“He Knows How Difficult It Is” – Ex-Manchester United Coach’s Shock Cristiano Ronaldo Decision Led to Sir Alex Ferguson’s Apology

Sir Alex Ferguson is a legendary name in the history of Manchester United. The club saw a golden era under the management of Ferguson. He signed and developed the players like Cristiano Ronaldo at a young age and worked wonders with them.

Recently, former United manager, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, opened up about a fascinating incident involving Ferguson and Ronaldo. Solskjaer revealed the incident revolving around his bold decision during his tenure that made Ferguson do unthinkable. Let us dive deep to know the whole saga.

Cristiano Ronaldo at the center of Ferguson’s apology

United sacked Jose Mourinho in the middle of the 2018-19 season. The Red Devils appointed Solskjaer in December 2018 as an interim manager. A great run of results saw the Norwegian taking the permanent role in March 2019. The former United striker steadied the ship of the club and got applause from the fans.

Then came the saga around Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing in the summer of 2021. United succeeded in bringing their superstar back to Old Trafford from Juventus. However, one bold decision by Solskjaer attracted some criticism from the legendary manager Alex Ferguson. The Norwegian benched Ronaldo in a game against Everton in the Premier League. He did come off the bench in the second half, but Ferguson seemed unhappy.

In a video that surfaced over social media, Ferguson, while speaking with Khabib Nurmagomedov, said you don’t bench your best players, taking a dig at Solskjaer. His comments caused a stir, and Ferguson did the unthinkable. He ranged the Norwegian and apologized to him.

Solskjaer revealed the incident recently while speaking to The Athletic. The Norwegian said, “That’s the one time Sir Alex has ever apologized to me. He was caught on a video saying, ‘You should always play your best players,’ after Ronaldo started on the bench for one game. He (Ferguson) rang me and apologized because he knows how difficult it is.”

Solskjaer reveals Manchester United’s transfer blunder

Solskjaer was at the helm of Norwegian soccer club Molde FK. Erling Haaland used to play under him at Molde. United was in search of the striker, and Solskjaer approached the club, urging them to sign Haaland. He just asked for around $4 million. However, the club owners ignored his request.

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Haaland then joined RB Salzburg and then Borussia Dortmund. The striker now plays for United’s massive rivals Manchester City and has already surpassed the record for most goals for the season in the Premier League, with four games to be played. Haaland is scoring goals for fun, the attribute that United is missing for several seasons. The Red Devils have made the worst transfer decision by not trusting their legend. 

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Let us know your thoughts on Manchester United’s struggles since Sir Alex Ferguson left.