Cristiano Ronaldo, Jadon Sancho & Others- 5 Stars Who Have Fallen Out With Manchester United Managers in the Past

Manchester United is no doubt one of the most successful clubs in the history of soccer. But the team has also had a negative track record of player-manager relationships. Some of the recent examples of this are the case of Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo, who both have had a falling out with manager, Erik ten Hag.

Unfortunately, these are not the sole cases as over the years, several high-profile stars have found themselves at odds with their managers, leading to strained relationships and, in some cases, even departures from the club. Let’s look at 5 Manchester United players who have had a falling out with their managers.

1. Jadon Sancho and Erik ten Hag

The entire Sancho vs. Erik ten Hag drama began when the manager decided to bench the 23-year-old for a crucial game against Arsenal. The Dutch manager gave the justification that Jadon Sancho had not performed at the required level during training.

The Englishman was not satisfied with this justification and questioned it while making his case on social media. Since then, Erik ten Hag has predictably declined to play him unless he issues an apology, and it appears that he will most likely be leaving the team during the upcoming January transfer window.

2. Cristiano Ronaldo and Erik Ten Hag

The case of Cristiano Ronaldo and Erik ten Hag is a popular one. Things looked bad right from the start when ten Hag assumed the managerial position. But the whole situation blasted off into the stratosphere during Ronaldo’s infamous interview with Piers Morgan.

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In the interview, the Portuguese striker claimed that ten Hag didn’t respect him and called out, both, the Red Devils and the Dutchman. Soon after, in November, Manchester United decided to relieve Cristiano Ronaldo from the roster.

3. Jesse Lingard and Ole Gunner Solskjaer

During the era of Ole Gunner Solskjaer, the English midfielder Jesse Lingard was the player who had a falling out. After a successful loan run with West Ham in 2021, Lingard, who had been with the team for 20 years, was promised regular playing time with the squad. But in the end, Solskjaer only gave him limited playtime, which even confused the player. He later left the team and signed with Nottingham Forest after making just two starts all season.

4. Paul Pogba and Jose Mourinho

Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba experienced a tumultuous relationship with then-manager Jose Mourinho. The player felt that, after an outstanding individual season, Mourinho had not provided him with adequate backing. Nonetheless, the Portuguese manager believed Pogba lacked commitment. Things became so bad that Mourinho began to bench the French midfielder and even reportedly referred to him as a ‘virus’ in the dressing room.

5. David Beckham and Sir Alex Ferguson

Sir Alex Ferguson and David Beckham had a happy beginning to their relationship, with the Englishman viewing the legendary manager as a father figure. However, things changed after Beckham’s status became more than just a soccer player, Ferguson felt that Beckham’s late-night parties and model status undermined his dedication to the game.

Then, in 2003, Ferguson signed him to Real Madrid, without even disclosing to the freekick specialist that he was for sale. But over the years, they have both forgotten their differences and are once again on friendly terms. In conclusion, Manchester United has seen its fair share of high-profile clashes between players and managers over the years.

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