Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has said Cristiano Ronaldo "let the team and let me down" during his time in charge at Old Trafford.

Ronaldo was in his second spell at the club when Ten Hag took over in the summer of 2022. The Portuguese forward left a few months later in controversial circumstances.

"He let the team down, and he let me down, because we planned with him," Ten Hag said in an interview with a sports publication. "I flew out to Portugal to speak with him about what I was aiming for before I came to United."

Ten Hag added: "Obviously, he's one of the best in football history. I respected him a lot. But at that time, as a manager, I had to make a rational decision and keep the players I admire in."

The Dutchman had dropped Ronaldo for a Premier League match at Chelsea in October 2022, after the forward refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham three days earlier.

Ronaldo subsequently gave an interview in November of that year in which he said he felt "betrayed" by the club, stated he did not respect Ten Hag, and claimed he was being forced out before his departure was described as "mutually agreed."

Under Ten Hag, Ronaldo scored just three goals in 16 appearances during the 2022-23 campaign. Ronaldo had returned to Manchester United from Juventus in 2021, aged 36, under then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Ten Hag also addressed Ronaldo's physical condition and work ethic during that period. "It's the wrong idea to put this to me that I expected him to do the pressing, that he's exhausted," he said. "But he couldn't. He ran neither in possession nor out of possession. The reason was because he didn't prepare himself."

He continued: "Every top team has to embrace the top player, but the top player has to work for the team. He was telling the players, 'save your legs at the training'. I understand it when you are top fit - you have sessions you can save the legs. But first you have to train yourself to get into the right fitness levels."

The interview was published as Ronaldo faces separate disciplinary action. The Portuguese Football Federation has handed him a 30-day suspension and a fine of 255 euros (£215) for leaving Portugal's international camp last month.

Ten Hag was sacked by Manchester United in October 2024. During his tenure, he led the club to the Carabao Cup in 2023 and the FA Cup in 2024.

In the same interview, Ten Hag revealed he had wanted to sign Frenkie de Jong, Harry Kane and Declan Rice, and said he opposed the sale of Scott McTominay to Napoli in August 2024.

He also reflected on persistent squad deficiencies throughout his three years at the club. "I said for the first season, 'centre-half, there's a problem, centre-midfield, there is a problem, and especially I need a strategist, then we need goals'. And that was the biggest issue in all my three years: goals," Ten Hag said.