October 20, 2026, Erik ten Hag, the former manager of Manchester United and now technical director at FC Twente, discussed his challenging relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. Ten Hag claimed that Ronaldo did not meet the team's physical demands, which led to disappointment for both the manager and the club.

He noted that he had initially planned around Ronaldo but became frustrated with the forward's preparation and contributions. Ten Hag stated that he traveled to Portugal to discuss plans with Ronaldo before taking charge but felt let down by the player's commitment.

He also mentioned that Ronaldo struggled with fitness standards, as his heart-rate readings during training were inadequate. Ten Hag recounted instances where he had to remove Ronaldo from training sessions due to insufficient intensity.

Additionally, he highlighted Ronaldo's failure to complete a punishment after a 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022, further illustrating the issues in their working relationship.