Erik ten Hag takes another swipe at Cristiano Ronaldo, claiming his top-level days ended after Real Madrid
Erik ten Hag has said Cristiano Ronaldo has not been able to deliver for seven or eight years in another dig at his former Manchester United player.
Ten Hag and Ronaldo endured a difficult relationship during the former's time in charge of Manchester United, with Ronaldo making a high-profile exit from Old Trafford during Ten Hag's first season in charge.
Ten Hag dropped Ronaldo to the bench after a disappointing start to the 2022/23 Premier League season, before the Portuguese forward refused to come on as a substitute during a fixture with Tottenham.
Ronaldo went public on the fallout in a controversial interview with Piers Morgan, and departed in the winter transfer window, signing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.
Ten Hag criticised with Ronaldo during a recent interview, and has taken aim at the five-time Ballon d'Or winner again. Speaking to ESPN, he said Ronaldo has not been able to deliver at the top level since leaving Real Madrid in 2018.
"Every top team must embrace the top player, but the top player must work for the team. And that was simply the problem with Ronaldo. The players wanted to work for him and they looked up to him, let there be no misunderstanding about that.
"He is of course a tremendous player, one of the greats of all time. But that is also the reality. Over the last seven or eight years, he can no longer deliver. From Juventus onwards, it's simply over. That is the great gift of Real Madrid. They always know when to say goodbye to the players at the right moment. They recognise when a player's level is declining and they say goodbye at a moment when, to the outside world, the player still appears at their peak.
"When I started at United and I explained to him how we were going to play, what his role in that would be, what I expected from him, and what he could expect from me and the team. Ultimately, you still have to deliver yourself. He could no longer bring himself to push through the pain. To give everything every single day and to train at his maximum in order to get fit. If you're not fit in the Premier League, Champions League, or with the Portuguese national team, then you simply have no chance.
"That is the image [Ronaldo keeping fit] and that is how he became so good. But ultimately he could no longer bring himself to do that. And if you can't do it, the laws of the Premier League are merciless if you can't keep up."
