Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo has publicly defended his former teammate and current United manager Ruben Amorim, while taking aim at the club’s leadership.
Ronaldo’s comments come after Amorim’s challenging start at Old Trafford, where he has lost five of his first ten games in charge—the worst record for any United manager in 90 years.
Speaking at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai, Ronaldo expressed sympathy for Amorim, who he believes inherited a club plagued by deep-rooted issues.
“He [Amorim] did a fantastic job in Portugal with my [club] Sporting,” Ronaldo said. “I knew it would be tough, but they will weather the storm. The storm will finish, and the sun will rise.”
A Rough Start for Amorim
Amorim, who succeeded Erik ten Hag after United’s poor start to the season, currently has the team languishing in 14th place.
Despite a reshuffle in leadership, the Red Devils remain stagnant. Ronaldo pointed out that Amorim is not to blame for the team’s struggles, instead calling attention to systemic problems within the club.
Ronaldo described United’s situation with an unflattering analogy. “The problem is not the coaches,” he said. “It’s like an aquarium. If you have a sick fish, take it out, fix the problem, and put it back in, it will still get sick again. The problem of Manchester United is the same. It’s much more than the coach.”
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner criticized the club’s hierarchy, suggesting that Manchester United’s issues stem from years of mismanagement and a lack of clear direction.
The 39-year-old forward, currently playing in Saudi Arabia, hinted at how he would address the club’s challenges if he were in charge.
“If I were the owner of the club, I would make things clear and fix what’s wrong,” he said, though he stopped short of detailing his vision for turning things around.