What Cristiano Ronaldo ‘told Ralf Rangnick’ before public Man Utd rant speaks volumes

Ralf Rangnick failed to deliver as Manchester United’s interim manager, but Cristiano Ronaldo’s actions behind closed doors speak volumes about how difficult the task was. The German inherited a dressing room full of big characters in disarray, none bigger than Ronaldo in his second spell at United.

He made his surreal return to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 and scored 24 goals in 39 appearances in all competitions.

However, United suffered their worst-ever Premier League campaign, which saw Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sacked a few months after Ronaldo’s arrival and Rangnick appointed his temporary successor.

Both managers seemed to struggle with the power battle in the dressing room, as the 39-year-old looked to call the shots and be the driving force behind raised standards.

It reportedly led to an incredible exchange where Ronaldo told Rangnick his conditions for game time as United’s headline player.

According to Bild, the five-time Balon d’Or winner explained that he would play four out of every five games, and in the one that he missed, he wouldn’t be available on the bench.

Ronaldo is said to have allowed Rangnick – the manager – the freedom to decide which games to drop him for while insisting that he would be watching from home rather than in the dugout.

The Portuguese icon started most games until the end of a disastrous season. Then Erik ten Hag landed in M16, which sparked the explosion that led to his sudden exit.

Ronaldo started just four of United’s first 16 league games last term before criticising several aspects of the club in his shock interview with Piers Morgan.

It left the Red Devils with no choice but to terminate his contract in November 2022, paving the way for a move to Saudi Arabia.

His reported private demands during Rangnick’s tenure displayed a lack of respect, which was publicly made clear when he discussed the 65-year-old’s lack of credentials during the bombshell interview.

“I don’t know what’s going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left, I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero,” Ronaldo explained.

“For example, we have an interesting point that, how the club as Manchester United after they sack Ole, they bring in sports director Rangnick, which is something that nobody understands.

“This guy is not even a coach. A bigger club like Manchester United bringing in a sports director – it surprised not only me but all the world, you know?

“Of course, in my opinion. We have to be honest: if you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? It’s something that I should say that Manchester is not followed.”