Cristiano Ronaldo opens up on Manchester United exit: 'Not a good phase in my life'

Cristiano Ronaldo has opened up on his controversial exit from Manchester United, saying it was "not a good phase in my life."

After being away from Manchester United for 12 years since his first stint, Ronaldo returned to Old Trafford in 2021. He finished as the Red Devils' leading scorer with 24 goals in the 2021-22 season. However, he struggled when Erik ten Hag took over the club as the new boss.

Ronaldo made some crucial statements in an interview with Piers Morgan, which saw his contract get terminated at Manchester United on mutual consent. This happened ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where Portugal suffered a shocking quarter-final loss to Morocco.

While many believed the World Cup exit marked the end of Ronaldo's international career, the former Real Madrid star has been included in Portugal's upcoming Euros qualifiers.

Ronaldo: 'No time for regrets'

In an interview ahead of Portugal's clash with Liechtenstein on Thursday, Ronaldo said that he was not a "better man" following his departure from Manchester United.

"There is no time for regrets in this life. Even if we don't do so well, it's part of our life. When we are at the top of the mountain, it's hard to see what's down here and many times I couldn't. I feel like I'm better prepared now because I can see some things. I'm a better man now," Ronaldo told reporters.

In January, Ronaldo moved to Saudi Arabia along with his family after accepting a two-year deal at Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr.

"I think that everything in life happens for a reason. I'm often grateful to go through some difficult things so I can see who is really on my side. At the tough times, you see who is on your side. It wasn't a very good phase in my life, in my career, first on a personal level and then professionally. Sometimes, you have to go through some things to see who is on my side," added Ronaldo.

The 38-year forward went on to add that he had no "problem" in admitting that he had a "bad career run" in Man Utd but then there was no time for him to have any sort of regrets as he still saw it as a part of his growth in his career.

Ronaldo approaching 'special' record

Former Belgium head coach Roberto Martinez took over Portugal's charge earlier this year and the upcoming two Euros qualifiers games are his first assignment as the head coach of Ronaldo and Co. After the fixture against Liechtenstein in Lisbon, Portugal are scheduled to travel to Luxembourg on Sunday.

Reacting to speculations about his international future, Ronaldo said, "It was all in the balance after the World Cup. I reflected with my family and then we came to the conclusion that it was not time to throw in the towel. I learned a lot from it and I'm very happy to be back. The coach says he wants me in the squad. I feel that I still have a lot to give and I want to keep it going."

Ronaldo would mark his 197th appearance for Portugal when he takes the field against Liechtenstein on Thursday, becoming the footballer with the most appearances with a national team. The Portuguese forward is currently tied with Kuwait's Bader Al-Mutawa with 196 matches.

Speaking about his coming milestone, Ronaldo said that "records are always positive" that keep motivating him to go on. "I like to break records and this record is special. I'll be really proud if it happens, but I want to keep playing even more games, I don't want to stop here," he added.