Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in the summer of 2021. He came back for his second stint at United after his initial departure 12 years ago to Real Madrid. When Ronaldo returned to Manchester United, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge of the club.
In the summer transfer window of 2021, there was a lot of interest from Manchester City in signing Ronaldo from Juventus. But United could not let their club legend sign for their biggest rivals. And so the club and the manager, Solskjaer, decided to swoop in and sign Cristiano on the deadline day.
Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United: HERE WE GO! Done deal between Juventus and Man United on permanent move. Cristiano has accepted the contract proposal from Manchester United and he’s coming back. 🔴🇵🇹 #MUFC #Ronaldo
Medical to be scheduled soon.
CR7 IS BACK. Here we go. pic.twitter.com/WXfs3p6GFK— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 27, 2021
It was a dream come true for all the Manchester United fans. They would never have thought that the player who became one of the best in the world would return to their club once again. Ronaldo also did not disappoint, as he bagged a brace in his first game back at Old Trafford against Newcastle United. Chants of “VIVA RONALDO!” were heard through the stadium.
But Solskjaer could not maintain the same form going into the season, and he was sacked because of some devastating losses. On November 20, 2021, relegation-fighting Watford crushed United to win 4-1 at Vicarage Road. The Norwegian manager knew that it was the end of his tenure as manager at United. Just days later, Ole was sacked by United.
BREAKING: Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been sacked by Manchester United.
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) November 21, 2021
Even though Ronaldo scored 24 goals in his first season at United, It did not make much of a difference in changing the fortunes of the club. Ole could not save his job, and eventually, Ronaldo also left the club in a very abrupt and chaotic manner.
The deep-rooted Respect between Cristiano Ronaldo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has come out recently to give an interview in which he has shown regret about the decision by United to re-sign Ronaldo in 2021. In the interview with the Athletic, he said, “Bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back was a decision that was difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong. It felt so right when he signed and the fans felt that at Newcastle game when Old Trafford was… rocking!”
Solskjaer knew that signing Ronaldo at 36 was a gamble, and it certainly did not pay off for the Norwegian. But both of them have a deep-rooted respect for each other, which has never been lost by any of them.
Solskjær: “Bringing Cristiano Ronaldo back was a decision that was difficult to turn down and I felt we had to take it, but it turned out wrong”. 🔴🇵🇹
“It felt so right when he signed and the fans felt that at Newcastle game, when Old Trafford was… rocking!”, via The Athletic. pic.twitter.com/9VRK2egnmJ
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 20, 2023
After Ole was sacked by Manchester United, Ronaldo posted a heartfelt message on all his social media channels. He said, “He’s been my striker when I first came to Old Trafford and he’s been my coach since I came back to Man. United. But most of all, Ole is an outstanding human being. I wish him the best in whatever his life has reserved for him. Good luck, my friend! You deserve it”.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer know each other very well. At first, they both were teammates at Manchester United, and then they were colleagues, which created a lot of respect between them. Even though Ole regrets having signed Ronaldo when he was the manager, Ronaldo, on the other hand, does not have the same opinion, and he had no problems with Ole Gunnar Soskjaer.