Cristiano Ronaldo insists youngsters at Man Utd “don’t care” and “don’t suffer” enough with the striker comparing them to his 12-year-old son.
The first part of his interview with Piers Morgan aired in full last night after several of days of snippets being reported in the media.
It has caused controversy at Man Utd with reports the players and manager don’t want him to return to the club after the World Cup break.
There were numerous digs about Erik ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick, the club as a whole and former players – with some pundits calling on Man Utd to sack him.
Youngsters such as Anthony Elanga and Alejandro Garnacho have made the breakthrough into the first-team squad over the last couple of seasons but Ronaldo was less than complimentary about youngsters at Man Utd and elsewhere.
When asked by Morgan about some of his young team-mates, Ronaldo responded: “I don’t think that word [respect] is the best one, they live in a different era.
“I can see with my kid, who is 12-years-old, the mentality is not the same.”
When asked about the difference between young players at Man Utd and players his age, Ronaldo replied: “The hunger. They have things more easily.
“Everything is easy. They don’t suffer, they don’t care. I don’t mean just Man United, but all teams. They are not the same as my generation.
“But we cannot blame them. It is part of the life of the new generation, the new technologies which distract them from other things.
“They are not the same. They listen, but they hear one side [and it goes out the other ear]. It doesn’t surprise me, but it is a shame.
“If they have the best examples in front of them, if they don’t at least copy what you did, it’s kind of weird.
“I remember when I was 18, 19, 20, I was always looking to see the best players – Ruud van Nistelrooy, Rio Ferdinand, Roy Keane, Ryan Giggs – this is why I have had the success I have had and the longevity, because I take care of my body, my mentality, my head, that’s because I saw those guys and learnt from them.
“I think the best advice… I’m not the kind of guy who likes to give advice, I like to lead from example.
“I’m there every morning, I do the same stuff, I’m probably the first person to arrive and the last one to leave.
“They listen to one thing, and in two minutes they have already forgot. I like to lead by example. Some follow me, not much…
“They don’t care. Some ones yes, but most of them no. To me it…
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