Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed Manchester United’s owners, the Glazer family, do not care about the club.
The 37-year-old’s latest criticism of United, its owners and anybody who has been critical of him came from an interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV being drip-fed on social media until a full broadcast later this week.
Ronaldo insists he does not speak to the Floridian family, who have been owners since 2005, yet claimed to know their motives. “The Glazers, they don’t care about the club. I mean, professional sport, as you know, Manchester is a marketing club,” he said.
“They will get money from the marketing – the sport, it’s, they don’t really care, in my opinion. The fans, they’re always right. I think the fans should know the truth, should know that the players want the best for the club. I want the best for the club. This is why I came to Manchester United.
“This is why I love this club. But you have some things inside the club which don’t help Manchester [United] reach the top level as [Manchester] City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal, for example. It’s hard, in my opinion, it will be hard for Manchester [United] to be in the top of the game in the next two, three years.”
The Portugal also international singled out two former United teammates, Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville, after criticism from the pair recently.
“I don’t understand. You should ask this question to him [Rooney] but I don’t know why he criticises me so bad,” he said. “He finished his career in [his] 30s. So, I’m still playing high-level. It’s hard to listen to that kind of criticism and negativity from people who play with you, for example, Gary Neville, as well.
“People can have his [their] own opinion but they don’t really know what’s going on. For example, inside the training ground and Carrington or even my life. They have to listen to my point of view as well. Because it’s easy to criticise but if you don’t know the whole story, it’s easy. They are not my friends.”
Ronaldo created headlines on Sunday night after the first excerpts of a 90-minute interview with Morgan were released, hours after United had won 2-1 at Fulham without him, his absence explained away as “sickness” though he has headed for training with Portugal ahead of the World Cup.
Ronaldo claimed United were trying to force him out and criticised the manager Erik ten Hag, saying: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me.”
United responded to Ronaldo’s accusations by highlighting the “togetherness” under Ten Hag. “Manchester United notes the media coverage regarding an interview by Cristiano Ronaldo,” a statement read. “The club will consider its response after the full facts have been established.
“Our focus remains on preparing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and togetherness being built among the players, manager, staff, and fans.”
Having failed to get a move away in the summer, finding no takers in the Champions League echelon he still considers his natural habitat, Ronaldo stayed on. Ten Hag favours a high-pressing style that does not favour the 37-year-old. Ronaldo made a belated arrival to United’s pre-season, missing a tour to Australia and Thailand.
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He told Morgan he had stayed in Portugal to attend to his three-month-old daughter, who was hospitalised in July. He also accused the club’s hierarchy of a lack of empathy, having lost his daughter’s twin brother, who died in childbirth.
On Monday evening, Ronaldo tweeted a picture of training with his Portugal teammates alongside the caption: “Total and absolute focus on the work of the national team. A united group, towards a single objective: to fulfil the dream of all Portuguese people.”
