Antonio Cassano slams Cristiano Ronaldo

Former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano has slammed Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo for his behaviour during the Tottenham Hotspur game earlier this month.

Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended by Manchester United for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham. And he also left the stadium before the match had ended. Antonio Cassano believes that Ronaldo is past his peak and needs to accept it now.

The 37-year-old forward has started just twice in the Premier League this season, and he is clearly frustrated with the lack of game time at Old Trafford. With the 2022 FIFA World Cup coming up later this year, Ronaldo will be desperate to get his match fitness levels up. But manager Erik ten Hag has used him as a squad player so far.

It is clear that Ronaldo has fallen out of favour with the new Manchester United manager. And perhaps it is best for all parties to mutually part ways at the end of the season. He has been linked with Chelsea recently. Ronaldo wanted a move away from Old Trafford at the start of the season as well, but the Red Devils chose to hold on to him.

Cassano believes that Ronaldo has lost his athleticism. And despite the consistent goalscoring displays, Ronaldo is a shadow of his former self and needs to raise his hand and accept his shortcomings as a player now.

The former Real Madrid striker also explained that the people around the player have induced a false sense of pride into him, and Ronaldo still thinks that he is the player he used to be. Furthermore, Cassano urged the player to move to Sporting Lisbon at the end of the season.

Cassano said (h/t Tribal Football): “You need to have self-love and the dignity to say ‘I’m finished’. His agent and those around him let him pass like the strongest, but they have not understood that he has not made it for 3-4 years.

“He will continue to score goals in a thousand ways, but in terms of movements he cannot take it anymore. He must have self-love, this summer he had to say: ‘Ok, I’m going to Sporting, I’m going to the World Cup and see you all’.

“Instead he puts Manchester United in difficulty, his team, with which he made history. He has the eyes of the world on him and he behaves like this.

“(Erik) Ten Hag is consistent, he makes him play 10-15 minutes. He went to America, China, Dubai. He has nothing to do with football that matters to him. The athleticism is over, if he raised his hand and said enough. And I would applaud him.”

It will be interesting to see if Ronaldo decides to leave Manchester United and return to his boyhood club next summer. There is no doubt that the Manchester United forward has regressed over the past year, but he is still a top-quality player capable of playing at the highest level.

He scored 24 goals across all competitions last season despite the struggles of his teammates at Manchester United. For now, the player will be fully focused on what could be his last World Cup with Portugal.

Former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano has slammed Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo for his behaviour during the Tottenham Hotspur game earlier this month.

Cristiano Ronaldo was suspended by Manchester United for refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham. And he also left the stadium before the match had ended. Antonio Cassano believes that Ronaldo is past his peak and needs to accept it now.

The 37-year-old forward has started just twice in the Premier League this season, and he is clearly frustrated with the lack of game time at Old Trafford. With the 2022 FIFA World Cup coming up later this year, Ronaldo will be desperate to get his match fitness levels up. But manager Erik ten Hag has used him as a squad player so far.

It is clear that Ronaldo has fallen out of favour with the new Manchester United manager. And perhaps it is best for all parties to mutually part ways at the end of the season. He has been linked with Chelsea recently. Ronaldo wanted a move away from Old Trafford at the start of the season as well, but the Red Devils chose to hold on to him.

Cassano believes that Ronaldo has lost his athleticism. And despite the consistent goalscoring displays, Ronaldo is a shadow of his former self and needs to raise his hand and accept his shortcomings as a player now.

The former Real Madrid striker also explained that the people around the player have induced a false sense of pride into him, and Ronaldo still thinks that he is the player he used to be. Furthermore, Cassano urged the player to move to Sporting Lisbon at the end of the season.

Cassano said (h/t Tribal Football): “You need to have self-love and the dignity to say ‘I’m finished’. His agent and those around him let him pass like the strongest, but they have not understood that he has not made it for 3-4 years.

“He will continue to score goals in a thousand ways, but in terms of movements he cannot take it anymore. He must have self-love, this summer he had to say: ‘Ok, I’m going to Sporting, I’m going to the World Cup and see you all’.

“Instead he puts Manchester United in difficulty, his team, with which he made history. He has the eyes of the world on him and he behaves like this.

“(Erik) Ten Hag is consistent, he makes him play 10-15 minutes. He went to America, China, Dubai. He has nothing to do with football that matters to him. The athleticism is over, if he raised his hand and said enough. And I would applaud him.”

It will be interesting to see if Ronaldo decides to leave Manchester United and return to his boyhood club next summer. There is no doubt that the Manchester United forward has regressed over the past year, but he is still a top-quality player capable of playing at the highest level.

He scored 24 goals across all competitions last season despite the struggles of his teammates at Manchester United. For now, the player will be fully focused on what could be his last World Cup with Portugal.