Steve McClaren explains how Cristiano Ronaldo ignored ‘don’t play’ advice during ill-fated second spell at Man Utd that ended with Erik ten Hag battle & terminated contract

McClaren has revealed that the friction between Ten Hag and Ronaldo was evident almost immediately after the coach arrived at Carrington. As Ten Hag attempted to implement a disciplined, high-pressing system, it became clear that the five-time Ballon d’Or winner was not aligned with the manager's vision for the team.

Speaking to The Athletic, McClaren detailed the stark warning he gave to the Dutch manager during the early stages of the conflict. "Erik tried to impose his style and that’s why he had that fight with Ronaldo all the way through. I said to Erik, very early, ‘It’s you or him’," McClaren explained.

The core of the issue lay in the work rate required out of possession, a non-negotiable aspect of Ten Hag's tactical blueprint. Despite his legendary status and goal-scoring pedigree, Ronaldo reportedly struggled - or refused - to adapt to the physical demands of the modern Premier League press in his late 30s.

McClaren elaborated on the specific instructions that caused the rift: "Ronaldo was generally OK. But he didn’t want to do the job that Erik wanted him to do. Or didn’t feel he was capable of doing it. The instructions out of possession were, ‘Get into the middle, as soon as you’re back, you’re the first press, then double run, even a triple run now and again’. I used to say to Ronnie, ‘If you want to play, that’s what you’ve got to do’. He’d argue, ‘Ah, nobody wants to press’. I’d say, ‘Well, they’re all young lads, they can press’. I said, ‘You have to run, it’s simple, Ronnie. If you don’t, you don’t play’."

The tension eventually boiled over during a 2022 victory against Tottenham when Ronaldo famously refused to come on as a substitute and left the stadium early. This act of defiance was the beginning of the end, as the forward soon sat down for a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan in which he claimed he felt "betrayed" by the club and had no respect for Ten Hag.

Following the interview, United took the decision to terminate Ronaldo's contract by mutual consent, clearing the way for his move to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia. McClaren noted that while other managers might have compromised to accommodate Ronaldo, Ten Hag remained steadfast in his principles, even if it cost him the services of the club’s greatest-ever goalscorer.

Reflecting on why the situation became so volatile, McClaren suggested that Ten Hag lacked the established authority that legendary managers like Sir Alex Ferguson enjoyed. While Ferguson could discard high-profile players with little pushback from the fans or media, Ten Hag was still trying to build his foundations while navigating the ego of a global icon.

McClaren concluded by stating: "Maybe other managers have tried to adapt and accommodate to get the best out of [Ronaldo]. With Fergie, he was right or you were out. If you weren’t with him and he knew it, you were gone. And that’s the authority, the power that he had developed over years and years. The Gaffer, Sir Alex, got time to do it. Erik didn’t get the same time."