Former Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has revealed when he believes Cristiano Ronaldo began losing his ability to perform at the highest level, pointing to the Portuguese forward’s departure from Real Madrid in 2018.

Speaking during an interview with ESPN, the Dutchman reflected on Ronaldo’s career and their time together at Manchester United, describing the five-time Ballon d’Or winner as one of football’s greatest players while suggesting his best years were already behind him.

Ten Hag acknowledged Ronaldo’s remarkable achievements but insisted that the forward’s ability to consistently deliver at the highest level had declined significantly after leaving Real Madrid.

“He is of course a tremendous player, one of the greats of all time. But that is also the reality, over the last seven, eight years, he can simply no longer deliver. From Juventus onwards, it’s simply over,” Ten Hag said.