Cristiano Ronaldo has openly criticized Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, stating that the club needs to “rebuild everything” to become competitive for football’s top honors once again.
The Dutch manager is facing scrutiny after United finished eighth last season, marking their lowest-ever Premier League finish, and suffered two defeats in their first three games this season.
Ronaldo, who had two stints with the club before joining Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr, also questioned Ten Hag’s approach and mentality.
“The coach says they cannot compete to win the [Premier] League and Champions League,” he told the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, which comes out on Thursday.
“As Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you’re not going to fight to win the league or Champions League.
“Mentally [you can] say maybe we don’t have that potential, but I cannot say that. We’re going to try, you have to try.
“What I wish for Manchester [United], it’s what I wish for me – [to be] the best team they can.
“I love that club… I’m not that kind of guy that forgot the past.”
During his first six-year stint at Manchester United, Ronaldo won three Premier League titles, the Champions League, two League Cups, an FA Cup, the FIFA Club World Cup, and the Community Shield, before making his move to Real Madrid in 2009.
Ronaldo returned to United from Juventus in August 2021, amassing a total of 145 goals in 346 appearances for the club before departing for Al-Nassr in December 2022.
A month prior to his exit, Ronaldo had told Piers Morgan in a controversial interview that he felt “betrayed” and was being forced out of the club.
In a conversation with former United teammate Rio Ferdinand on his podcast, Ronaldo also expressed disappointment with the club’s lack of progress since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Since then, United have not won a Premier League title, but co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who recently acquired a 25% stake in the club, aims to restore their former glory with his Ineos team overseeing football operations.
Ronaldo added: “They need to rebuild everything, in my opinion.
“The club needs time to rebuild because it’s still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. They understand that this is the only way.
“This is why they show, they start to change again, the structure of the club, the infrastructures and everything. The owners of the club are investing in the training ground so I’m happy [because things are changing].
“I believe that the future will be bright. I believe, but they don’t depend only on the talents. They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible.”
Ronaldo, however, has praised the club’s decision to recruit another former team-mate Ruud van Nistelrooy to Ten Hag’s backroom staff.
“If Ten Hag listens to Ruud, maybe he can [help himself],” he added.
“I think it can help a lot because he knows the club and the club should listen [to] the guys who were there.
“You [Rio] or Roy Keane or Paul Scholes or Gary Neville [or] Sir Alex Ferguson. You cannot rebuild a club without knowledge – not guys who work in [the] office.
“The people who understand the football are the people who were there in the dressing room. They know how to deal with the players.
“So I believe that Ruud is going to help because he was inside the club. He knows the club, he knows the fans. If the coach listens to him, I think they can improve a little bit the club.”