Players dissing their former club is a common phenomenon in the world of football but players calling their own coach out and disrespecting the management is something that’s relatively new. Cristiano Ronaldo, five-time Ballon D’or winner and a legend of the game on Monday, November 14, showed no mercy at all when he got a chance to speak about his current club, Manchester United in an interview with Piers Morgan.
The 37-year-old revealed that he feels betrayed by the club and spoke about the things that went behind his back in the summer transfer window. The Portuguese forward also didn’t hold back while talking about Manchester United’s all-time leading goalscorer Wayne Rooney as he pointed out that he’s much better than the former England international
“I don’t know why he criticises me so badly… probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at high level. I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true,” Ronaldo said in the interview.
“Manchester United tried to force me out. Not only the manager but the other two or three guys who are around the club [at the senior executive level]. I felt betrayed. I don’t care, people should listen to the truth. Yes, I felt betrayed. I feel that some people didn’t want me here, not only this year but last season too,” the five-times Champions League winner lambasts United management for treating him poorly.
I don’t have respect for Eric Ten Hag: Ronaldo
It’s not very difficult to understand what’s wrong with Manchester United at the moment. Coach Eric ten Hag suspended Ronaldo against Chelsea for his poor attitude and now, the Portuguese captain on live television revealed how he doesn’t respect the United boss as he never gets one to start with.
“I don’t have respect for him [Ten Hag] because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you,” the 37-year-old said. The footballer talked about his relationship with Alex Ferguson and how United hasn’t developed at all since Ferguson left the club in 2013.
“I followed my heart. He [Ferguson] said to me, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City,’ and I said, ‘OK, Boss,’ Ronaldo on his move to United in 2021.
“The progress was zero. Since Sir Alex left, I saw no evolution in the club. Nothing had changed. He [Ferguson] knows better than anybody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be. He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that. It’s because they don’t want to see; they are blind,” the club legend added.
