Cristiano Ronaldo (foto: Getty Images)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reflects on Cristiano Ronaldo’s second stint at Manchester United, calling it a mistake. He shares insights on the challenges and his pride in managing the club.
When Cristiano Ronaldo left Juventus to rejoin Manchester United in 2021, fans were thrilled to see him back in the Red Devils shirt. In his first stint at Old Trafford, Ronaldo had won three Premier League titles and the Champions League, but his return to the Theatre of Dreams quickly turned into a disappointment for both sides.
The relationship between Ronaldo and United became increasingly strained, ultimately ending in a dramatic split after a little over a year. Reflecting on the situation three years later in an interview with Norwegian media, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was United’s manager at the time, admitted that it might have been better if Ronaldo hadn’t come back to Manchester.
Solskjaer, along with his then-assistant Kieran McKenna, had initial doubts about Ronaldo’s return.
"How are we going to defend?" That was the first thing Kieran said to me after analyzing the situation. It was probably the wrong choice. But at the time, we felt it was the right move," Solskjaer said.
Despite the challenges, Solskjaer emphasized that he remains proud of his tenure as United manager.
"I’m proud of everything I did. There was a lot of good, and we were on the right track. We finished third, then second, reached several semifinals, and unfortunately lost the Europa League final to Villarreal on penalties. Looking back, I think if we had won that final, the outcome could have been very different," the Norwegian remarked.