Cristiano Ronaldo: I hope Ruud van Nistelrooy can help turn Man United around

Al Nassr forward tells former Old Trafford teammate Rio Ferdinand that he wishes only the best for the English club

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr in December 2022, shortly after leaving Manchester United. Reuters

Cristiano Ronaldo has spoken about the way things ended at Manchester United following his departure from the club in November 2022. The Portuguese joined Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr the following month and was the league's top goalscorer last season.

“To prove that I’m right or wrong, this is not my issue any more,” he said. “I say what I have to say and for me it's done. But to be honest with you, what I wish for Manchester [United], it's what I wish for me. The best they can make, again the best team they can and I love that club, you know, I’m not, I’m not that kind of guy that forgot the past.”

After making 345 appearances for United, split over two spells in the noughties and 2021/2022, and scoring 145 goals, the Portuguese said he was happy he returned.

“When I’m back there, I was very happy,” he told his former teammate Rio Ferdinand on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast released Thursday.

“I was one of the best scorers. I did, I did unbelievable things with the club. My first season, I was the third best scorer of the league. I scored in all the [Champions League] group stage. I scored every game. Even in the league, I scored 17 goals or 18 goals. I did amazing.”

He was unable to help United win the league and the mood around him soured towards his departure shortly after manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had lost his job as manager. United, the record 20-time champions of England, haven’t won the Premier League since 2013.

“Manchester [United], they need to rebuild everything, in my opinion,” said Ronaldo. “The coach [Erik ten Hag], they say they cannot compete to win the league and Champions League. Manchester United coach, you cannot say that you're not going to fight to win the league or Champions League. You have to be, to mentally say, listen, maybe we don't have that potential, but I cannot say that. We're going to try. You have to try.

“This club needs time to rebuild because it’s still one of the best clubs in the world, but they need to change. They understand that. This is the only way. This is why they show, they start to change again, the structure of the club, the president, the infrastructures and everything. The owners of the club. They’re investing in the training ground.

“So I'm happy because [things are changing]. I’m not happy the way it all happened, but in the same way, we cannot control some points of our life sometimes, but it’s done, already done.”

United do have some impressive young players including Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund.

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“I believe that the future will be bright,” said Ronaldo. “I believe, but they don’t depend only on the talents. It’s more than that. It’s all club, all, not only players, club, everything as a unit, united, you know? They have to rebuild from the bottom. If not, they cannot compete. It will be impossible.

“They can do good things, yes, they can win Carabao [League Cup], yeah, but I mean, Champions League or Europa League or Premier League, difficult, in my opinion. And I wish that I'm wrong, I wish, but will be difficult.”

Ronaldo’s former teammate Ruud van Nistelrooy is now back at Manchester United as an assistant manager. Can he make a difference?

“If Ten Hag listen to Ruud, maybe he can,” said Ronaldo. “I think it can help a lot because he knows the club and the club should listen to the guys who were there. You [Rio] or Roy Keane or Paul Scholes or Gary Neville, whatever, Sir Alex Ferguson.

“You cannot, you cannot rebuild a club without knowledge. Not guys who work in office. They understand. I understand, I understand a lot of football because I see football on the television every day. No, this is not, doesn't work like that. The people who understand the football, it was, 99 per cent is the people who was there in the dressing room, who was player, who was the most successful coaches in the world.

“[Pep] Guardiola, Ferguson, they were players before, they were in the dressing room. They understand. They know how to deal with the players. It’s the people who understand these things.

“So I believe that Ruud is going to help because he was inside the club. He knows the club. He knows the fans. If the coach listens to him, I think they can improve a little bit the club.”