Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has broken his silence on his infamous and very public fallout with superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, insisting that the Portuguese forward was not “the problem” during his tumultuous reign at Old Trafford.
Now the manager of German side Bayer Leverkusen, Ten Hag was speaking to the media after a pre-season friendly against Chelsea when he was asked to reflect on the feud that dominated headlines back in 2022.
“For me [Ronaldo’s] no problem. He was never the problem and I think that’s the past,” the Dutch coach stated. He emphasized his desire to move on from the episode, adding, “It’s not about Manchester United, that is closed. I’m looking forward and I’m really happy to be back [in work].”
The original conflict famously came to a head when Ronaldo told Piers Morgan, “I don’t have respect for [Ten Hag] because he doesn’t show respect for me.” That bombshell interview led to the immediate termination of Ronaldo’s contract, with the player subsequently joining Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia.
While United did go on to win two domestic cups under Ten Hag following Ronaldo’s exit, the team’s broader struggles on the pitch continued long after the five-time Ballon d’Or winner had left. Ten Hag was eventually sacked in October 2024, and the team went on to finish a disastrous 15th in the Premier League last season under his successor, Ruben Amorim.
Ten Hag’s latest comments suggest a desire to close a difficult chapter of his managerial career. By stating Ronaldo wasn’t the core issue, he implicitly acknowledges that the problems at Manchester United ran much deeper than a single player—a fact that the club’s poor results since have seemingly proven.