Erik ten Hag has claimed that Cristiano Ronaldo lost his ability to perform at his former peak following his move to Juventus, praising Real Madrid’s decision to part ways with the Portuguese star at that specific time.
The former Manchester United manager’s comments came during an appearance on ESPN Netherlands’ show Goedemorgen Eredivisie, where he revisited his rift with the Portuguese superstar and his expectations when working with him.
“Ronaldo is undoubtedly a fantastic player, one of the greatest in history,” Ten Hag said. “But the reality is that over the last seven or eight years, he has no longer been capable of delivering that level. Since his time at Juventus, it was over.”
He added: “That is one of Real Madrid’s greatest strengths; they always know the exact right time to let players go, recognizing when their performance begins to decline.”
Reflecting on their shared time at Old Trafford, he stated: “Before I started my job at Manchester United, I spoke with Ronaldo and explained how we would play, what his role would be, what I expected from him, and what he could expect from me and the team.”
He continued: “In the end, though, you have to deliver something yourself. He was no longer able to endure the required hard work, push himself to the absolute maximum every day, and train at the highest intensity to reach peak physical condition.”
Ten Hag elaborated: “It is simple: if you are not in top physical shape, whether in the Premier League, the Champions League, or with the Portuguese national team, you stand no chance of succeeding.”
The relationship between the two culminated in Ronaldo’s departure from United by mutual consent in November 2022, following an interview with Piers Morgan in which the forward stated he had no respect for Ten Hag, accusing the manager of showing him a lack of respect.
Ronaldo played for Juventus between 2018 and 2021, scoring 101 goals and winning five trophies before returning to Manchester United and subsequently moving to Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr.
