Erik ten Hag has explained why Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to retain his place at Manchester United, claiming the forward could no longer meet the physical demands of top-level football.

Speaking on ESPN NL's Goedemorgen Eredivisie, the former United manager, now technical director at FC Twente, said Ronaldo had been unable to deliver at his previous level for seven or eight years.

In his latest remarks following an interview, he accused Ronaldo of letting both him and the team down during their time at Old Trafford.

They also come amid fresh scrutiny of the forward following his 30-day suspension from international football.

What Ten Hag Said About Ronaldo and His United Decisions

Ten Hag's main point was that even a team's biggest stars must meet the same standards as their teammates. According to ESPN's report of the interview, he believes every top team must embrace its best player, but that player must also work for the team.

He said Ronaldo's situation at United exposed that problem, adding: "From Juventus onwards it's simply over."

Ten Hag also praised Real Madrid for recognising when a player's level begins to decline and making decisions before that decline becomes obvious to everyone else.

Despite his criticism, he acknowledged Ronaldo's standing in football, saying United's players respected him and wanted to work for him. However, Ten Hag maintained that reputation alone could not guarantee a place in his starting XI.

He said Ronaldo struggled with the physical demands of training and maintaining the fitness required to compete in the Premier League, Champions League and international football. Voetbalprimeur's report provides further detail on how Ten Hag approached the situation.

He said there was always tension between them, but insisted he had explained his expectations before the season began, including Ronaldo's role and what both parties could expect.

ESPN also reported that Ten Hag believes no player is bigger than their club or country, naming Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as examples. He added that he holds no bitterness towards Manchester United.

Ronaldo's Second Spell at Manchester United

Ronaldo returned to Manchester United from Juventus in 2021 and scored 27 goals in 54 appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ten Hag combined. His relationship with Ten Hag deteriorated during the 2022-23 season.

Ronaldo walked out before the end of a pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano in 2022, prompting the manager to describe his behaviour as "unacceptable" in comments to Dutch broadcaster Viaplay, as reported by SI.

The situation worsened on 19 October 2022, when Ronaldo left Old Trafford before the final whistle of United's 2-0 win over Tottenham. Ten Hag later confirmed that the forward had refused to come on as a substitute.

Ronaldo was subsequently left out of the squad for the match against Chelsea. Ronaldo eventually addressed the fallout in his interview with Piers Morgan, saying he felt "betrayed" by the club and had no respect for Ten Hag.

On 22 November 2022, United announced that his contract had been terminated by mutual agreement. The club credited him with 145 goals in 346 appearances across his two spells at Old Trafford.

When Did Ten Hag Believe Ronaldo's Decline Began?

Ten Hag did not identify an exact starting point, but his criticism suggests he believes Ronaldo's decline began before his return to Old Trafford. He claimed Ronaldo sometimes withdrew from training sessions and failed to complete the required running exercises after United's 4-0 defeat to Brentford.

He also accused the forward of telling teammates to save their energy during training. These are Ten Hag's recollections of what happened behind the scenes at United. Ronaldo had not publicly responded to the latest ESPN NL comments.

The 41-year-old remains with Al Nassr and is expected to be available for Portugal's Nations League meeting with Denmark on 14 November, following the 30-day suspension. Part of the ban had already been served.