Cristiano Ronaldo wanted to be Manchester United CAPTAIN over Maguire

March 30, 2023

The extent of the powers Cristiano Ronaldo wanted at Manchester United continues to be laid bare as it has been revealed that he reportedly asked the club to make him captain in place of Harry Maguire.

Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 after over a decade away from the club was greeted with much fanfare and positivity as the forward was seen as a remarkable addition to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. 

But after a positive start to life, things quickly unfolded negatively for Ronaldo and United, leading to the sack of Solskjaer. In his place, Ralf Ragnick was hired on an interim basis.

However, the German’s brief reign at the club was one of its worst periods in recent history, and he was eventually replaced by Erik ten Hag this summer.

Ronaldo remained at the club beyond Ragnick and witnessed the reign of Ten Hag, albeit briefly, before he was released by mutual consent during the winter. His exit came after he criticised the club’s hierarchy and manager in a television interview with Piers Morgan. 

Ronaldo also questioned the credentials of Ralf Rangnick, declaring that ‘he never heard of the German’ before his move to Man United.

However, before both men left the club, Ronaldo had asked Rangnick to give him the captain’s armband ahead of Maguire in the second half of the 2021-22 season.

According to ESPN, Ronaldo felt he could offer more leadership than Maguire, but Ragnick saw differently and refused to bow to his wishes.

Maguire has faced plenty of criticism since joining United from Leicester City in a record-breaking £80 million deal in 2019. He was made captain by  Solskjaer six months after making his debut but has struggled to cope with the demands of the role. 

However, under new boss Ten Hag, the England man remains club captain, although he now finds himself behind Raphael Varane in the squad pecking order. The United boss prefers to pair a right-footed defender with a left-footed one in the heart of his defence, with summer signing Lisandro Martinez slotting in alongside Varane. 

Although United coaching staff are concerned about Maguire’s suspect defending and positioning, they are pleased with his skills on the ball and will allow him to retain the armband until at least the end of the season.

See also  ‘DEAD’ Mason Greenwood Labels Ronaldo & Calls Academy Teammates ‘S***’

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