Cristiano Ronaldo blasts Jim Ratcliffe saying Man Utd is a 'sick' club

Cristiano Ronaldo has blasted the running of Manchester United and accusing Sir Jim Ratcliffe of failing to make vital changes.

He emphasized that the team’s struggles on the pitch should not be attributed to their coach.

The Portuguese star, who had a contentious relationship with Erik ten Hag during his second stint at Old Trafford, left the club in December 2022 following a mutual termination of his contract.

In a high-profile interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo had condemned the "toxic atmosphere" under the Glazers and declared he had "no respect" for Ten Hag.

However, the 39-year-old, now playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, has seemingly shifted his stance, expressing sympathy for the Dutchman and insisting that the core issues at United remain unresolved even two years after his departure.

Ronaldo also criticized former teammates, including Gary Neville and Wayne Rooney, during his exit.

Now, with United languishing in 14th place in the Premier League under their new coach, Ruben Amorim, Ronaldo refrained from blaming the manager. Instead, he suggested the club's problems stem from the top, using a peculiar analogy to make his point.

“I said this one year ago, and I will continue to say it: the problem is not the coach,” Ronaldo remarked at the Globe Soccer Awards.

“It’s like the aquarium. If you have the fish inside, it’s sick, and you take it out, then fix the problem, and put it back in the aquarium, it will get sick again.

"And this is the problem. Manchester United is the same. The problem is not only the coach—it’s much more than that... 100 per cent [it is still the same].”

Ratcliffe has faced criticism since acquiring a 27.7% stake in United for £1.4 billion, with his INEOS group drawing backlash for harsh cost-cutting measures targeting non-football staff and the inability to offload expensive underperformers like Antony.

When asked if he had considered discussing a future stake in the club with the Glazers, Ronaldo revealed that he has thought about being involved in the management of United. He even expressed a long-term aspiration to own a major football club.

“If I will be the owner of the club [Manchester United], I will make things clear and adjust what I think is bad there,” Ronaldo said.

“I’m still very young; I have so many plans and dreams ahead. Mark my words, [one day] I will be the owner of a big club.”

While Ronaldo’s net worth is significantly lower than British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the Portuguese superstar’s financial resources might be enough to secure ownership of another prominent European club.

His wealth, estimated at £613 million ($800 million), includes earnings of £344 million from his contract with Al-Nassr alone, along with substantial income from sponsorship deals with Nike, Adidas, Herbalife, and Unilever.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner has also been linked with taking on an executive role at his boyhood club, Sporting CP, once he decides to retire from playing.