'He let the team down' - Erik ten Hag launches scathing attack on 'exhausted' Cristiano Ronaldo and reveals how Portugal star negatively influenced Man Utd training

Ten Hag has accused Ronaldo of letting the Red Devils squad down and setting a poor example on the training pitch during his second spell in Manchester. The pair worked together for just a few months during the opening half of the 2022-23 campaign after the forward sought an exit in the summer of 2022. Mounting friction between the two eventually resulted in the striker's contract being terminated that November.

That high-profile fallout reached boiling point when the five-time Ballon d'Or winner sat down for an explosive interview with Piers Morgan after being dropped from the starting line-up on several occasions. During that broadcast, the Portugal captain claimed he felt "betrayed" by his manager and admitted he did not respect the Dutchman.

Detailing how his early plans for the veteran forward quickly unravelled after taking the job, Ten Hag told The Athletic: "He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him. I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for, before I came to United.

"Obviously, he's one of the best in football history. I respected him a lot. But at that time, as a manager, I had to make a rational decision and keep the players I admire."

The former Ajax boss also rejected suggestions that he demanded relentless pressing from his striker, arguing instead that a lack of pre-season preparation left the forward physically unable to get into scoring positions. Furthermore, he alleged that the veteran urged his fellow squad members to dial back their intensity during training sessions.

Explaining the forward's physical limitations and his influence on the rest of the dressing room, Ten Hag added: "Many times I would say, 'Ronnie, everyone wants to work for you, to bring you in the right positions, but if you can't bring yourself in the box, you can't score.'

"He was not capable of doing this. It's the wrong idea to put this to me, that I expected him to do the pressing. He was exhausted. He couldn't. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn't prepare himself. Every top team has to embrace the top players, but the top players must work for the team.

"He was telling the players, 'Save your legs at training'. I understand it when you are fit; you have sessions, you can save the legs. But first, you have to train yourself to get to the right fitness levels."

Those remarks arrive with the 41-year-old back in the spotlight following another public row with a manager, this time involving Portugal and former Al-Nassr boss Jorge Jesus. After being left on the bench throughout last month's 2-1 Nations League victory over Norway, he walked out of the camp and accused the coach of breaching his trust. Although an investigation yielded a 30-day ban, Portuguese Football Federation chiefs remain open to his return.