Ronaldo Supports Amorim Amid Manchester United's Challenges
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New Delhi, Dec 28 (NationPress) Cristiano Ronaldo, who was honored with the Best Middle East Player of 2024 accolade at the Globe Soccer awards, discussed the ongoing challenges faced by his previous club Manchester United and asserted that the difficulties are rooted much deeper than merely the head coaches.
“The Premier League is the most challenging league globally. The teams are competitive, all teams put in the effort, and all players are strong. The game of football has evolved; there are no straightforward matches anymore.
“I mentioned this one and a half years ago, and I will keep reiterating: The issue does not lie with the coaches. It's akin to an aquarium. If you have a fish inside that is unwell, removing it and fixing the problem only for it to be placed back in the aquarium will result in the fish becoming ill again.
“If I were the owner of the club, I would clarify things and rectify what I perceive to be wrong there,” Ronaldo stated during the event.
Manchester United faced a 0-2 defeat against the Wolverhampton Wanderers on Boxing Day and has struggled significantly throughout the current season. At present, the team is positioned 14th in the Premier League standings, just ahead of their clash with Newcastle United on Tuesday.
Since Amorim took over after replacing Erik Ten Hag, the team has managed only two victories in seven league matches and will need to regain form as they approach the midpoint of the season with 18 games played.
“He (Amorim) accomplished remarkable things in Portugal with my (former club) Sporting, but the Premier League is an entirely different challenge, the most competitive league around. I anticipated that it would be difficult, and the team will continue to face hurdles. However, the storm will pass, and the sun will shine again,” he added.
The Portuguese forward also expressed his belief that the 2024 Men’s Ballon d’Or award should have been awarded to Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid rather than Rodri of Manchester City.
“In my view, he [Vinícius] deserved to receive the Ballon d'Or,” Ronaldo remarked. “It was unjust in my opinion. I say this openly. They awarded it to Rodri, who also deserved it, but Vinícius should have been the recipient because he won the Champions League and scored in the final,” he stated.
Vinicius played a vital role in Real Madrid’s La Liga and UEFA Champions League victories during the 2023-24 season, netting a total of 21 goals and providing 11 assists across both competitions, thus setting a high standard for himself in European football.
