Man Utd complete Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘impossible’ challenge

Robin Bairner

• Updated: 23 May 2023 09:09 CDT
• 3 min read

Manchester United are third in the Premier League table and looking good to finish in the Champions League spots in their debut season under new manager Erik ten Hag.

This was a position that Cristiano Ronaldo said it would “impossible” for them to be in a little over a year ago as he criticised Man Utd on his return to the club.

MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr: Goals, assists, results & fixtures

Ronaldo may have been one of the few bright spots of the 2021/22 campaign, but he was quickly brushed aside by Ten Hag before being released by mutual consent in November following an unsolicited interview with Piers Morgan in which he launched a stunning attack on the Old Trafford side.

That was not the first spectacular interview he gave since his return to Man Utd, though.

MORE: How Man Utd could line up with Qatari owners

Ronaldo claims Man Utd making the top four 'impossible'

In January 2021, he told Sky Sports that he didn’t see a route for the Red Devils into the top four of the table.

“Impossible - I think it's the main point,” he replied. “I don't accept that our mentality be less than being in the top three in the Premier League. I think to build up good things, sometimes you have to destroy a few things. So why not - new year, new life and I hope that Manchester can be the level that the fans want. They deserve that.

“We are capable of changing things now. I know the way but I'm not going to mention it here because I don't think it's ethical on my part to say that. What I can say is we can do better - all of us. Manchester belongs to important things, so we have to change that. I don't want to be here to be in sixth place, or seventh place, or fifth place. I'm here to try to win, to compete.

“I think we compete but we are not yet in our best level. But we have a long way to improve and I believe if we change our mind, we can achieve big things.”

With Man Utd firmly in the top four, Ten Hag has achieved the challenge laid down to the club by Ronaldo, though of course the Portugal legend will feel that is one of the aspects of the team that was “destroyed” in order for their fortunes to improve.

Ten Hag’s efforts have been underpinned by a string of new signings who arrived last summer, including Lisandro Martinez, Christian Eriksen and Casemiro, with these players improving the mentality of Man Utd’s squad.

Ronaldo, meanwhile, is playing in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr.