Steve McClaren has explained that Cristiano Ronaldo’s relationship with Erik ten Hag at Manchester United broke down over tactical demands, particularly the manager’s insistence on pressing from the front, İdman.Biz reports.
Speaking on The Good, The Bad & The Football podcast, the former United coach — who worked alongside Ten Hag — said repeated training-ground disagreements centred on what the Dutchman expected from the forward. “All he wanted was pressing — one run, two runs, maybe three, then back into position so the team could find him. If you can’t or won’t do it, you won’t play,” McClaren said he told Ronaldo.
Ten Hag, appointed in the summer of 2022, maintained a strict tactical structure regardless of the player’s status. McClaren described it as a “stand-off rather than a fight”, with the manager refusing to compromise on principles that applied to the entire squad. Ronaldo’s contract was eventually terminated in November 2022 after a turbulent period at Old Trafford.
The Portugal forward later moved to Saudi Arabia, joining Al-Nassr, where he has remained under contract into his forties. Despite the controversial departure, Ronaldo has continued to follow United’s results and has previously said the club still “remains in his heart”, while also arguing deeper structural changes are needed for a return to former success.
The episode remains one of the most high-profile dressing-room disputes in recent Premier League history, illustrating the modern tension between superstar status and collective tactical discipline.
