Did Cristiano Ronaldo force Glazers out? Here's what Man United supporters said
#GlazersOut has been a strong demand from Manchester United fans since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. After years of protests, the American owners announced their plan to sell the club on Tuesday. This move came hours after Cristiano Ronaldo's contract at Old Trafford was terminated, leaving several to wonder if the Portuguese talisman influenced the Glazer family's decision.
FollowThe corridors of Old Trafford witnessed high-octane drama on Tuesday as Manchester United announced the termination of legendary striker Cristiano Ronaldo's contract with 'immediate effect' by mutual consent. Hours later, the club owners, the Glazer family, stated they were ready to sell the Premier League giants, bringing down the curtain on an acrimonious 17 years.
"The board will consider all strategic alternatives, including new investment into the club, a sale, or other transactions involving the company," United said in a statement.
Since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure as the manager in 2013, there has been a nine-year fall in the Red Devils' performance on the field, which has only increased frustration. Since Ferguson's final season in 2012/2013, the club has not won the Premier League title, and they last won a trophy in 2017.
United currently sits fifth in the Premier League, 11 points behind the Arsenal leaders. Avram and Joel Glazer, the club's executive co-chairmen and directors, said, "We will evaluate all options to ensure that we best serve our fans and that Manchester United maximizes the significant growth opportunities available to the club today and in the future."
The statement acknowledged the necessity of funding stadium renovations. With a 74,000-capacity, Old Trafford is still England's biggest club stadium, but a lot has stayed the same since 2006. Something that Ronaldo spoke openly about in his 90-minute interview with Piers Morgan.
Apart from highlighting the lack of development at the Theatre of Dreams since his first spell, the Portuguese talisman also claimed he felt betrayed by the club he had joined as a teenager in 2003. Ronaldo, who returned for a second spell in the summer of 2021, also voiced his 'disrespect' for new manager Erik ten Hag and claimed the Glazers "don't care about the club".
The discussion surrounding Ronaldo's position on the team has dominated Ten Hag's first few months as manager at Old Trafford, where he is the fifth permanent manager in the club's nine-year history. The former Ajax boss in the Premier League used the five-time Ballon d'Or winner sparingly.
Several United supporters took to Twitter after news of Glazers willing to sell the club came out in the open. Some stated that Ronaldo forced the American owners out - something fans have wanted for many years.
Legendary England cricket Kevin Pietersen too, jumped into the conversation and strongly said, "CR7 has fallen on his sword for the betterment of MU! His legacy at MU will show this one day and every single MU will thank him. As much as the media will try & trash him, what he's done will be for the benefit of EVERY MU fan around the world."
"Ronaldo's Interview, Contract Termination and Glazers Selling are not Coincidence .... Simple as that," said another United fan.
A few also believed that Ronaldo had no role to play in the Glazers' decision to sell the club. "The glazers were already planning on selling before the interview so i dont ge his narrative that Ronaldo soley forced them out or that he is the reason...so all those fan protests/marchs and the media shit storm meant nothing, oh but Ronaldo whining about outdated technology," said one fan.
"To believe that Ronaldo sacrificed his job to get rid of the Glazers is just too naive for words. Ronaldo sacrificed nothing - he got exactly what he wanted," claimed another United supporter.
Here's a look at some of the other reactions:
