Cristiano Ronaldo was failed by Manchester United in his first season back as the club failed to give the star the "platform for success" he deserves, says former player Rio Ferdinand.
The Portuguese was third in the Premier League's scoring charts in his return to English football, but was unable to break United's barren streak as they limped to a Europa League finish.
That is not the fault of the attacker according to a former team-mate, who says the Red Devils should have delivered the squad around him.
What has Ferdinand said about Man Utd failing Ronaldo?
"On a personal level he does what Ronaldo does, he scores goals, he wins games and without Ronaldo they don't get out the knockout stages of the Champions League," Ferdinand told FootballJOE's YouTube channel.
"He's scored winning goals multiple times and he has held up his side of the bargain. I think the club obviously hasn't played their role in terms of giving him the platform for success.
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"It just shows you that great players, those in conversation as the best players ever - and he's one of them - you can't do it alone, you need team-mates to help and this shows that."
What has Ferdinand said about Ronaldo under Ten Hag?
With new management now in charge at Old Trafford in the shape of former Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo's future has been the source of speculation, though suggestions point to him remaining on-board.
Ferdinand said any impact between the pair would need weeks, and possibly months, to bed in, adding: "We have to wait and see. This is something we need to wait for and give it time.
"Ronaldo said this new manager needs to be given time and he needs to be afforded that given the resources, given the patience, to try and create something. He has to create something from almost scratch here."
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