“It was the right decision” — Solskjaer on Ronaldo

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer still stands tall on his decision to make a play for Cristiano Ronaldo to Old Trafford in the summer of 2021 despite how sour things ended for the Portuguese star.

In a recent statement, former Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has addressed the tumultuous end to Cristiano Ronaldo’s second stint at the club, describing it as “sad” and “sour.”

Ronaldo’s return to Old Trafford was celebrated by fans after the Red Devils secured his comeback from Juventus in 2021, following successful spells at Real Madrid and Juventus.

However, under Solskjaer’s successor Erik ten Hag, Ronaldo found himself marginalized, often omitted from the starting lineup, leading to tensions between the player and the club.

The situation escalated when Ronaldo left Old Trafford prematurely during matches, drawing criticism from fans and pundits alike.

In a revealing interview with Piers Morgan in November 2022, Ronaldo expressed feeling “betrayed” by the club and voiced his lack of respect for Ten Hag.

Despite the acrimonious ending to Ronaldo’s time at United, Solskjaer defended the decision to re-sign the Portuguese superstar, emphasizing the positive impact Ronaldo had during his initial return.

Solskjaer recalled Ronaldo’s memorable first match back at Old Trafford against Newcastle, highlighting the electric atmosphere and the striker’s immediate impact on the team.

Reflecting on Ronaldo’s departure and the subsequent fallout, Solskjaer expressed admiration for Ronaldo’s professionalism but acknowledged that things didn’t go as planned for either party.

He lamented the breakdown in relations following his departure from the club and described it as a regrettable turn of events.

“I love Cristiano’s professional attitude. But it didn’t work out for him,’ he added. ‘It didn’t work out for me. It didn’t work out for the team, unfortunately. But at that moment, it was the right decision to welcome him back to Old Trafford. That’s life. We made a decision.” Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said.