CRISTIANO RONALDO has confirmed that it was Sir Alex Ferguson who convinced him to snub Manchester City.
It was just over 14 months ago that Ronaldo sensationally re-signed for Manchester United in a comeback story that stunned and enthralled the world of football.
He was heading to United’s great rivals City when a personal appeal from his great mentor and father figure drove him back to where he started.
During an exclusive interview with Sun Sport columnist Piers Morgan, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner tapped his chest and said: “I followed my heart.”
“He (Sir Alex) said to me, ‘It’s impossible for you to come to Manchester City’, and I said, ‘OK, Boss.’”
In his first game back at Old Trafford, the self-styled “Theatre of Dreams”, he scored twice in a thumping 4-1 victory over Newcastle, cheered on in the stands by Sir Alex and Ronaldo’s ecstatic, weeping mother.
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The delirious United fans chanted “Viva Ronaldo” for hours after the game and his team-mate Marcus Rashford tweeted that night: “Like he never left.”
Ronaldo finished as top scorer with 24 goals for the club last term but their failure to qualify for the Champions League under former boss Ralf Rangnick led to him wanting to leave in the summer.
After his much-publicised failure to secure a summer exit, Ronaldo has been forced to play a role largely from the bench this term in the Premier League.
And with his match action largely restricted to the cups, he has only managed to score three times since Ten Hag took charge at the start of the campaign.
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Tensions have been building between Ronaldo and the Dutchman for months.
And that boiled over last month with a row following the forward’s walkout and refusal to come off the bench against Tottenham which led to the manager suspending him.
Speaking of Ten Hag, Ronaldo told Morgan: “I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me.
“If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”
Of Rangnick, who had not managed a football team for over a decade, he said: “If you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I’d never even heard of him.”
Watch Piers Morgan Uncensored weekdays on Sky 526, Virgin Media 606, Freeview 237, Freesat 217 or on Fox Nation in the US
