EPL: Ten Hag Reveals How Cristiano Ronaldo Disappointed Him at Manchester United

According to a report by Daily Post on Tuesday October 20, 2026, former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has opened up about his difficult relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming that the Portuguese superstar failed to meet his expectations during their time together at Old Trafford.

In an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag discussed Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United and explained why the forward struggled to fit into his plans for the team.

The Dutch coach revealed that he travelled to Portugal to meet Ronaldo before officially taking charge of the club. He said he admired the legendary forward and had outlined his vision for Manchester United during their discussions.

However, Ten Hag claimed that Ronaldo eventually disappointed both him and the dressing room because he did not deliver what the manager had expected.

“He disappointed the squad. He disappointed me, because we had formulated plans involving him,” Ten Hag reportedly said.

The former United boss acknowledged Ronaldo’s status as one of football’s greatest players but insisted that he had to make decisions based on the team’s needs.

According to Ten Hag, Ronaldo struggled to adapt to the tactical demands of his system, particularly when it came to movement and positioning inside the penalty area.

The manager argued that the forward needed to position himself more effectively to take advantage of goalscoring opportunities created by his teammates.

Ten Hag also rejected the suggestion that his main demand was for Ronaldo to press relentlessly or run himself into exhaustion. Instead, he claimed that the striker’s movement, both with and without the ball, was not sufficient.

“He was unable to accomplish this. It would be inaccurate to claim that I demanded he participate in pressing or that he was exhausted. However, he could not deliver,” Ten Hag reportedly explained.

The former manager attributed Ronaldo’s difficulties to what he described as inadequate physical conditioning, although this remains Ten Hag’s assessment of the situation.

One of the most striking revelations concerned Ronaldo’s reported attitude towards training. Ten Hag claimed that the forward would tell teammates to “save your legs” during training sessions.

The Dutchman said he understood the importance of managing physical exertion when a player had already reached the required fitness level. However, he believed players first needed to train sufficiently to achieve that standard.

“He was telling the players, ‘Save your legs at the training’,” Ten Hag reportedly said.

The comments highlight the differences between the manager’s expectations and Ronaldo’s approach during their time together at Manchester United.

Ten Hag maintained that even the biggest stars must contribute to the collective effort, arguing that a successful team cannot depend solely on the reputation or individual quality of one player.

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

Ronaldo’s second spell at Manchester United ended in November 2022 following a highly publicised breakdown in his relationship with the club. His departure came after tensions surrounding his role in the team and his public criticism of the club and its management.

Ten Hag’s latest reported comments have once again brought attention to the difficult period they experienced together at Old Trafford.

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