"This guy is not even a coach" - When Cristiano Ronaldo make savage claim on ex-Manchester United interim boss Ralf Rangnick 

Cristiano Ronaldo's old comments on Ralf Rangnick have resurfaced after Austria finished as group winners at Euro 2024 despite facing France and the Netherlands. The Portuguese star had claimed that the German was not a coach but was still appointed by Manchester United.

Manchester United appointed Rangnick as interim manager towards the end of the 2021-22 season following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking. Speaking to Piers Morgan, Ronaldo claimed that there was no progress at the club since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013. He believed that appointing a sporting director as a coach was one of the reasons and said:

“I don't know what's going on, but since Sir Alex Ferguson left, I saw no evolution in the club, the progress was zero. For example, we have an interesting point that, how the club as Manchester United after they sack Ole, they bring in sports director Rangnick, which is something that nobody understands.”

He added:

“This guy is not even a coach. A bigger club like Manchester United bringing in a sports director - it surprised not only me but all the world, you know? Of course, in my opinion. We have to be honest: if you're not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? It's something that I should say that Manchester is not followed.”

Rangnick joined Austria as manager and has led them to top spot in Group D above France and the Netherlands at Euro 2024.

BILD reported in 2022 that Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to pick which match he was to be rested by Rangnick. Moreover, he wanted to stay at home for those games and not remain on the bench.

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Ralf Rangnick was not the only issue for Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo took shots at Manchester United as a whole and said that the club had not upgraded any of their facilities. He added that the training ground was as it was when he left in 2009 and told Piers Morgan:

“It was a weird feeling at Manchester United. For me, it is the biggest club in the world, no doubt, but I joined at the wrong time. The training ground needed to be more modern and other things needed to change. You could feel the atmosphere at the club wasn’t great.

"I was very surprised, I was thinking, sometimes, ‘Come on, we are all playing for Manchester United, we should smile every day, of course there is high pressure but you need to be strong to play.’"

Cristiano Ronaldo's contract was terminated by Manchester United following the interview. He moved to Al Nassr on a free transfer in December 2022.