Rio Ferdinand exposes Cristiano Ronaldo's "p*****" reaction to his treatment by Manchester United.
Five-time Winner of the Ballon d'Or Ronaldo has been forced to sit on the bench, with former United defender Ferdinand claiming Ten Hag made the correct decision by benching the forward.
Rio Ferdinand believes Erik Ten Hag is correct to bench Cristiano Ronaldo, but that the Manchester United legend will eventually reclaim his place.
Ronaldo, who joined United in 2021 after spending 12 years at Real Madrid and Juventus, has not started any of the club's last four Premier League games. The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has been relegated to the bench, with former United defender Ferdinand claiming Ten Hag made the correct decision by benching Ronaldo.
However, Ferdinand believes that his former United teammate Ronaldo, along with his former Real Madrid teammate Casemiro, will re-establish himself as an automatic starter. "He'll be p*****, he'll be unhappy," Ferdinand predicted to William Hill.
"You don't get to do what he's done over that period of time and be content and happy to be on the bench or not get the numbers you want." But he'll be professional and focused because he knows his time will come.
"He had not had a pre-season, so I understand why he isn't playing, and Marcus Rashford is currently scoring and assisting goals, so I understand why he is."
"At the moment, the team is the most important factor." United's approach to the season has been to focus on the team as a whole rather than on individuals.
"Casemiro is obviously a big signing, but he's not playing." Ronaldo isn't playing right now, but their turn will come. And I believe they will both remain on the team when their time comes. I just believe that will be the case, and the manager will change it."
Ferdinand, who won six Premier League titles and one Champions League with United, believes Ronaldo has matured from a showman to a player who understands the importance of delivering a finished product.
"The Ronaldo of the last four, five, or six years is not the Ronaldo who came to United," Ferdinand added. "He was a performer. People would arrive at the stadium saying, 'I've come to see Ronaldo get me out of my seat today.' That is exactly what is like
"Now, at the tail end of his career, it's as if he's saying to himself, 'I'm coming to see a moment in the game where he decides the game.'" Previously, he could give you five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten moments in a game because he was pure skill.
"He might score or set up a goal, but it was all about making someone look stupid; he wanted to embarrass people; he was a joke, man, an incredible player."
"But he got kicked enough in training and drilled enough in training by us that he realized that, in fact, end product trumps everything." You can entertain to a point, but you need an end product - and he left us as the product.
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