According to the Daily Mail, Ten Hag accused Ronaldo of being unprepared for matches and disappointing Manchester United, stating that the forward had walked out of training and encouraged teammates to "take it easy" during sessions.
In November 2022, Ronaldo negotiated his departure from Manchester United following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, in which he claimed he had been "betrayed" by Ten Hag.
The Portuguese star made only 16 appearances for Manchester United under Ten Hag. Their relationship deteriorated quickly after Ten Hag was appointed Manchester United manager that summer.
Ten Hag, who was sacked by Manchester United in October 2024, said he confronted Ronaldo directly about his pre-match preparation.
In an interview with The Athletic, Ten Hag stated that after Ronaldo walked out of training, he did not get himself into "the right shape," and even when he did train, his heart rate wasn't at the required level.
"He let the team down, and he let me down, because we were building a plan around him," Ten Hag said.
"Of course, he is one of the best players in football history. I have great respect for him. But at that moment, as a manager, I had to make rational decisions and keep the players I valued in the squad."
"Many times I would say, 'Ronnie, everyone is willing to work for you, to get you into the right positions, but if you can't get into the box yourself, you can't score goals'."
"He couldn't do that. It's wrong to blame me, to say I asked him to press or that he was exhausted. But he simply couldn't do it. He wouldn't run with the ball, and he wouldn't run without the ball. The reason was that he wasn't prepared."
"Any top team must accommodate top players, but top players must also contribute to the team."
"He also told players, 'take it easy in training.' If you are already in great shape, I can understand that—you have training sessions, and of course, you can save your legs. But first, you have to get yourself to the right fitness level."
The Dutchman reportedly also believed that Ronaldo's attitude ultimately affected other players within the Manchester United squad.
Ten Hag insisted that he had outlined his expectations for Ronaldo before he joined and that Ronaldo was initially a key part of his plans.
Ronaldo clashed with Ten Hag early in his tenure at Manchester United. The forward was warned about his conduct during preseason after he left Old Trafford at halftime during a friendly match following his substitution.
In October 2022, he was dropped from the squad for a match against Chelsea after Ten Hag confirmed that Ronaldo had refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham three days earlier.
Ten Hag's former assistant Steve McClare said earlier this year that there was a stalemate between Ten Hag and Ronaldo, and he later tried to persuade the star to follow the manager's simple demands to earn a starting spot.
Ronaldo's second spell at Manchester United ultimately ended with his fiery remarks in November 2022.
"I don't respect him because he doesn't show respect for me," Ronaldo said of Ten Hag at the time.
"Some people didn't want me here—not just the coach, but two or three other people. To be honest, I shouldn't say that. But listen, I don't care. People should hear the truth. Yes, I felt betrayed."
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