Erik ten Hag pulverizes the “Real Madrid gang” and Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has heavily criticized Cristiano Ronaldo alongside former Real Madrid teammates Raphaël Varane and Casemiro in an interview with The Athletic. Ten Hag claimed the trio introduced a negative mentality into the locker room, seeking undue power and dictating their own style of play over the team's needs. He specifically accused Ronaldo of lacking physical preparation, failing to run, and telling other squad members to ease up during training.

Ten Hag also revealed deep frustrations with Manchester United's executive management, stating they broke key promises regarding loyalty and transfer strategies. He highlighted the club's decision to sell midfielder Scott McTominay to Napoli despite his explicit opposition. Now managing FC Twente, the Dutch manager stated that conflicting player mentalities and executive failures prevented the club from implementing a dynamic and attacking brand of football.