CRISTIANO RONALDO has revealed that he still loves Manchester United, nearly two years after leaving the club.
Ronaldo called time on his second stint at United back in 2022 under controversial circumstances as he swapped the Theatre of Dreams for Saudi Arabia.
The iconic bagsman, 39, had made his name at Man Utd in the early stages of his career after he joined the club from Sporting Lisbon in 2003 as a teenager.
And his connection with the Manchester outfit grew strong as he made nearly 346 appearances across two stints with the Red Devils.
Now Ronaldo has confessed that he still loves his former club despite being on the books at Saudi Pro league side Al-Nassr.
Speaking in an interview with former Man Utd teammate Rio Ferdinand, Ronaldo claimed “We cannot control things at some point on our life sometimes, but it’s done and already done.
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“I still love Manchester United and I wish them the best!”.
Fans have greeted his declaration of love with a mixed reception with many still scarred from the way things ended when Ronaldo left United in 2022.
The Portuguese powerhouse, who scored his 900th career goal last week, had seen his contract at Man Utd terminated following an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.
Ronaldo ripped into his then-employer, bashing on the standards at the training facilities and the direction the club was heading in under the management of Erik ten Hag and the ownership of the Glazers.
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Ronaldo’s rollercoaster return to Man Utd
Cristiano Ronaldo returned to the Theatre of Dreams in 2021 after some 12 years away from the club where he first rose to fame.
It looked like a fairytale return for one of the games’ greatest ever players, but things soon turned sour at the Manchester club.
Ronaldo arrived for less than £20m and walked back into Premier League football like he had never left, netting 18 goals and registering three assists in his first league campaign back.
That run saw him top United’s list of scorers for the season thanks to hat-tricks against Spurs and Norwich and a number of crucial last minute goals.
But things took a turn in his second season as he fell out of favour after the arrival of new boss Erik ten Hag.
Despite his impressive return in the previous season many fans and media outlets were claiming that his overall influence on the team was detrimental to results.
Things got even worse when Ronaldo refused to come on against Spurs in October 2022, prompting Ten Hag to drop him from the squad for the following game against Chelsea.
While it was also reported that Ronaldo had left Old Trafford early following the interaction with his boss.
The final straw was an explosive interview with Piers Morgan in which Ronaldo took aim at Ten Hag, Man Utd’s culture and hinted about a potential exit.
That exit shortly followed as Ronaldo saw his contract with Man Utd terminated in November 2022.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner penned a mega money deal with Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, bringing an end to a tumultuous second spell with Man Utd.
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Some fans hadn’t forgotten the sour end to his time at United and reacted to his rose-tinted recollection online.
One wrote: “The audacity to say this even after he drove his fans to spread negativity against Man United.”
While another added: “This doesn’t sound like an apology Cristiano. Do better.”
And a third slammed: “Yeah you love United so much that you spent most of your career in Madrid and then left under a massive cloud when the Saudi money came calling.
“I respect what you did on the pitch but do me a favour!”
Other fans were chuffed to know that Ronaldo still has a special place in his heart for the club and welcomed his statement of devotion to their club.
One wrote: “I’m crying, happy tears”.
While another gushed: “We still love you too”.
And a third commented: “I know I slated you in the heat of the moment but I love you king.
“The greatest there is, was and will ever be”.
Ronaldo and Ferdinand, who played together at United between 2003 and 2009, covered an array of different topics during their chat.
Including a game of “pick the better player” and reminiscing about their old teammates.
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Ronaldo is still going strong in Saudi Arabia despite hurtling towards his 40th birthday.
Since his arrival in the Middle East the forward has scored 62 goals and registered 17 assists in 68 appearances.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
