Ronaldo was 36 years old when he rejoined Manchester United from Juventus in 2021, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in charge at the time.
During Ten Hag’s tenure, the forward managed only three goals across 16 appearances before departing in the 2022-23 season.
Ten Hag rejected the suggestion that he had demanded too much pressing from an exhausted Ronaldo. He said the player was not running with or without the ball because he had failed to prepare himself properly.
He added that every leading side must know how to accommodate an elite player, but that player must also contribute to the team’s collective effort.
Ten Hag also claimed Ronaldo encouraged his teammates to conserve energy during training. While he accepted that fully fit players can sometimes reduce their workload, he insisted they must first train sufficiently to reach the required fitness level.
The interview emerged after Ronaldo received a 30-day ban and a 255-euro (£215) fine from the Portuguese Football Federation for leaving the national team’s training camp the previous month.
Manchester United dismissed Ten Hag in October 2024 after he had guided the club to the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.
Reflecting on his spell at Old Trafford, Ten Hag said he had hoped to recruit Frenkie de Jong, Harry Kane and Declan Rice. He also opposed Scott McTominay’s transfer to Napoli in August 2024.
Ten Hag explained that he identified weaknesses at centre-back and in central midfield during his first season, including the need for a player capable of controlling the team’s play. However, he said the shortage of goals remained the greatest problem throughout his three years at the club.
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