Erik ten Hag has reopened his bitter feud with Cristiano Ronaldo, accusing the Portuguese superstar of skipping training sessions, failing to meet fitness standards and encouraging Manchester United teammates to conserve their energy during training.
Almost four years after Ronaldo's controversial departure from Old Trafford, the former Manchester United manager has offered his most detailed account yet of what went wrong between them. Speaking in an extensive interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag insisted that he initially wanted the five-time Ballon d'Or winner to play a major role in his team, but grew increasingly frustrated with his attitude and physical condition.
Before officially taking charge of United in 2022, the Dutchman even travelled to Portugal to explain his plans to Ronaldo personally. Ten Hag regarded the forward as one of the greatest players in football history and believed he could contribute to the team's rebuild. However, their working relationship deteriorated within months.
"He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," Ten Hag told The Athletic.
Ronaldo allegedly skipped training and failed to complete a punishment run
Among the most striking revelations were Ten Hag's allegations about Ronaldo's behaviour on the training ground. According to the former United boss, the Portuguese forward withdrew from certain training sessions and failed to reach the required heart-rate levels when he did participate.
Ten Hag also recalled the infamous punishment imposed on his players following their humiliating 4-0 defeat to Brentford in August 2022. The manager ordered the squad to complete an additional running exercise, but claims Ronaldo finished only two of the three scheduled laps.
The Dutchman argued that Ronaldo's lack of physical preparation directly affected his performances. He believed the striker was struggling to make the movements necessary to operate effectively in United's attacking system, particularly when it came to getting into scoring positions and contributing without the ball.
Ten Hag rejected the suggestion that he had simply demanded too much defensive work from an ageing superstar. In his view, the problem went beyond pressing and concerned Ronaldo's overall fitness and preparation.
Ten Hag claims Ronaldo told teammates to save their energy
Perhaps the most controversial accusation concerned Ronaldo's influence on the rest of the dressing room. Ten Hag claimed the forward encouraged other players to conserve their energy during training rather than push themselves to the required physical level.
According to the Dutchman, such an approach might have been understandable for players who were already in peak condition, but he believed Ronaldo had not reached that stage.
The remarks present a striking contrast with Ronaldo's long-established reputation for exceptional discipline, relentless training and obsessive attention to physical fitness. Ten Hag's account suggests that the qualities for which the Portuguese international had been celebrated throughout his career became a source of disagreement during his final months at United.
The former manager also questioned the wider mentality within the squad, arguing that certain influential players were too concerned with playing according to their individual preferences rather than adapting to the team's requirements.
Four years later, the Ronaldo controversy is back
The relationship between Ronaldo and Ten Hag collapsed spectacularly during the 2022/23 season. In October 2022, the Portuguese star refused to enter the pitch as a substitute against Tottenham and left Old Trafford before the final whistle, prompting disciplinary action from the club.
The following month, Ronaldo gave an explosive interview to Piers Morgan in which he openly criticised Manchester United and declared that he had no respect for Ten Hag. His contract was subsequently terminated by mutual agreement, bringing his second spell at the club to an abrupt end.
For years, the public narrative surrounding their dispute centred on Ronaldo's frustration over his reduced playing time and his disagreement with the manager's methods. Ten Hag's latest revelations add another dimension, suggesting that the conflict had developed behind the scenes long before it became a public spectacle.
The Athletic contacted Ronaldo's representative for a response to Ten Hag's accusations but had received no reply by the time the interview was published.
Ten Hag himself left Manchester United in October 2024, having won the Carabao Cup and FA Cup during his tenure. Now working as technical director at FC Twente, he has chosen to revisit one of the most controversial episodes of his managerial career.
His comments are certain to reignite the debate over who was ultimately responsible for the breakdown. Ronaldo has repeatedly built his career around an image of extraordinary professionalism, while Ten Hag now claims that the striker's preparation and commitment fell short of the standards he expected at Manchester United.
Published by Patrick Jane
20.10.2026