"He's not like Lionel Messi who can also play sitting down" - Antonio Cassano rips into Manchester United superstar Cristiano Ronaldo's selfishness and disproportionate ego

Former Real Madrid forward Antonio Cassano has slammed Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo for his recent outburst against his own club in an explosive interview.

Ronaldo, 37, has been in the headlines since before the start of the ongoing 2022-23 season due to speculation about his future with the Red Devils. After eventually staying at the club, he has been reduced to appearances off the bench under new boss Erik ten Hag.

During a recent interview with TV presenter Piers Morgan, the Portuguese striker launched an attack against Ten Hag and the Red Devils. He claimed that he does not respect the former Ajax boss and felt betrayed by the Old Trafford outfit for forcing him out of the club.

Speaking to BoboTV, Cassano shared his thoughts on the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's recent comments about his club. He said:

"Now, I say that he does not have the courage to admit that for three years he is no longer himself. This year he had to go to Sporting Lisbon and then quit after the World Cup. He's a problem for the coaches, he puts his teammates in trouble."

Advising the forward on his future, Cassano added:

"He didn’t even call [Karim] Benzema to congratulate him [on winning the Ballon d'Or]. He has a blindfold in front of his eyes and thinks he can play until he's 50. Dear Ronaldo, I tell you one thing: finish big with the World Cup. He can't keep throwing tantrums and he can't think he can still play at a high level."

Cassano, who has also represented AC Milan, Inter Milan and AS Roma during his playing career, labeled the Portuguese ace selfish. He said:

"He has such a disproportionate ego, but he is not like [Lionel] Messi who can also play sitting down. He can't physically cope anymore. He is confirming that he always puts his selfishness first."

Ronaldo has registered just three goals and two assists in 16 matches across all competitions for Manchester United so far this season.

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Cristiano Ronaldo on his way out of Manchester United, claims Fabrizio Romano

In his exclusive column for Caught Offside, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano stated that Ronaldo has all but ended his association with Manchester United. He wrote:

"I can reveal that the feeling inside Old Trafford now is that it is almost over between Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United. They know that after this, it's going to be more than difficult for them to find a way forward together."

He added:

"His focus now is on Portugal and the World Cup, but after that, he will try to find a solution to leave the club in the best way. And from United's perspective, they know they can't keep protecting him in private or in public."

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner has currently joined the Portugal camp and will lead them in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.