Manchester United have been struggling for years, facing poor results and decisions that have left the club far behind the Premier League’s top teams. Less than two months ago, Erik Ten Hag was replaced by Ruben Amorim in an attempt to turn the season around. Now, Cristiano Ronaldo has weighed in on the new manager’s performance.
“He did a fantastic job in Portugal with my Sporting,” Ronaldo said of Amorim. “But the Premier League is a different beast, it’s a different league. It’s the most competitive league in the world,” he later clarified. These comments came after CR7 received the Globe Soccer Award in Dubai for the best player in the Middle East in 2024.
Ronaldo, who played alongside Amorim in the Portugal national team during the 2010 and 2014 World Cups, praised the work of his former teammate. The former midfielder, who retired in 2016 and transitioned to coaching, led Sporting CP to five titles, including two league championships.
Amorim arrived at Manchester United during a difficult period for the club, struggling to compete in the Premier League and missing out on international tournaments. Ronaldo, reflecting on the challenging times, said, “I knew it would be tough and they would continue the storm, but the storm will finish and the sun will rise.”
Manager Ruben Amorim during the Manchester United FC v AFC Bournemouth English Premier League match at Old Trafford,
Ronaldo sees the bigger picture
Ronaldo also offered an insightful perspective on Manchester United’s broader issues, something he knows well from his second stint at the club between 2021 and 2022. “I said this a year and a half ago, and I’ll keep saying it: The problem is not the coaches,” he explained.
CR7 used a metaphor to further explain: “It’s like an aquarium. If the fish inside is sick, and you take it out, fix the problem, and put it back in, it will get sick again. The problem with Manchester United is the same. It’s not always the coach. It’s much more than that.”
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Ronaldo enjoyed a golden era at Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson, winning 10 titles, including three Premier League championships and a UEFA Champions League trophy. But he acknowledges that those days are behind the club. “Football is different now. There are no easy games anymore,” he said. “All the teams are strong, they all fight, they all run.”
Despite the challenges, the 39-year-old remains optimistic about the club’s future. He expressed confidence in Amorim’s ability to make a positive impact. “Fingers crossed things will go well with him. I hope the best for Manchester United because this is a club I still love,” Ronaldo concluded.
