Cristiano Ronaldo advocates for Manchester United to undertake a comprehensive overhaul, aiming to revive the club's previous triumphs.
The Portuguese striker, who has had two stints at Man Utd before parting ways permanently two years back, believes that the club needs to "reconstruct everything" to regain its former glory.
On the "Rio Ferdinand Presents" podcast, Ronaldo expressed his concerns about the mindset of coaches and manager Erik ten Hag, stating they are hindering the current team.
"The coaches are saying they can't contend to win the league and Champions League," he stated. "It's not acceptable for a Man Utd coach to say they won't strive to win the league or Champions League. You should mentally declare, maybe we don't have the ability ... but we'll try, you have to try."
Man Utd bagged its last Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson in 2013, but the team has been underperforming since then under various managers.
Under ten Hag's guidance, Man Utd ended last season in eight position, their worst-ever Premier League finish, but did manage to defeat Man City to win the FA Cup in May.
The new season started on a low note, with a 1-0 victory against Fulham followed by losses against Brighton and Liverpool.
"This club needs time to reconstruct," said Ronaldo. "It's still one of the best clubs globally, but they need to change. They recognize that it's the only way."
He added, "I believe the future will be bright, but they can't rely solely on talent. It's more than that. It's the entire club, not just the players, everything as a unified unit."
"They need to rebuild from the ground up; if not, they won't be able to compete, it will be impossible," he cautionedly stated. "They can win the Carabao Cup ... but the Champions League or Europa League or Premier League will be challenging, in my opinion. I hope I'm wrong, but it will be challenging."
Ronaldo left Man Utd in a controversial fashion in 2022, giving an explosive interview to Piers Morgan for TalkTV, detailing how he felt betrayed by the club. He also expressed disrespect towards ten Hag.
He was mostly used as a substitute by the manager and refused to enter the field against Tottenham Hotspur during his final weeks with the Red Devils, opting to leave the stadium early instead.
Now playing for Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo acknowledges his love for Man Utd and wishes for the club's success.
He told Ferdinand that the inclusion of former striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to the coaching staff will "provide significant assistance." Van Nistelrooy spent five years at Man Utd, scoring 150 goals in 219 appearances.
"You can't reconstruct a club without expertise," said Ronaldo. "Not those who work in offices, claiming they grasp a lot about football because they watch it on TV every day. It doesn't work that way."
"The people who fully understand football are those who've been there, in the dressing room, who were players," he concluded.
Ronaldo scored his 900th career goal against Croatia while playing for Portugal recently, then added to it against Scotland a few days later.
He scored 145 goals during his time at Man Utd, evolving from a skillful winger into a prolific scorer during his initial stint at the club before moving to Real Madrid in a then-record transfer deal.
"Ronaldo believes that the current Man Utd coaches are hindering the team's chances of winning the league and Champions League, stating it's not acceptable for a coach to accept defeat without trying."
"To regain its former glory, Ronaldo suggests that Man Utd needs to 'reconstruct everything' and bring in football experts like Ruud van Nistelrooy to the coaching staff, as they truly understand the game from a player's perspective."
