World-famous soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo will no longer play for Manchester United, the team announced Tuesday.
The bombshell announcement comes just two days before Ronaldo is expected to represent Portugal in his very first game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, according to TSN. Ronaldo has a huge fan following of 501 million fans and followers on his Instagram page alone, and is one of the most recognizable figures in the world of sports. He has scored 145 goals in 346 appearances for Manchester United.
The team released a statement to their Twitter account revealing the seemingly abrupt decision to sever ties with one another.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect,” Manchester United wrote to their social media page. “The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford.”
Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect.
The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford.#MUFC
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) November 22, 2022
Ronaldo has been widely scrutinized after his unsanctioned interview with Piers Morgan earlier in November. During the interview, the star-forward aired his grievances about Manchester United, said that he had no respect for manager, Erik ten Hag, and claimed the Glazer family shows no care or concern about the club, according to The Athletic.
Ronaldo told Morgan that United has made “zero progress” since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013, and didn’t hold back about complaining about how the team has been managed.
The star athlete also alleged that ten Hag provoked him into refusing to appear as a substitute in October in a match up against Tottenham Hotspur, which ultimately led to his suspension, according to The Athletic. (RELATED: Cristiano Ronaldo Announces The Death Of His Newborn Son)
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At the same time that news of his departure from Manchester United hit the headlines, Ronaldo posted a completely unrelated update to his Instagram page, promoting his partnership with Jacob and Co., stating that he co-designed a watch with the company. He made no mention of his departure from the team.