“He has become a bit of a nuisance” - When ex-Real Madrid coach slammed Cristiano Ronaldo after Manchester United bust-up
Cristiano Ronaldo had a harsh time during his last few days at Manchester United in 2022. The Portuguese star wasn't getting the opportunity to seal a place in the starting line-up. Moreover, he hit out at Erik ten Hag in an interview with Piers Morgan after which the club parted ways with him, just before the FIFA World Cup.
Ronaldo went on to receive a backlash from football pundits, players and fans across the globe and former Real Madrid manager Fabio Capello too, was on the list. Just after Portugal's World Cup journey ended and Ronaldo got highly linked with Saudi Arabian outfit Al Nassr, it was determined that he would be bidding farewell to European football.
In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Capello had then said:
"I think Cristiano Ronaldo has been asking for it. And he has discredited a lot of what he's done in his career. We are not talking about the player, but about the moment: he was presumptuous, he went around offering himself without finding anyone who believed him. He has become a bit of a nuisance for a team."
On December 31, 2022, the news emerged that Cristiano Ronaldo has signed for Al Nassr and would remain committed to the club till 2025.
What happened between Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United?
Cristiano Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, was going through a tough patch of time in 2022. He lost his newborn son and couldn't spend time with his Manchester United teammates during the pre-season due to his baby daughter's sickness. As a result of not undergoing a proper pre-season, the forward wasn't fit enough to get a place in the starting XI.
Moreover, he wasn't getting enough game-time to bring himself back to his fitness. Furthermore, the Portuguese wasn't able to do much when he was introduced to the pitch. Amidst all this, Ronaldo gave out a long interview to Piers Morgan where he was critical of the manager - Erik ten Hag. The 39-year-old claimed that he didn't respect the boss and that the boss didn't respect him too.
Following such a controversial statement by the star forward, Manchester United terminated his contract with just a few days left for the FIFA World Cup to begin. Ronaldo failed to stamp his authority in the quadrennial event as well and ended up with just one goal which he scored from the spot in their group opener against Ghana.