Erik ten Hag says Ronaldo betrayed him and Manchester United

Erik ten Hag said Cristiano Ronaldo “betrayed” both him and Manchester United, arguing that the star’s behaviour during Ten Hag’s tenure in 2022 undermined the coach’s plans for the team.

Ten Hag noted that he had arrived at Manchester United while Ronaldo was already in his second spell at Old Trafford, and said the relationship between the two did not work out as he had expected.

Claims from the former manager

Ten Hag said his tactical project had been built around Ronaldo, and that the player’s actions contributed to the failure of that plan. “He betrayed us — both me and the team, because our playing plan was built around him,” Ten Hag said in an interview published on October 20, 2026.

The former United manager added that he had travelled to Portugal to outline his ideas before Ronaldo rejoined the club. “Before he came to United, I travelled to Portugal to talk to him about my plans. Obviously, he is one of the greatest players in history. I had great respect for him. But at that moment, as a coach, I had to make a rational decision and rely on the players who, in my view, were the right choice,” he said.

Ten Hag also accused Ronaldo of missing training sessions and of failing to lift the team’s tempo when he did take part in practice. The Dutch coach’s spell at United ultimately ended amid a run of managers since Sir Alex Ferguson left who have been judged unsuccessful.

Photo: press material from the event