The Portuguese superstar made a remarkable return to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 but found his contract terminated less than 18 months later, leading him to join the Saudi Pro League with Al-Nassr.
Ronaldo’s fate was sealed by an explosive interview in which he criticized key figures from Manchester United’s past and present, although his professional relationships had been strained for some time. The primary issue was a conflict with Dutch manager Erik ten Hag.
According to The Athletic, Ronaldo was unhappy with Ten Hag’s training demands, which were meant to be implemented during matches. Ten Hag wanted Ronaldo to press from the front, involving two direct runs—first chasing the initial defender and then the goalkeeper before returning to his position. Ronaldo reportedly made little effort to comply with these instructions during training.
Ronaldo believed that Ten Hag’s strategy “was not the best use of his abilities or the way to win matches” and preferred his own approach. He wasn’t alone in his dissatisfaction; Raphael Varane and Casemiro also questioned the emphasis on positioning over the freedom of movement they enjoyed at Real Madrid.
Ronaldo departed Old Trafford in November 2022, and World Cup-winning French defender Varane has since left as a free agent this summer. Speculation surrounds a potential reunion between Casemiro and Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, while Ten Hag—who has managed to avoid dismissal following an FA Cup victory in 2023-24—continues to grapple with issues of player power in his squad.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro
This season he played in total 4 times for 412 minutes for Kings Cup.
Cristiano Ronaldo scored 3 goals for Al Nassr. He procured no assists. He received 1 yellow card and no red cards.
His team is currently 2nd in Kings Cup. In the last match Al Nassr won 4-2 against Al Ittihad.
Al Nassr performance and stats
Casimiro
Carlos Henrique Casimiro
This season he played in total 3 times for 291 minutes for FA Cup.
Casimiro scored 1 goal for Manchester United. He procured no assists. He received 1 yellow card and no red cards.
His team is currently 8th in FA Cup. In the last match Manchester United won 2-1 against Manchester City.