Ronaldo deserved more from 'awful' exit, says ex-Man Utd captain

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner mutually parted ways with the Premier League club after his tell-all interview with Piers Morgan.

Cristiano Ronaldo deserved a grand farewell in front of a sold-out Old Trafford crowd, according to former Manchester United captain Antonio Valencia.

United announced Ronaldo’s departure last month in a brief statement, stating the club and the player agreed to terminate their contract, seven months before it was due to expire.

The sudden exit came just days after Ronaldo criticized United and manager Erik ten Hag to Piers Morgan on TalkTV. The Portugal captain then jetted off to the World Cup, meaning he never got a chance to say goodbye to the fans who welcomed him back with open arms last year.

“It was too bad Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United in the way he did,” Valencia told The Athletic.

“A player like him should leave a club by walking off the pitch to applause at a sold-out stadium. The people there loved him.

“The interview he gave recently was unfortunate. He’ll have his reasons for saying what he did, but I felt awful about the way he left the club. It hurt. I hope everything goes well for him at his new club. I wish Ronaldo nothing but the best.”

Ten Hag has since said Ronaldo is in the past now, insisting his focus lies in the future. The United coach will hope to hit the ground running when the Red Devils return from the World Cup break next Wednesday.

They’ll face Championship leaders Burnley at Old Trafford for an EFL Cup clash in the Round of 16.