It has been an eventful last couple of weeks for Manchester United fans. They must have thought after the Fulham victory that the six-week World Cup break will be a quiet one without further distractions.
How wrong that prediction turned out to be all thanks to one man – Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Portuguese, who has not had the best of times this season, went to controversial TV presenter Piers Morgan and decided to air his incendiary views for the world to hear.
CR7 knew what he wanted
During the interview, the striker lambasted the club for betraying him and the manager Erik ten Hag for disrespecting him. And there were also pot-shots aimed at the Glazers as well as United legends Wayne Rooney and Gary Neville.
And that meant an inevitable parting of ways was in order and it was announced a couple of days back as a mutual termination was agreed between both parties.
What started out as a fairy-tale ended in nightmare and one that will leave a bad taste in the mouths of supporters worldwide.
This was not the exit the club and the fans had in mind when they announced to the world that their prodigal son was finally returning ‘home’.
NEWS: Cristiano Ronaldo knew his interview with Piers Morgan would end his Manchester United career, the British presenter has said
“Look, he’s a very smart guy, Cristiano. He knows what he’s doing. He knew what he was getting into’https://t.co/qMk9NgTnle
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) November 26, 2022
Ronaldo himself revealed that the United chapter is now finally over and he is looking forward to new challenges as he looks to help his country win the World Cup.
“The most important step was that we won,” he commented after the match. “This chapter is closed after this week. Now we start on a good foot. I helped my team and now it is done.”
Interestingly, Morgan has himself admitted that Ronaldo’s prime desire for doing the interview was to secure an exit and he has finally got what he was seeking.
CR7 got his wish
While speaking to FS1 (via The Athletic), the controversial host revealed, “To be brutally honest, I think that he knew. Look, he’s a very smart guy, Cristiano, he knows what he’s doing.
“He didn’t think it was a certainty, he didn’t want to say in the interview I’m definitely leaving, I’m going to leave United.
“But this was a guy who at the end of his tenure felt he was being disrespected by the coach, Ten Hag, by the owners who he said he’d never even met (and) by the executives of the club who didn’t even believe him when he said his daughter was sick.”
While the episode has sullied his legacy at the club, Ten Hag will be hoping his side can now kick on and pull in the same direction without further distractions as they target a top-four finish in the league and hopefully silverware at the end of the season.
