Erik ten Hag Insists Ronaldo Was Never the Problem at Man Utd

Manchester, England— Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag publicly stated that Cristiano Ronaldo was “never the problem” during their time together at Old Trafford, despite reports of a strained relationship that led to Ronaldo’s departure in November 2022.

Ten Hag, now managing Bayer Leverkusen, remarked after a preseason friendly defeat:

“For me, he’s no problem. He was never the problem and I think that’s the past. It is what happened. After that, we won two trophies at Manchester United. I wish him all the best for the future”.

This comment addressed speculation following Ronaldo’s recent performances in Saudi Arabia, where he scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 win for Al Nassr.

Although the relationship was reportedly difficult, with Ronaldo feeling betrayed by the club’s management and coaching staff at the time, Ten Hag emphasized the past nature of these issues and focused on the team’s subsequent successes. Ronaldo, meanwhile, had been left out of the starting lineup during Ten Hag’s tenure, which contributed to public tensions.

Since joining Al Nassr, Ronaldo has been prolific, scoring 93 goals and providing 19 assists in 105 appearances, with one Arab Club Champions Cup title.

This nuanced understanding from Ten Hag highlights his view that while tensions existed, Ronaldo himself was not the core problem during their overlapping period at Manchester United.

By Taiwo Olatinwo| August 11, 2025