Erik ten Hag, the former Manchester United manager, has identified the time where he believes Cristiano Ronaldo started to lose the capacity to play at the greatest level, pointing to the Portuguese forward’s 2018 exit from Real Madrid.
The Dutchman reflected on Ronaldo’s career and their time together at Manchester United in an interview with ESPN, calling the five-time Ballon d’Or winner one of the greatest players in football while indicating his finest years were behind him.
Ten Hag praised Ronaldo’s incredible achievements but added that since leaving Real Madrid the attacker has diminished in his ability to consistently perform at the very finest level.
“He is obviously a great player, one of the greats ever.
But that is also the reality, he can just not produce, the last seven, eight years.
From Juventus onwards it’s just over,” Ten Hag The former United boss, now technical director at FC Twente, also praised Real Madrid for their ability to recognise when established players are nearing the end of their peak years.
The Spanish giants have always had a fine eye for when to let players go rather than wait for their form to dip any further, said Ten Hag.
And it is precisely the wonderful gift of Real Madrid, they always know when to say goodbye to players at the perfect moment."
Ronaldo moved from Real Madrid to Juventus in the summer of 2018, having won a host of significant accolades including four Champions League titles during his tenure at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The Portugal captain had a fantastic career in Italy, netting 101 goals in 134 appearances over three seasons with Juventus.
He then returned to Manchester United in 2021 and scored 27 goals in 54 games during his second stay at Old Trafford.
But his return to the Premier League giants ended up being mired in scandal, with his relationship with Ten Hag breaking down in the 2022-23 season.
In a dramatic interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan in November 2022, Ronaldo accused the Dutch manager of betraying him.
The row finally led to Ronaldo’s contract with Manchester United being cancelled and allowed him to depart the club before finalising a move to Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo’s professional career has continued in Saudi Arabia since the bitter conclusion to his second tenure at Manchester United, while Ten Hag’s fresh comments have sparked debate over when the Portuguese superstar’s performances began to dip.said.
Thanks for reading: Erik ten Hag recounts the moment he thought Cristiano Ronaldo’s career was over