Cristiano Ronaldo will leave Machester United with immediate effect by mutual agreement, according to an announcement by the club on Tuesday. The decision comes after Ronaldo’s explosive interview with British talk show host Piers Morgan in which he made several allegations against the club and head coach Erik Ten Hag.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is to leave Manchester United by mutual agreement, with immediate effect,” United said in a statement. “The club thanks him for his immense contribution across two spells at Old Trafford, scoring 145 goals in 346 appearances, and wishes him and his family well for the future.”
“Everyone at Manchester United remains focused on continuing the team’s progress under Erik ten Hag and working together to deliver success on the pitch,” the statement further added.
A Manchester boy through and through, Ronaldo joined United from Sporting CP in 2004 and played six seasons before leaving for Real Madrid in 2009. He rejoined the Red Devils in 2020 from Juventus and was the top goalscorer for them in 2020-21.
Here are Ronaldo’s top five goals for Manchester United.
1. Free kick goal against Portsmouth, January 2008
One of the most iconic Ronaldo moments often dubbed as the best free-kick goal in Premier League history came in Ronaldo’s second last season during his first spell at United.
2. Shot from outside the box against Porto, April 2009
Ronaldo scored a stunner in his final season with Manchester United has gone down in history as one of the best goals in the UEFA Champions League. Take a look at the goal here.
3. Long-distance shot against Arsenal, May 2009
Ronaldo destroyed rivals Arsenal in a Champions League match in 2009 running a one-man show for 90 minutes. In that match, he came up with this beauty that Manchester United fans can never forget in their lifetime.
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4. Long-distance shot against Tottenham, March 2022
One of Ronaldo’s most memorable goals during his second spell at Manchester United came at Old Trafford against Tottenham. Fans were taken for a nostalgia trip when Ronaldo produced a long-distance shot that beat Tottenham goalie Hugo Lloris and ended up in the net, just like the old times!
5. Bottom corner effort against Atlanta, November 2021
Ronaldo prevented Manchester United’s exit from the Champions League in the 2021-22 season by scoring a winning goal from outside a crowded penalty box that ended up in the bottom corner of Atlanta’s goal. Watch the goal here.
