Aheed Abrar
Cristiano Ronaldo feels Manchester United saga was part of his “growth”
Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo feels that the controversy surrounding his exit from the Red Devil was part of the forward’s “growth”.
The Portugal international’s contract at the Old Trafford side was mutually terminated after his interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV.
During the discussion, the 38-year-old took aim at the Glazers and Erik ten Hag. The manager’s criticism was seemingly the last straw and he subsequently left the Manchester-based club prematurely.
However, Ronaldo has opened up on his exit from United. Speaking to the media via Manchester Evening News, the Portuguese acknowledges his struggles but is not dwelling on them.
“Sometimes, you have to go through some things to see who is on my side. I have no problem saying, I had a bad career run, but there’s no time for regrets. Life goes on and, doing well or not, it was part of my growth.
“Now, I’m more prepared and learning that was important, because I had never been through this, like in the last few months. Now I’m a better man.”
The 38-year-old established himself as one of the best players in the world after moving to the Old Trafford side from Sporting CP in the summer of 2003.
After a successful spell with the Red Devils, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner joined Real Madrid and cemented his place as one of the greatest players of all time in the Spanish capital.
In the summer of 2021, Ronaldo returned to United after a short stint with Juventus. The Portugueses’ homecoming was received with a lot of fanfare. In his first season back, the forward ended as our top goalscorer.
Unfortunately, while the 38-year-old thrived, the Red Devils as a whole struggled. Then, at the end of the previous campaign, Erik ten Hag was appointed into the Old Trafford side’s dugout. The Dutch manager’s arrival saw the five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s influence in the team diminish.
Ronaldo found himself on the bench most often after the former Ajax head coach’s arrival. The gaffer preferred the likes of Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford in the number nine position. The Portuguese was unable to have an impact when he did feature.
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However, now, the 38-year-old seems to be happy at Al-Nassr. Hopefully, further down the line, he will be able to mend things with United and the fans.
