Cristiano Ronaldo has given one of the most explosive interviews of his entire career having endured a turbulent start to the 2022/23 campaign.On the back of Manchester United's worst ever Premier League season, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner sought to cut his reunion with the Old Trafford club short in the summer by angling for a move to a Champions League side.As we know, that never actually transpired, but Ronaldo's troubles certainly weren't assuaged by the passing of Deadline Day as new manager Erik ten Hag hasn't consistently named in his starting XI.

How has Ronaldo played this season?

As such, upon the conclusion of the first half of the Premier League season, making way for the 2022 World Cup, Ronaldo finds himself in unfamiliar territory with just one goal in the competition.

A pair of strikes have come in the Europa League to bring his overall tally for the season to three, but all in all, the 2022/23 campaign has marked a crushing low for Ronaldo at the top level.

Marry that to the controversy of his decision to leave the bench and stadium before full-time of United's win against Tottenham Hotspur - leading to his suspension from the first-team next time out - and it really has been a tumultuous few months for the Portuguese icon.

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What did Ronaldo say to Piers Morgan?

And after it all, Ronaldo took the stunning decision to speak to Piers Morgan in an eye-opening interview that was partially released to the surprise of football fans on Sunday night.

On the same evening as United's final Premier League match before the World Cup break, which Ronaldo missed through illness, the 37-year-old delivered what Morgan branded as "the most explosive interview he’s ever given."

And the early evidence of the full conversation, which will hit television screens later in the week, certainly didn't disappoint as a remarkable clip shows him declaring that he felt 'betrayed' by the Premier League giants.

Video: Ronaldo on feeling 'betrayed' at Man Utd

Another clip then followed in its wake, showing Ronaldo speaking with brutal honesty about how he feels United has been moving in the wrong direction since Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement.

Video: Ronaldo discusses Man Utd in the post-Ferguson era

However, there was even more head-spinning snippets to emerge from the interview as part of Morgan's write-up in The Sun, which featured quotes from Ronaldo taking aim at Ten Hag, Ralf Rangnick and Wayne Rooney.

You can check some of the most eye-catching quotes to have been released so far down below...

What did Ronaldo say about Ten Hag?

“I don’t have respect for him because he doesn’t show respect for me. If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.

"If you don’t have respect for me, I’m never gonna have respect for you.”

Soccer Football - Premier League - Southampton v Manchester United - St Mary's Stadium, Southampton, Britain - August 27, 2022 Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag talks to Cristiano Ronaldo before he comes on as a substitute REUTERS/Hannah Mckay EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

What did Ronaldo say about Rangnick?

“If you’re not even a coach, how are you going to be the boss of Manchester United? I’d never even heard of him.”

What did Ronaldo say about Rooney?

“I don’t know why he criticises me so badly . . . probably because he finished his career and I’m still playing at high level.”

He's then said to have jovially added with a chuckle: “I’m not going to say that I’m looking better than him. Which is true...”

Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo (L) celebrates his goal against Porto with team mate Wayne Rooney during their Champions League quarter-final, second leg soccer match at Dragon stadium in Porto, April 15 2009. REUTERS/Miguel Vidal (PORTUGAL SPORT SOCCER)

What did Ronaldo say about Man Utd?

“I think the fans should know the truth. I want the best for the club. This is why I come to Manchester United.

“But you have some things inside that don’t help (us) reach the top level as City, Liverpool and even now Arsenal... a club with this dimension should be top of the tree in my opinion and they are not unfortunately.”

What did Ronaldo say about Sir Alex Ferguson?

“He knows better than anybody that the club is not on the path they deserve to be.

"He knows. Everyone knows. The people who don’t see that… it’s because they don’t want to see; they are blind.”

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM - MAY 15: Sir Alex Ferguson the manager of Manchester United talks with Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final during the Manchester United media day held at the Carrington Training Complex on May 15, 2008 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Where does Ronaldo go from here?

It is, truth be told, nothing short of staggering that Ronaldo would be dropping comments of this nature while he still has time left to run on his contract at the 'Theatre of Dreams'.

It's hard to imagine how Ronaldo could ever play another game of football under Ten Hag and his regime having now given an interview that speaks with such open criticism of his leadership.

While, of course, it would be rash to draw too many conclusions until the full interview goes live, it's clear to establish from so many of the soundbites released already that his position at United is now completely untenable.

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v West Ham United - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - October 30, 2022 Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo reacts REUTERS/Peter Powell EDITORIAL USE ONLY. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 75 images, no video emulation. No use in betting, games or single club /league/player publications. Please contact your account representative for further details.

And perhaps most shocking of all is the fact that there could still be more to come when Ronaldo's chat with Morgan is aired in its entirety. Strap yourselves in, folks.

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