During Erik ten Hag’s tenure at Manchester United, his strained relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo was one of the Premier League’s most scrutinized dynamics. Now, the Dutch tactician has added fresh fuel to the discussion by making a pointed claim regarding the veteran forward’s standing with the Portugal national team.
Ronaldo endured a turbulent end to his second stint at Old Trafford, largely because Ten Hag refused to grant the legendary striker automatic deference based on his historic résumé. The Dutch manager maintained that pedigree alone did not guarantee minutes and insisted that every player had to earn their place through relentless physical output both in training and on matchday.
Ten Hag reiterated that philosophy when asked about Ronaldo’s recent complications on the international stage. The coach argued that the 41-year-old must prove—whether at club level or on international duty—that he remains the sharpest tactical option available to start, or else accept a rotational bench role, precisely as was required during their contentious time together in Manchester.
“It’s simple: if you’re not in peak physical condition, whether in the Premier League, the Champions League, or with the Portuguese national team, you simply have no chance of succeeding,” ten hag told ESPN NL.
“When I started the job at Man United, I explained to Cristiano Ronaldo the style of play we intended to adopt. But ultimately, you have to bring something to the table yourself… and he no longer had the ability to endure the hard work required,” he added. “That means pushing himself to his absolute limits every day, training at maximum intensity, and maintaining peak physical fitness.”
Cristiano Ronaldo faces uncertainty with Portugal
Ronaldo’s international future remains clouded with uncertainty. Although reports indicate he intends to rejoin the Portugal setup following his abrupt departure during the previous international window, that sudden exit has reportedly created friction with his teammates, the technical staff, and the Portuguese Football Federation (FPF) itself.
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Ronaldo is currently serving a suspension for Portugal’s upcoming November fixtures as a disciplinary consequence of that walkout. While he will be eligible for selection in the next international window and national team manager Jorge Jesus has publicly kept the door open for his return, Portugal’s flawless performances without their longtime captain have raised valid questions about whether the squad actually requires his presence.
For now, Ronaldo remains singularly focused on an unprecedented milestone: breaching 1,000 official career goals. Sitting on 985 strikes following his treble against Al-Kholood, the forward could realistically achieve the historic four-figure mark purely through his club commitments with Al Nassr—bypassing the need to resolve lingering grievances with Jorge Jesus or navigate a national team dilemma that may no longer have an easy resolution.
