Cristiano Ronaldo’s first spell at Manchester United ended with the reigning Ballon d’Or winner playing his final game in a Champions League final and departing for a world record fee. His second ended on the pitch with an altercation with Tyrone Mings, for which he might have been sent off, and off it with an interview with Piers Morgan that prompted suggestions United could sue him.
The mighty has fallen. Ronaldo might say the same about United, given his criticisms of them, but if he officially leaves by mutual agreement, it is one of the few things they can concur about. Ronaldo felt too toxic to keep. A man with three goals this season, two of them against Sheriff Tiraspol, fired more shots in a televised outburst than he has done at opposing goalkeepers. He made his position untenable.
