Raphaël Varane has admitted that Cristiano Ronaldo’s interview – in which he criticized Manchester United’s owners and manager Erik ten Hag – has sent shock waves through the squad.
Ronaldo, speaking to Piers Morgan on TalkTV, announced that he had no respect for Ten Hag and claimed that several people at United were trying to get him off. The 37-year-old striker also claimed that the Glazer family, owners since 2005, did not care about the club.
United are taking legal advice, and awaiting the broadcast of the full interview, before issuing a response and, while a statement said it “remains focused on … continuing the momentum, the belief and the union that is being built’, the effects of the interview are clearly being felt by the rest of United’s players.
Varane, who is preparing for the World Cup with France, told radio station Europe 1: “Obviously it affects us. We follow what is happening and what is being said.
“We try to calm the situation in our own way, we try not to get too involved. When it’s a star like Cristiano Ronaldo, even more we try to take it from a distance, that is to say we don’t try to change the situation alone, we are part of a collective.
“What I want is the best for my team, whatever the decision [by the club]as a player, we will accept it and give the best of ourselves”.
With his words still being digested by United’s players, Ronaldo missed training with Portugal on Wednesday due to a stomach problem. It ends a busy week for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has also been involved in awkward exchanges with fellow internationals Bruno Fernandes and João Cancelo. Portugal begin their World Cup campaign next week against Ghana.
Meanwhile, the French national team has announced that it has pledged to provide financial support to non-governmental organizations and charities working to protect human rights.
The World Cup has been tainted by the appalling lack of protection for migrant workers who have endured exploitative, even deadly, conditions as Qatar prepared for the tournament, while the country’s stance on LGBT+ rights has also has cast a long shadow over the event.
“We are players, we have this way of expressing ourselves, but it is human that we express it through this letter,” said Varane, the France vice-captain.
“There is also a lot of light [shone] about us and we also want to humanly express what we feel”.