Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo (37) has had enough of those responsible at Manchester United. He felt “betrayed” by his club, he said in an interview with “The Sun”. They want to make him the “black sheep” for the problems in the club and persuade him to leave. It was the “most difficult time of my life,” Ronaldo said. In the current season he has only made ten appearances in the league and was not in the squad twice recently.
The Portuguese also criticized his coach Erik ten Hag (52). “I have no respect for him because he has no respect for me,” explained the veteran. Ten Hag suspended him after last month’s game against Tottenham because Ronaldo went into the dressing room just minutes before the final whistle. The superstar said of ex-coach Ralf Rangnick (64): “If you’re not even a coach, how do you want to be the boss of Manchester United? I had never heard of him.” Rangnick is currently training the Austrian national soccer team.
About his critic and ex-colleague Wayne Rooney (37), Ronaldo said: “I don’t know why he criticizes me like that. Probably because he ended his career and I’m still playing at a high level.” Then he added with a chuckle, “I’m not going to say I’m better looking than him. Even if it’s true.” Rooney had repeatedly criticized the striker and repeatedly called for him to be rid of.
In April, he and his partner Georgina Rodriguez (28) had to cope with the loss of their little son at birth. The boy’s twin sister survived. Fans of rival clubs like Liverpool then supported him, singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” in the seventh minute of the next home game, alluding to Ronaldo’s shirt number seven. “I never expected that,” he said. The British royal family also condoled to him and his wife.
He felt less well supported by his club. He had shown a lack of “empathy”, especially when his three-month-old daughter was hospitalized in July. He couldn’t return to preseason training in time because he wanted to stay with her. Old Trafford officials doubted him when he explained why he couldn’t return. That “hurt” him, according to the superstar.
In addition, the Portuguese misses progress with the “Red Devils”. Since his time under Sir Alex Ferguson (80) 14 years ago, there have been hardly any improvements in the training facilities. “Progress was zero,” he sighed. “I haven’t seen any development at the club since Sir Alex left. Nothing had changed.” For the best players in the world one is no longer attractive.
In order to create a successful environment, drastic steps might have to happen, including his departure. “As Picasso said, you have to destroy something to rebuild it and if they start with me, that’s not a problem for me,” Ronaldo said. “I love Manchester United, I love the fans, they’re always on my side. But if they want to do things differently, they have to change many, many things.”
His ex-coach Sir Alex sees it too: “He knows better than anyone that the club is not on the path it deserves. He knows it. Everyone knows it. The people who don’t see that are blind, because they don’t want to see it,” criticized the veteran.
He now wants to concentrate on the World Cup in Qatar and “win for Portugal”. Portugal meet Ghana in their first group game of the World Cup on November 24th. For Ronaldo it will probably be the last World Cup as a player. However, the 2016 European champion is not expected to have a particularly high chance of winning the title.
Ronaldo said he would settle things with United after the tournament. But his heart will always be with the club and especially with the fans. “They are the most important thing in football. You play for them,” said the 37-year-old. “The fans are everything to me. That’s why I’m doing this interview because I think it’s the right time to speak my mind.”
