"He is a legend at Manchester United" - Ruben Amorim heaps praise on 'very important' Cristiano Ronaldo

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim has showered glowing praise on Cristiano Ronaldo, calling him a "legend" of the club and a good example for Portugal. Cristiano Ronaldo’s impact at Manchester United during his two stints at the club was nothing short of extraordinary.

The Portuguese icon first joined the Red Devils in 2003 as a promising teenager from Sporting CP and went on to achieve iconic status before moving to Real Madrid in 2009. His return to the club in 2021 was met with immense fanfare, further solidifying his legendary status.

Ruben Amorim, a fellow Portuguese and admirer of Ronaldo’s achievements, highlighted the importance of the forward in a recent statement.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is a legend at Manchester United and is an example for our country, he is very important,” Amorim said (via @centredevils on X).

At United, Ronaldo’s first spell saw him lift three Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League trophy, and numerous other accolades. His individual brilliance was equally remarkable, with the 2008 Ballon d’Or cementing his place among the best in the game.

However, his second spell at the club ended in an unexpected way as his contract was mutually terminated following an explosive interview about the club’s hierarchy. Ronaldo currently plies his trade with Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

"The problem is not the coaches" – Cristiano Ronaldo backs Ruben Amorim to succeed at Manchester United

Last month, Cristiano Ronaldo backed Ruben Amorim to turn a bad spell around at Manchester United, insisting he did a good job with his childhood club, Sporting CP. Amorim had a difficult start to life at Old Trafford, losing five of his first ten games as manager.

Before Amorim took over the managerial reins at United, he was renowned for his impressive work at Sporting. While Amorim was criticized by some for his approach following the poor start to his tenure at Old Trafford, Ronaldo leapt to his defense.

Speaking at the 2024 Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, Ronaldo asserted that the problem plaguing the Red Devils is not bad coaches and backed his compatriot to turn the club’s fortunes around.

"He (Amorim) did a fantastic job in Portugal with my (club) Sporting. But the Premier League is a different beast, the most competitive league in the world. I knew that it would be tough and they will continue the storm. But the storm will finish and the sun will rise. Fingers crossed, it will be good with him and I hope the best for Manchester United because it is a club I still love."

Ronaldo added:

"I said this one year and a half ago and I will continue to say it: the problem is not the coaches. It's like the aquarium and you have the fish inside and it's sick, and you take him out and fix the problem. If you put it back in the aquarium it will be sick again. This is the problem of Manchester United. It is the same."