Cristiano Ronaldo has criticised Manchester United for their decision to bring in Ralf Rangnick as interim head coach following the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer last November.

Rangnick was surprisingly appointed as interim manager at Old Trafford last December following Solskjaer's sacking, with the German remaining in the role until the end of the campaign.

The 64-year-old had largely been known for his work as a director before his arrival in Manchester, while he had been manager of sports and development at Lokomotiv Moscow ahead of a move to Man United.

Ronaldo, during his interview with Piers Morgan on TalkTV, also claimed that Rangnick did not know what he was doing, having not been a head coach since 2019 before his arrival at Old Trafford, but he was happy to call him "boss".

"Of course, we have to call him boss because he assumed the job regardless - all the coaches that I had in my career, I call them boss because if they assume the job we have to call them that. But in the end, deep inside me, I never saw him as the boss because I saw some points that I never agreed with," said Ronaldo.

© Reuters

"No, they don't (whether Rangnick knew what he was doing). They knew with the club, very well. But they don't know the main dimension of the club inside, the history of the club.

"Which is, for me, surprised me even more. Which is when you sack Ole Solskjaer, you should bring a top manager, not a sports director."

Ronaldo also appeared to take aim at Rangnick for his style of football, which is often referred to as gegenpressing.

"To be honest, Piers, it's something that I don't understand. It's the new coaches that are coming around, they think they find the last Coca Cola in the desert... I don't understand the football that invents many, many years," he added.

"But I respect any coach, every different approach, different opinions, different mentality, but some points I don't agree with. I've always been besides the best coaches in the world: [Zinedine] Zidane and [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Jose] Mourinho, Fernando Santos, [Massimiliano Allegri]... so I have some experience because I learned from them.

© Reuters

"And when you see some coaches that are coming, that they want the revolution [in] football, I don't agree, I have my opinion.

"They agree or they don't - they disagree, but it's part of the business because at the end of the day, I'm in a club to win, and with my experience, I want to help. Like always, and some coaches that don't accept you and, you know, it's part of the job."

Ronaldo also paid tribute to Solskjaer's character, revealing that he 'loves' the Norwegian, who was sacked last November due to the team's struggles.

"I love Solskjaer. I think he was a top person, because what I keep inside my heart, it's the heart of the persons. And Ole for me, is a top person... It's hard. It's hard to assume [the role] after Sir Alex Ferguson, but I think he did a good job for sure," said the Portuguese.

"You need much more time. But I never doubt that you're going to be a good coach in the future. But it was a good experience. I was so pleased to work with him even for a short period."

Ronaldo is currently with the Portugal squad preparing for the 2022 World Cup.