Former footballer Rio Ferdinand shared his thoughts on Cristiano Ronaldo’s reaction following Erik ten Hag’s dismissal from Manchester United.
Last night, United announced that Ten Hag would no longer serve as head coach after a disappointing run in the 2024/25 season, leaving the team at 14th in the Premier League. While the club searches for a new head coach, assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy will take on the role of interim manager with the current coaching staff.
In his early tenure at Old Trafford, Ten Hag had a tense relationship with Ronaldo, ultimately resulting in the termination of Ronaldo’s contract just before the 2022 World Cup. At the time, Ronaldo appeared on Piers Morgan’s Uncensored, where he criticized Ten Hag for his treatment: “The coach doesn’t respect me. If he doesn’t respect me, I will never respect him.”
Following the news of Ten Hag’s dismissal, Ferdinand suggested that Ronaldo is likely feeling some satisfaction: “Cristiano is probably sipping a cup of tea now, thinking, ‘Now you understand.’ When a coach is sacked, it shows he wasn’t good enough.”
Ferdinand added on his YouTube channel, “I think Ronaldo tried to tell us indirectly, and sometimes very directly, that he didn’t believe Ten Hag was the person to lead United in the right direction.”
After leaving United, Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, where he continues to play. The 39-year-old star has made 75 appearances, scoring 67 goals and providing 18 assists.