Erik ten Hag on Cristiano Ronaldo: “He Was Never the Problem”

Cristiano Ronaldo’s still got it — and Erik ten Hag wants to make one thing clear: the Portuguese superstar was never the issue at Manchester United.

Ronaldo, now 40, lit up Al-Nassr’s pre-season with a hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Rio Ave, proving he remains a lethal finisher even as he enters his fifth decade. The display sparked questions about his turbulent 2023 exit from Old Trafford under Ten Hag, but the current Bayer Leverkusen boss brushed off any lingering drama.

“For me, it is no problem — he was never the problem,” Ten Hag told reporters. “That’s the past. After that, we won two trophies at Manchester United, and I wish him all the best for the future.”

The pair’s split came after Ronaldo was dropped from United’s first-team squad, a decision that divided opinion at the time. United went on to lift both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup in the months that followed, but Ten Hag’s reign ended less than a year ago.

While Ronaldo continues to rack up goals in the Saudi Pro League, the difference in competition level compared to the Premier League remains stark. Still, there’s no sign of bad blood — just mutual respect and very different footballing paths.

What’s Next?
Ronaldo will aim to continue his scoring streak when Al-Nassr face Almeria in their final pre-season game on Sunday. Meanwhile, Ten Hag’s Leverkusen kick off their DFB-Pokal campaign against SG Sonnenhof Großaspach on Friday.

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