“It Was Right” – Jan Aage Fjortoft Defends Cristiano Ronaldo’s Manchester United Exit & Predicts 1000 Goal Haul [Exclusive]

Published 02/20/2024, 7:51 PM HKT

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Cristiano Ronaldo has a unique place in the history books of Manchester United. While he enjoyed an illustrious debut as a young prodigy with the Red Devils, his second stint after he grandly returned to Old Trafford in 2021 ended on a sour note. Although he faced criticism for his abrupt exit to join Al Nassr, Jan Aage Fjortoft has surprisingly sided with CR7. In an interview according to Essentially Sports, aside from insisting that Ronaldo’s departure from United was good ‘for both parties,’ he asserted that the Portuguese superstar will ‘never give up‘ before he nets 1,000 career goals. 

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From a public spat with Erik ten Hag to a blunt interview with Piers Morgan, Ronaldo was involved in a lot of off-pitch drama. However, Fjortoft believes No. 7 wasn’t at fault. “When [Ronaldo] came, he had a great season. He was the top scorer for Man Utd,” said the former Norwegian superstar in an interview with Essentially Sports. Fjortoft also stated that United ‘are capable of ruining everything‘ even without CR7. Interestingly, the Norwegian icon narrated an intriguing story about how he witnessed Cristiano Ronaldo leave the stadium before the final whistle during United’s 2-0 win against Tottenham after not being used as a substitute. 

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“First, he came off the tunnel, went into the dressing room. 3 minutes later, he came out with his private gear, and he was going out, and I was so close to telling him, ‘Please don’t do that. That’s not good for you,'” revealed the former Barnsley star. However, Fjortoft didn’t say anything, as he felt it wasn’t Ronaldo’s fault. “I guess, at that time, it was right for both parties,” concluded the Norwegian icon. Notably, aside from defending Ronaldo, Fjortoft praised the 39YO’s move to Al Nassr.

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing a ‘great job’ for Saudi Arabian soccer

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Jan Aage Fjortoft praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s rallying efforts to improve the soccer landscape in Saudi Arabia. “He’s doing a great job adverting Saudi football. He was also a start for a lot of stars to go there,” said Jan. The former Middlesbrough striker highlighted how Ronaldo ignited a mass exodus of other big names in the Roshn Saudi League. Fjortoft further added that Ronaldo looks comfortable in Riyadh as he continues to keep up his goal-scoring prowess. 

WATCH – Cristiano Ronaldo Throws a Fit After Al Nassr’s Defense Crumbles Against Al Fateh

While praising the Al Nassr star for breaking records, like becoming the top scorer for the 2023 calendar year, Fjortoft remarked in an interview according to Essentially Sports, “I guess that man will never give up before he has reached 1000 goals.” Indeed, these are some bold claims from Fjortoft. Notably, Porto president Bento da Costa had earlier challenged Ronaldo to score 1000 goals. However, the former Juventus star kept his feet on the ground, aiming to score 900 first. 

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WATCH THIS STORY: Cristiano Jr’s Insane Training Schedule

Do you think Cristiano Ronaldo will retire with 1000 goals? Let us know in the comments.

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Written by:

Abhishek Mishra

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Abhishek Mishra is a senior Soccer Writer at EssentiallySports. His early exposure to playing soccer earned him many accolades at college divisions, making him a sports enthusiast. While closely following daily updates for over a decade, Abhishek is well-versed in European soccer and now the MLS, as well.
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Edited by:

Jacob Gijy

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