Cristiano Ronaldo heatbutted at Man Utd, phone smash and three other return low points

Cristiano Ronaldo’s much-anticipated return to Manchester United in 2021 was met with disappointment, despite high hopes from supporters. The football legend, now 39, carved out a stellar reputation under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson between 2003 and 2009 – netting 84 Premier League goals and clinching three Premier League titles, two League Cups, an FA Cup and a Champions League.

He then made a record-breaking move to Real Madrid for a staggering £80million. Boasting five Ballon d’Or awards, Ronaldo is undeniably one of the most decorated players in football history. His success continued at Madrid and Juventus after his departure from the Red Devils.

However, fans’ expectations of a triumphant return to the north west of England in 2021 were dashed as his grand comeback under Erik ten Hag didn’t go as expected. Here Express Sport look at how his final run out at Old Trafford spectacularly backfired…

Harry Maguire headbutt

Manchester United squared off against Atletico Madrid in the round of 16 in the 2021/22 Champions League saga, hoping to secure some form of silverware following a lacklustre Premier League performance. A 1-1 draw at the Metropolitano Stadium in February 2022 left the teams evenly matched going into the second leg at Old Trafford the following month.

Renan Lodi’s 41st-minute header at the back post ended Manchester United’s tournament hopes, scoring the only goal of the game. However, Ronaldo’s troubles were compounded when he accidentally clashed heads with captain Harry Maguire during the match.

Both players were involved in a 66th-minute free kick, with Maguire attempting to fend off Atletico players to create space for the Portuguese star. The set-piece, however, resulted in an unfortunate collision between Ronaldo and Maguire, leaving Ronaldo clutching his teeth in pain. The incident also saw Maguire humorously appear to hit himself in the face with Reinildo Mandava’s hand as the ball sailed past both him and Ronaldo and out for a goal kick.

The phone smashing incident

In another infamous incident, Ronaldo was charged with ‘improper and/or violent’ conduct and given a two-game suspension by the FA for smashing a teenage fan’s phone during United’s April 2022 match against Everton. After a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Goodison Park, Ronaldo left the pitch limping, knocking a fan’s phone out of their hands in frustration following a lacklustre performance.

Following a match ban, Cristiano Ronaldo was hit with a £50,000 fine for his outburst. In an attempt to rectify the situation after losing his cool, Ronaldo expressed remorse on Instagram and extended an olive branch to the fan involved. His post read: “It’s never easy to deal with emotions in difficult moments such as the one we are facing.

“Nevertheless, we always have to be respectful, patient and set the example for all the youngsters who love the beautiful game. I would like to apologise for my outburst and, if possible, I would like to invite this supporter to watch a game at Old Trafford as a sign of fair-play and sportsmanship.” However, the mother of the teenager whose phone was damaged allegedly refused Ronaldo’s apology.

Temper temper

Ronaldo’s fiery nature was again visible earlier in the year during a match against Brentford. Despite a 3-1 victory, Ronaldo was visibly frustrated when substituted off by Ralf Rangnick with 20 minutes remaining, possibly to give him a rest after returning from a hip flexor injury.

Ronaldo displayed his displeasure by standing hands-on-hips as he was subbed off, then tossing his tracksuit jacket to the ground upon receiving it from a staff member. Rangnick appeared to have a quiet word with Ronaldo following the episode, likely explaining the reason for the substitution.

Rangnick addressed Ronaldo’s apparent discontent in a post-match interview with BT Sport, saying: “That is normal – a striker wants to score. But he has come back from a little injury and it was important to remember we have got another game coming up. Also after what happened at Villa Park, we had to defend the lead this time and it was important that we went back to a back five and while we didn’t keep the clean sheet it was important to make sure nothing else happened.”

An early pre-season exit

The Portuguese superstar made headlines when he left the stadium before the end of Manchester United’s pre-season friendly against Rayo Vallecano in 2022. Ronaldo, who was replaced by Amad at half-time, was spotted leaving early alongside Diogo Dalot, with images of their departure circulating online even before the match concluded.

Erik ten Hag expressed his dissatisfaction with Ronaldo’s early leave-taking during a later interview with Viaplay Sport Nederland. When probed about the importance of punctuality and attention to detail, Ten Hag was asked pointedly: “At the beginning of the conversation, we talked about how important it is for you to have players arrive on time and your attention to detail. But Cristiano seems to arrive and leave whenever he wants, how do you manage that?”

The manager hit back, saying: “He was allowed to leave because of private reasons with his family, so what you are saying is absolutely not true,” only for the reporter to counter: “But against Rayo, he left the game during the break.” Ten Hag sharply replied: “There were many more players who left,” leading the journalist to question: “So you think that’s OK? Let it pass? “.

The Dutchman firmly responded: “Definitely not,” and continued: “I certainly don’t condone this. This is unacceptable. For everyone. We are a team and you have to stay until the end.”

Feeling ‘betrayed’

In a bombshell interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022, Cristiano Ronaldo unleashed a tirade about his situation at the club, including feelings of ‘betrayal’ and a lack of respect from Ten Hag. Ronaldo confessed: “I felt betrayed,” prompting Morgan to ask: “That they’re trying to get rid of you? “.

Ronaldo admitted: “Honestly, I should not say that – I don’t know – but I don’t care. People should always listen to the truth. Yes, I feel betrayed and I felt that some people don’t want me here – not only this year, but last year too. I don’t know what’s going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left, I feel like there’s no evolution in the club.”

He added: “The progress was zero. For example, you have an interesting point that how the club – as Manchester United – after sacking Ole [Solksjaer] they bring sport directive Ralf Rangnick, which is something that nobody understands. This guy is not even a coach. A bigger club like Manchester United bringing a sport directive surprised not only me but all the world.”

When probed about his relationship with current boss Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo expressed his feelings of being undervalued: “I think he don’t. He don’t respect the way I should deserve – but it is what it is.” The Portuguese superstar ultimately cut ties with the Red Devils by mutual consent on November 22, 2022, shortly after his bombshell interview with Piers Morgan went public.