Ruben Amorim urges Manchester United to focus on rebuilding and the future after Cristiano Ronaldo’s critical remarks about the club’s direction
Ruben Amorim has urged Manchester United to “focus on the future” in response to Cristiano Ronaldo’s criticism of his former club, insisting that the rebuilding process is already showing signs of progress.
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Ronaldo, who spent six seasons across two spells at Old Trafford, had claimed earlier this week that United’s new manager could not perform “miracles” at a club he said was “not on a good path.”
The comments came as United continue their efforts to recover from a dismal 2024/25 campaign, in which they finished 15th in the Premier League and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
When asked about Ronaldo’s remarks ahead of this weekend’s Premier League rematch with Spurs, Amorim — a former Portugal teammate of the five-time Ballon d’Or winner — acknowledged the forward’s influence but struck a composed tone.
“Of course he knows, and he has a huge impact on everything he says,” Ruben Amorim told reporters. “What we need to focus on is the future. We know that as a club we made a lot of mistakes in the past, but we are trying to change that. Let’s not focus on what happened; let’s focus on what we are doing now — and we are doing that.”
The 40-year-old manager said structural reforms within the club were beginning to pay off. “We are changing a lot of things — the structure, the way we do things, the way we want players to behave,” he said. “We are improving, so let’s continue and forget a little bit the past.”
United, who have lost their last four meetings with Tottenham, head into Saturday’s game unbeaten in their last four league outings, a run that includes a morale-boosting 2–1 victory over Liverpool.
Asked what had changed since the Europa League final defeat, Amorim said the team had matured both tactically and mentally.
“First of all, the characteristics of the players — we are a better team now, more confident, we understand the game better. We manage moments better. I expect a different game this time — and maybe a little bit of luck to help us win.”
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Amorim’s calm response underlines his growing authority at Old Trafford as United look to move beyond a turbulent season and build a new identity under his leadership.
