Erik ten Hag criticises Cristiano Ronaldo’s commitment in ESPN interview published Nov. 2, 2026

Erik ten Hag again criticised Cristiano Ronaldo in an interview with ESPN published on November 2, 2026, saying the forward could no longer deliver consistently at the highest level and questioning whether he remained willing to do the work required to succeed at Manchester United. The former United manager said the player’s decline began at Juventus and suggested Ronaldo had lost the willingness to push himself physically.

Ten Hag, now the technical director at FC Twente, acknowledged Ronaldo’s place in football history while arguing that reputation could not exempt a player from a club’s demands. "He belongs among the greats of the world. But the reality is also that he hasn't been able to deliver for the last seven or eight years. From Juventus onwards, it was simply over," he said. He also praised Real Madrid for recognising when a player was approaching the end of his peak and for moving on at the appropriate time.

Fitness and application were central to Ten Hag’s remarks, with the Dutchman insisting Ronaldo could still finish chances but was no longer prepared to sustain the daily physical regimen he believed the Premier League required. "He couldn't bring himself to torture himself anymore. To give it his all every day. To get fit. If you aren't fit in the Premier League, you stand no chance," he said.

Ten Hag described his discussions with Ronaldo about the role he wanted at Manchester United and defended his selection choices as being in the club’s interest. "Every top team must embrace the top player, but the top player must also make way for the team. That was simply the problem with Ronaldo," he said, and added: "He won the Champions League five times and scored so many goals. He gave so much to football. We all enjoyed him, me included. But at that moment, I had to make choices in the interest of the team and the club."

The former manager reiterated that no individual should stand above a club or country. "No one is bigger than a club or a country. Not even Cristiano Ronaldo. Not even Messi. Ultimately, the team always comes first," he said. Ten Hag also said he had spoken directly with Ronaldo and presented his arguments plainly before making decisions on team selection.

Ten Hag had earlier raised similar criticisms in an interview with The Athletic published on October 20, saying: "He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him." In that interview he alleged Ronaldo did not train at the required intensity and recalled confronting him about his preparation and commitment, and he said he had travelled to Portugal to discuss his plans with Ronaldo before taking charge at Old Trafford.

The relationship between the two deteriorated during the 2022-23 season when Ronaldo was dropped after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham, subsequently launched a public attack on the manager and the club in an interview with Piers Morgan, and had his contract with Manchester United terminated by mutual agreement in November 2022. Ten Hag has returned to the episode twice in recent weeks, and his latest comments reiterate the disagreement over Ronaldo's role and commitment during his time at Old Trafford.