(CNN) — “You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain,” Harvey Dent says in Batman’s “The Dark Knight,” foreshadowing his descent from hero to villain.
Could the same be said of Cristiano Ronaldo?
It’s no secret that the Portuguese superstar hasn’t enjoyed a fairy tale reunion with Manchester United since returning to Old Trafford last year.
In the latest twist in the Ronaldo-United saga, excerpts from an explosive interview with Piers Morgan were released this week on Talk TV in which Ronaldo said he was “betrayed” by the club.
The full interview was to last two evenings, Wednesday and Thursday.
In particular, Ronaldo is not happy with new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who suspended the striker after leaving Manchester United’s game against Tottenham Hotspur last month before the end of the game.
“I don’t respect him because he doesn’t show respect for me,” Ronaldo said. “If you have no respect for me, I will never have respect for you.”
The end of an unhappy marriage
Ronaldo enjoyed unprecedented success at Manchester United after joining the club in the summer of 2003. Over the next six years, he would transform from a wily winger into the best player in the world, collecting the first of his five Balls of Gold. 2008.
In that time, he won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Champions League, a tournament with which Ronaldo has since become synonymous.
But since returning to England, he hasn’t had the same success. Last season was Ronaldo’s first in 17 years without winning a trophy, dating back to his first spell at the club.
Since trying to force his departure from United over the summer, Ronaldo has played sparingly, playing just 16 games for the Red Devils.
That number is unlikely to rise following the Talk TV interview, which could spell the end of his time in Manchester.
Cristiano Ronaldo has only one goal in the Premier League this season.
Ronaldo now says he feels Ten Hag was forcing him out of the club, but what he hasn’t mentioned is that he was the one who pushed to leave in the summer after United failed to qualify for the Champions League.
In the interview, he also reflected on his personal tragedy. Earlier this year, he and his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, announced that their baby boy had died.
Ronaldo has also said his young daughter has ended up in hospital this year, which he cited as the reason he missed most of his pre-season training with United.
But after criticizing his manager, former teammates, the club and owners, many have been appalled by Ronaldo’s jabs at his employer.
“I’m totally baffled and confused as to why he’s doing this interview,” former England international turned pundit Jermaine Jenas told BBC’s Match Of The Day 2.
“We have seen nothing but complacency all year walking through the tunnel. Today he was presumably ill. He now he’s doing interviews with Piers Morgan.
“He is a frustrated player. Whether you feel betrayed or not, today just doesn’t feel right. He has to (finish his time at United).”
Beth Tucker, a presenter on United fan channel The United Stand, appreciated Ronaldo’s criticism of United’s owners, but not his treatment of the club or Ten Hag.
“If he was going to hit the club, he should have gone out against the Glazers. I shouldn’t have gone against the coach too” Tucker said on The United Stand.
“He thinks it is [más grande que Ten Hag] and in football it is, but at Manchester United right now it is not. No player is bigger than the club and the manager.”
Salary and behavior keep Ronaldo’s bats away
This summer, Ronaldo has been linked with several clubs, including Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli, Bayern Munich and there has even been talk of a possible return to Sporting Lisbon, where he emerged as a talent 20 years ago.
But despite his label as an elite striker and his tally of 18 goals last season, Ronaldo seemed unable to attract offers to remove him from United.
One reason is his huge salary at United, which with his current contract is around $560,000 a week.
But the biggest drawback for the clubs may be the behavior of Ronaldo, who has now left matches twice earlier this season and has given an interview openly disparaging his club.
When Bayern became involved in signing Ronaldo this summer, the club’s chief executive, Oliver Kahn, was quick to say the player “wouldn’t fit in”.
He said: “I love Cristiano Ronaldo and everyone knows how great he is. But every club has a certain philosophy and I’m not sure it would be the right thing for Bayern and the Bundesliga if we took him now.”
Despite his impressive personal journey last season, Ronaldo was regularly criticized for his behavior at United, both on and off the pitch, where other players appeared to be sacrificing their talents to serve the superstar.
Where will Ronaldo go now?
On Monday, Ronaldo tweeted that he had “fully and totally focused on the work of the national team” ahead of the World Cup, which starts this week.
When contacted by CNN, Manchester United and the Glazer family said they had no further comment following an original statement on the matter.
In that statement, the club said: “Manchester United takes note of the media coverage of an interview with Cristiano Ronaldo. The club will consider your response once all the facts are ascertained.
“Our focus continues to prepare for the second half of the season and continue the momentum, trust and unity that is being built between the players, coach, staff and fans.”
Some, including former United defender Rio Ferdinand, believe Ronaldo’s association with the club will need to end.
“All of this was fabricated for one thing, and that’s for him to leave the club,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.
“It doesn’t seem to me that the club accepts him and I don’t think he wants to return. All of this is made for this reason.
Ronaldo still has phenomenal commercial value as a player and is the most followed person on the planet on social media platforms. Even with his incredible salary, most club accountants would say he’s worth signing.
But Ronaldo has struggled to find his footing of late, demanding that a club not only bring him into their squad but also build the squad around him. For a 37-year-old who is arguably past his prime, that may not be something the clubs are trying to do.
After this interview, it is also clear that Ronaldo is a potential risk for an elite team and most clubs will consider buying the striker with less awe and more caution.
Once the hero of the game, he is in danger of quickly becoming a villain.
