Exploring Ronaldo’s part in ten Hag’s United rebuild

In crafting the Portuguese superstar’s role, the Red Devils manager will have to balance long-term considerations against short-term gains

When Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford was announced last summer — an emotional renewal of a relationship with the club where he won eight major trophies from 2003 to 2009 — several English football experts reckoned that Manchester United was back in business.

Most pre-season predictions had the Red Devils firmly in the top four; some even had them as title contenders. The public relations push was relentless at United, detailing everything about Ronaldo, from his movements in training, his greatest goals, his reclaiming of the “iconic” No. 7 jersey, to the inside story of his goal celebration.

The mood among the fans approached elation, especially because widespread media reports said that Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, had agreed personal terms with bitter rival Manchester City before United reclaimed its favourite son.

The decision seemed a no-brainer to many — the galvanising return of a club great with guaranteed goals and the swagger of a proven winner.

Ronaldo’s numbers in front of goal were still elite. He was the top scorer in Serie A in 2020-21 and had 101 goals and 22 assists in a total of 134 appearances for Juventus before deciding to leave Turin. Furthermore, he added two Italian league crowns and a Coppa Italia to his stacked trophy cabinet — validation, for those who sought it, that Ronaldo hadn’t lost his winning touch.

For a United side that had ceded its primacy in the Premier League for the best part of a decade, the arrival of its talisman was both a reminder of the glory days and a sign of hope for the future.

Ronaldo’s start was the stuff football fantasies are made of. His first appearance back, against Newcastle — billed as one of the most anticipated occasions in the history of the Premier League — adhered to the script of the heroic return. He scored twice for United after 12 years away, in a 4-1 victory; you could forgive fans for thinking the clock had been turned back.