Cristiano Ronaldo has blasted Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and former teammate Wayne Rooney in an interview with English TV personality Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford in August 2021 has been heavily debated. Last season, he was impressive, scoring 24 goals in all competitions. However, some believed that he had a negative impact on the rest of the team.
During the summer, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner sought a move away from the Red Devils, hoping to secure a transfer to a Champions League side. However, after weeks of widespread media speculation, he stayed at the club.
Since then, he has been in and out of the side. He has made 16 appearances in all competitions but started only four league games.
But this hasn’t stopped him from being the centre of attention at times. During last month’s 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, Ronaldo was spotted walking down the tunnel after refusing to come on as a substitute. Consequently, he was left out of the squad for the following game against Chelsea.
Now, the Portuguese has added even more fuel to the fire. English broadcaster Piers Morgan has teased an interview with the forward, promising it to be the “most explosive interview he’s ever given”. Snippets have been released in The Sun, in which he slams manager Erik ten Hag, as well as previous boss Ralf Rangnick and former teammate Wayne Rooney.
Speaking about Ten Hag, Ronaldo said: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t show respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”
When asked about Ralf Rangnick’s interim spell at Man Utd, he responded: “If you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the manager of Manchester United? I’d never even heard of him.”
He delivered a similarly scathing verdict on Rooney, who has been openly critical of Ronaldo in recent weeks. The pair spent five seasons together at Old Trafford from 2004 to 2009, winning three Premier League titles and a Champions League.
“I don’t know why he criticises me so badly”, Ronaldo said. “Probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at a high level.
“I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him, which is true…”
Meanwhile, Ronaldo also shed some light on the situation during the summer, during which he was missing from training. It was reported that his absence was due to ‘personal issues’, but many were sceptical, and believed it was an attempt to force a move away from the 20-time English champions.
The 37-year-old told Morgan that his three-month-old daughter had been hospitalised, and he stayed in Portugal in order to be with her. This came just months after the heartbreaking death of his infant son during childbirth. Ronaldo claims that some high-ranking executives at Man Utd doubted his story, which he was hurt by.
The full-length 90-minute interview is scheduled to air on TalkTV on Wednesday, November 16 at 8 pm GMT.
