01 March 2023 , 10:23
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Cristiano Ronaldo's bombshell interview with Piers Morgan may have upset Manchester United but it seems his former teammate Anthony Elanga has taken one of his criticisms on board.
Portuguese superstar Ronaldo ended his relationship with Man United by mutual consent in November, following on from his revelations in the interview with Morgan in which he took aim at the club, the management and, among many other areas, the attitude of young players.
The current generation of young players at the club was criticised by Ronaldo, 38, with reference to those on the books at Old Trafford whom he believed reflected a wider culture in football.
Ronaldo said: "The hunger. They [young players] have things more easily. Everything is easy. They don't suffer, they don't care. I don't mean just Man United, but all teams. They are not the same as my generation.
"But we cannot blame them. It is part of the life of the new generation, the new technologies which distract them from other things. They are not the same. They listen, but they hear one side [and it goes out the other ear]. It doesn't surprise me, but it is a shame.
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"If they have the best examples in front of them, if they don't at least copy what you did, it's kind of weird."
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While those comments may have drawn a degree of controversy, Ronaldo's former teammate Elanga, 20, admitted that he understood the criticisms. The Sweden international forward said: "Cristiano talks about young players in general.
"We are a new generation. I am always 100 per cent focused on what I am doing, but I can understand what he is saying.
"There are a lot of phones and a lot of technology. It's quite easy for young players to get distracted and lose focus. I always focus 100 per cent on my job and what I do. Young players at United are listening, but I can understand what he is saying."
The admiration that Elanga had for Ronaldo and his work rate was clear, adding: "He means a lot to me. He has helped me a lot not only on the pitch but off it as well. He is an inspiration, not only to me but to all the young players at United. Sometimes it’s just me and him at the gym."
Elanga continued on whether his opinion of the Portuguese star had changed following the manner of his Old Trafford exit: "No, not so much. Because when I'm with him, he hasn't changed. He is still Cristiano Ronaldo to me. He has helped me a lot."
Elanga is slowly but surely becoming part of the first-team set-up at United and has made six appearances in all competitions since the turn of the year, apparently taking Ronaldo's warning to knuckle down on board.