CNN
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“Either you die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain,” Harvey Dent says in Batman’s “The Dark Knight,” foreshadowing his descent from hero to villain.
Could the same be said of Cristiano Ronaldo?
It’s no secret that the Portuguese superstar hasn’t enjoyed a fairytale reunion with Manchester United since returning to Old Trafford last year.
In the latest twist in the Ronaldo-United saga, excerpts from an explosive interview with Piers Morgan for Talk TV aired this week in which Ronaldo said he was “betrayed” by the club.
The full interview will be released over two nights Wednesday and Thursday.
Specifically, Ronaldo is unhappy with new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag who ditched the striker after he left Manchester United’s game against Tottenham Hotspur last month before the game was completed.
“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show me respect,” Ronaldo said. “If you don’t respect me, I will never respect you.”
Ronaldo enjoyed unprecedented success at Manchester United after joining the club in the summer of 2003. Over the next six years he would transform from a tricky winger into the best player in the world – winning the first of his five Bal Gold in 2008.
In that time he won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Champions League – a tournament that Ronaldo has since become synonymous with.
But since his return to England, he has not enjoyed the same success. Last season was Ronaldo’s first in 17 years in which he failed to win a trophy, a streak dating back to his first spell at the club.
Since trying to force a United departure over the summer, Ronaldo has played sparingly, making just 16 appearances for the Red Devils.
That number is unlikely to increase after the Talk TV interview, which could spell the end of his time in Manchester.
Ronaldo now says he feels like he was kicked out of the club by ten Hags, but what he failed to mention is that he was the one who pushed for a move this summer after United failed to qualify for the Champions League.
In the interview, he also opened up about his personal tragedy. Earlier this year, he and his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, announced that their baby had passed away.
Ronaldo also said his baby girl ended up in hospital this year, which he cited as the reason he missed the majority of pre-season training with United.
But after taking aim at his manager, former teammates, club and owners, many were appalled by Ronaldo’s jabs at his employer.
“I am totally bewildered and confused as to why he did this interview,” former England international turned pundit Jermaine Jenas told BBC’s Match Of The Day 2 programme.
“We’ve seen nothing but petulance all year with the tunnel walk. Today he was supposedly sick. Now he’s doing interviews with Piers Morgan.
“He’s a frustrated player. Whether he feels lied to or not, today doesn’t feel right to me. He has to be [done at United].”
Beth Tucker, presenter of United fan channel The United Stand, appreciated Ronaldo’s criticism of United ownership, but not the way he treated the club or ten Hag.
“If he wanted to hit the club, he should have come out against the Glazers. He shouldn’t have come out against the manager as well,” Tucker said on The United Stand.
“He thinks he’s [bigger than Ten Hag] and in the world of football he is, but at Manchester United right now he is not. No player is bigger than the club and the manager.
This summer, Ronaldo has been linked with various teams, including Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli, Bayern Munich and even a return to Sporting Lisbon, where he became a talent 20 years ago.
But despite his elite striker tag and 18 goals last season, Ronaldo seemed unable to attract any offers to steer him away from United.
One of the reasons is his immense salary at United, which his current contract estimates to be around $560,000 a week.
But perhaps the biggest problem for clubs is the behavior of Ronaldo, who has now left matches twice at the start of the season and has given an interview in which he openly disparages his club.
When Bayern were linked with signing Ronaldo this summer, club CEO Oliver Kahn was quick to say the player “won’t fit”.
He said: “I love Cristiano Ronaldo and everyone knows how fantastic he is. But every club has a certain philosophy and I don’t know if it would be the right thing for Bayern and the Bundesliga if we signed him. now.”
Despite his impressive personal journey last season, Ronaldo was regularly criticized for his behavior at United – both on and off the pitch, where other players seemed to sacrifice their own talent to serve the superstar.
On Monday, Ronaldo tweeted that he had “total and absolute focus on the job of the national team” ahead of the World Cup, which begins this week.
Contacted by CNN, Man United and the Glazer family said they had no further comment after an original statement on the matter.
In the statement, the club said: “Manchester United note the media coverage regarding an interview with Cristiano Ronaldo. The club will review their response once all the facts have been established.
“Our aim remains to prepare for the second half of the season and continue the momentum, belief and unity being built between the players, manager, staff and fans.”
Some, including former United defender Rio Ferdinand, believe Ronaldo’s association with the club will have to end.
“It was all fabricated for one thing – and that’s for him to leave the club,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.
“I don’t think the club will take him back and I don’t think he wants to come back. Everything is fabricated for this reason.
Ronaldo still holds phenomenal commercial value as a player and is the most followed person on the planet on social media platforms. Even with his incredible salary, most accountants at the club would say it’s worth signing him.
But Ronaldo has struggled to find his footing lately, demanding that a club not only bring him into the squad but also build the team around him. For a 37-year-old who is arguably past his best, it’s not something clubs are looking to do.
After this interview, it’s also clear that Ronaldo is a potential liability for an elite team and most clubs will now consider signing the striker with less wonder and more caution.
Once a hero of the game, he risks quickly becoming a villain.
