Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent strike against Manchester United marked two significant ends. The final curtain on fans’ unconditional love for a sulking superstar who, as an unused substitute, couldn’t bear to stay here to celebrate a scintillating win over Tottenham. It’s also the death knell from this 37-year-old superstar that has relevance – for Erik ten Hag and the United side he aspires to build.
Both are connected. Fans are watching their team’s best performance in recent memory and see a man who draws around £500,000 a week sulking over favors for Scott McTominay, Christian Eriksen and Anthony Elanga when his manager made changes. They watch as a footballer, who enjoys unadulterated hero status because of his brilliance, throws it back in their faces by pretending he could and should eclipse their club.
More material is how a second stomp in less than three months underscores the waning of Ronaldo’s power. In July, at half-time in a friendly against Rayo Vallecano, Ten Hag had the audacity to replace a player who wasn’t anywhere near fit enough after missing most of the pre-season (due to a family issue). Ronaldo’s reaction was to leave Old Trafford before the final whistle to challenge the new manager’s authority for the first time. This, too, was a squad member who had sent out smoke signals earlier in the summer that he was about to leave.
Cut to Sunday and United’s class show in honoring Ronaldo’s remarkable achievement of 700 club goals with an on-pitch presentation from Sir Alex Ferguson, followed by a (hardly new) chagrin at being sent off in the goalless draw with Newcastle became .
Three days later, Ten Hag brought Marcus Rashford back into the XI at Ronaldo’s expense. The 52-year-old, whose management combines social skills, intelligence, tactical skill and a tough edge, explained succinctly why. His legs just weren’t up to the ‘good press’ needed to tackle Antonio Conte’s visitors.
Cue Tottenham was expertly smothered when the tactical trick was a dream, with goals from Fred and Bruno Fernandes giving United a lovely triumph. All without Ronaldo, whose omission of Ten Hag, even as a substitute, showed his retreat into insignificance, having previously only been a substitute in victories against Liverpool (2-1) and Arsenal (3-1). In a scathing Ten Hag verdict on Ronaldo’s import, it was also noted that the manager ignored him when the team suffered a heavy defeat at Manchester City (6-3): instead, Rashford and Jadon Sancho were the Calvary Ten Hag was sent after .
It’s hardly Ronaldo’s fault he’s had a glittering career over the winter. But what he could do is accept that while continuing to fight – in the right way – for a spot. What will be the next episode in the intrigues of the Ronaldo soap opera, although Ten Hag’s observation suggests that the manager will play a sly hand. He will certainly fine Ronaldo for Wednesday’s prank and while any action may remain indoors, the key question is how the team-mates he left on Wednesday view the moody superstar.
Cristiano Ronaldo walks through the tunnel to exit before the end of the game against Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford. Photo: Matt West/ShutterstockRespect may fly away – not for the talent, hard work, serial cutlery, personal tributes, and 817 career accomplishments – but for a character who continues to hint at being the opposite of the all-for-one spirit of which Ten Hag knows that it is imperative that he achieve success.
The manager will be aware Ronaldo can still be a powerful weapon – mainly from the bench – so expect him to make quiet statements at Friday’s media briefing when he discusses the affair, the player’s worth and his future is questioned. All answers are analyzed for subtext because an inescapable truth is that the ideal scenario – for Ten Hag, his group and Ronaldo – is for the player to leave as soon as possible – which is in the January window.
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Few (if any) clubs that can afford a player on Ronaldo’s salary was a key reason he didn’t leave over the summer. But if the same issue persists regarding the winter market, it feels more and more irrelevant as the site evolves. Ronaldo’s exit on Wednesday underpinned Ten Hag’s assessment that he is marginal for United – there to be used when needed but in no way a shoo-in for the XI given past successes and a lustrous CV.
Ronaldo’s departure is also apt as a metaphor for his second arrival at United (after the 2003/09 tenure): it suggests he is a cipher, a crowned perfectionist who, despite being one of the greats, remains unrecognizable, whose off-pitch profile consists of image-conscious, choreographed social media posts, with true personality closely guarded.
Perhaps he’ll use this opportunity to make a little change, which could lead to an apology being issued for Wednesday night and the revelation of the man behind the mask. But maybe he won’t.