Cristiano Ronaldo has voiced criticism of Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, stating that the club needs a complete rebuild to compete at the highest level again. His comments came during an appearance on the "Rio Ferdinand Presents" podcast, set to be released on Thursday.
United finished last season in eighth place, their lowest ever in Premier League history, and have lost two of their first three games in the current campaign. Ronaldo, who had two stints at United before joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, questioned Ten Hag's mindset.
"The coach says they cannot compete to win the [Premier] League and Champions League," Ronaldo said. "As Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League. Mentally [you can] say maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try, you have to try."
Ronaldo's first tenure at United saw him win multiple honors, including three Premier League titles, the Champions League, two League Cups, an FA Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the Community Shield. After his return to United from Juventus in August 2021, Ronaldo scored 145 goals in 346 appearances before moving to Al-Nassr in December 2022.
In a controversial interview with Piers Morgan a month before his departure, Ronaldo claimed he was being "betrayed" and forced out of the club. Speaking on Ferdinand's podcast, Ronaldo also expressed concerns about the lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013. United have not won a Premier League title since then.
Ronaldo praised the club’s recent decision to recruit Ruud van Nistelrooy, a former teammate, to Ten Hag's coaching staff, expressing hope that Van Nistelrooy’s presence might help the club improve. "If Ten Hag listens to Ruud, maybe he can [help himself]. I think it can help a lot because he knows the club and the club should listen [to] the guys who were there."
Ronaldo also mentioned Sir Jim Ratcliffe's recent purchase of a 25% stake in United and his aim to restore the club to its former glories. "The club needs time to rebuild because it's still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. They understand that this is the only way," Ronaldo added, acknowledging recent investments in the club's training facilities.
He emphasized the importance of rebuilding from the bottom and involving former players who understand the club's culture, suggesting that Ten Hag and his staff should seek advice from figures like Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, or Sir Alex Ferguson. "The people who understand the football are the people who were there in the dressing room. They know how to deal with the players," he said.
Despite the challenges, Ronaldo expressed optimism about the future of Manchester United, but warned that the club needs significant structural changes to compete effectively at the top levels of European football.
