Highlights:
- Cristiano Ronaldo’s contract with Manchester United is being terminated by mutual consent.
- After an explosive interview with Piers Morgan, Cristiano Ronaldo ignited uproar.
- Ronaldo is currently representing Portugal at the FIFA World Cup.
In the wee hours of Tuesday, November 22, Manchester United made the announcement that they and their star forward Cristiano Ronaldo had reached an agreement to end their contract midway. After conducting an investigation into the Portuguese star’s explosive interview with Piers Morgan prior to the FIFA World Cup 2022, United made a decision.
In the interview, Ronaldo made several digs at the team, criticising both Erik ten Hag, the coach, and senior executives. In his statements, Ronaldo indicated that the Glazer family, the club’s owners, were only interested in the money Manchester United earned.
With the manager clearly favouring younger players in his system, Ronaldo, one of the greatest Manchester United players of all time, has had a relatively poor second stint with the club in the 2022 season. Ronaldo and the team have previously had disagreements, with one incident including his refusal to enter as a substitute in a Premier League game. In the same game, the player also left the stadium before the final whistle.
The club said in a statement, “Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect. The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future. Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch.”
Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 22, 2022
The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford.#MUFC
This season, Ronaldo received harsh criticism from ex-Manchester United players. In light of escalating tensions inside the team, the former players blamed the star’s attitude. In response, Ronaldo refused to shake hands with Gary Neville, one of his critics, during the live broadcast. In his interview with Piers Morgan, he also referred to his critics as “rats.”
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United initially reacted to the interview’s social media teasers by saying that they will make a decision after the complete interview was live. United waited five days after the final part went public on YouTube before announcing their decision.
Ronaldo has not responded to the situation while playing Portugal at the FIFA World Cup.