Cristiano Ronaldo’s top five Man Utd tantrums
Robin Bairner
- Updated: 23 May 2023 08:46 CDT
- 4 min read
Cristiano Ronaldo made headlines on Wednesday when he walked out on his Manchester United team-mates as they picked apart Tottenham 2-0 in the Premier League.
What should have been seen as a landmark performance from Erik ten Hag’s side was overshadowed by the actions of the Portugal international, who reportedly left the stadium after seeing Anthony Elanga come off the bench as a substitute before him.
His petulant action has led to widespread criticism of a player who has struggled to find his way this season, scoring only two goals and often finding himself on the periphery of the squad. Now there is a renewed focus on his future at Old Trafford.
It may have been Ronaldo’s biggest Manchester United tantrum, but it certainly wasn’t his first since returning to the club in a blockbuster move from Juventus that promised so much more.
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Ronaldo rages at Rangnick
Near the beginning of Ralf Rangnick’s ill-fated reign as Man Utd interim boss, he took off Ronaldo with 71 minutes of a Premier League clash with Brentford. The Red Devils were leading 2-1 at the time and would go on to seal a 3-1 victory, but the striker was not happy with the decision. He was spotted by television cameras throwing his coat down and looking decidedly disgruntled.
"That is normal - a striker wants to score - but he has come back from a little injury and it was important to remember we have got another game coming up," Rangnick told BT Sport.
Leaving Rayo Vallecano friendly early
Ronaldo had a curtailed pre-season, with the club officially stating that he had been given time off for personal leave. It meant that he played only one friendly, which was a match against Rayo Vallecano at Old Trafford. In an echo of what was to come against Spurs, he was taken off midway through the second half and left Old Trafford with at least one team-mate while the game still going on.
Man Utd offered a defence of the player, saying he had been given special permission to depart early, but Ten Hag was more candid over the matter.
“I’ve told them all that it’s unacceptable and that each and every player has to stay till the end of the match,” he said. “We are a team, a selection, you have to stay until the end.”
Snubbing Ten Hag after Brentford defeat
Ronaldo’s first Premier League start of the season came against Brentford in August, but it was to be a thoroughly unhappy event for Man Utd. The Bees hammered them 4-0 in London. At the end of the game, the striker did not even acknowledge Ten Hag when he was walking off the field.
Ronaldo fumes at being replaced
Ronaldo’s previous strop came just days prior to the incident against Spurs. He had been given a rare opportunity to start a Premier League match against Newcastle but was taken off with 18 minutes to go while the game was still scoreless. As he stormed off the pitch, he threw his hands in the air and shook his head before ignoring his manager.
His consternation may have been justified, however, by the fact that he had a goal controversially chopped off earlier in the game.
