Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has once again criticised the Red Devils while discussing his future with the Portuguese national team.
Ronaldo, who made a highly anticipated return to Manchester United in the summer of 2021, enjoyed a strong first season back at Old Trafford.
However, his second season was marred by a series of underwhelming performances, leading manager Erik ten Hag to bench the veteran striker.
Frustrated with his reduced role, Ronaldo publicly criticised both the club and Ten Hag in a controversial interview, which ultimately resulted in the termination of his contract.
Now, as he reflects on his future with Portugal, Ronaldo has taken another opportunity to express his discontent with his former club.
Speaking to A Bola, Ronaldo responded to questions about whether he’s ready to represent the national team as a substitute: “In my mind, I’ll always be a starter. That’s what you think. Until the end of my career, I’ll always think that I’ll be a starter.
“I’ll always respect the decisions, not just of the coach, but at the clubs I’ve played for, I’ve always respected them… once or twice, they’ve also behaved badly towards me (laughs). But seriously, whenever there’s professional ethics, I’ll always respect the coaches’ decisions.
“When professional ethics are not respected, there can always be controversy, but that is separate.
What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team, and I will be the first to admit it. If that does not happen, if I am not an asset, I will be the first to leave.
“But if I leave, I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.
I see the present in a very positive way because for me the most important thing is to face each moment, each cycle, and the cycle is good; I feel happy.”
Ronaldo has received a lot of flak for his role in Portugal’s underperformance in both Euro 2024 and World Cup 2022.
The former Real Madrid star was pushed off to the bench in Qatar by Fernando Santos; however, the head coach was replaced by Roberto Martinez, who has stuck with Ronaldo in the national team despite his struggles on the field.
Ronaldo failed to score a single goal in Germany earlier this year, but Martinez has revealed that the 38-year-old will remain a starter for the future.
The 39-year-old forward will now join the Portuguese national team squad for their Nations League clashes against Croatia and Scotland before he returns to Saudi Arabia.