Cristiano Ronaldo would be forgiven for taking Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag to task in the wake of the Red Devils’ 6-3 Premier League thrashing at the hands of Manchester City on Sunday. The Portugal international was omitted from the Dutchman’s line-up and didn’t even make it onto the pitch during the showdown. And Express Sport takes a look at Ronaldo’s four stroppiest moments throughout his illustrious career in football.
Ralf Rangnick, who oversaw United on an interim basis last season, fell foul of a Ronaldo strop in January after deciding to substitute the 37-year-old during a 3-1 Premier League victory over Brentford. After being taken off when his side were leading 2-0, Ronaldo threw his tracksuit coat to the floor and was then seen highlighting his frustrations to his team-mates on the bench.
“He was asking me, ‘why me, why do you take me off?’” Rangnick said afterwards. “Cristiano was not happy. I said, ‘listen I have to take the decision in the interests of the team and the club.’” Ronaldo’s relationship was Rangnick was strained to say the least, and a month later it was reported that the blockbuster striker believed the German was nowhere near good enough to manage the club.
Jose Mourinho exchange
Ronaldo spent three seasons playing under legendary manager Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid, with the duo winning the La Liga title together in 2012 as the player racked up an incredible 46 league goals in one campaign.
But the pair’s relationship was thought to be tense. And after the player had scored his 200th goal for the club against Malaga in 2013, television cameras captured him shouting 'foda-se' (f**k you) at his team’s bench following pre-match criticism from Mourinho.
Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make it off the bench as Man Utd were thrashed by Man City on Sunday (Image: GETTY)
The current Roma boss later took a parting shot at the star following his departure from Madrid. “A coach criticises a player from a tactical viewpoint trying to improve what in my view could have been improved,” Mourinho said in 2013. “And at that moment he didn't take it very well because maybe he thinks he knows everything and the coach cannot help him to develop more.”
Sir Alex Ferguson clash
Sir Alex Ferguson is widely viewed as the man who kick-started Ronaldo’s career after bringing him to the Premier League from Sporting Lisbon in 2003. But the Scot wasn’t immune to the ace’s temper tantrums.
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Man Utd ace Cristiano Ronaldo was angry after Ralf Rangnick took him off against Brentford last term (Image: GETTY)
In a 2009 Manchester derby, Ferguson brought Ronaldo off when his side were winning 2-0. But Ronaldo was angry with the decision. He protested the substitution and then slapped his coat out of the hands of a coach as he shook his head in bewilderment.
Fernando Santos row
Fernando Santos has been in charge of the Portugal national team for eight years and led his country to the Euro 2016 trophy. But when Portugal missed out on automatic qualification to this year’s World Cup after losing 2-1 to Serbia last November, Ronaldo sat down on the pitch and cried.
Santos walked over to console his star man but was greeted by Ronaldo screaming and angrily gesticulating with his arms. So after a brief handshake, the manager walked off sharpish.