Ronaldo explains pre-season absence as he levels more criticism at Man Utd bosses

• Ronaldo explains pre-season absence
• Feels United officials doubted his reason
• Cited poor health of newborn daughter

WHAT HAPPENED? Another segment of Ronaldo's exclusive interview with Piers Morgan has been released, where the 37-year-old explains that his absence from the bulk of United's pre-season was due to his newborn daughter's sickness. He went further, noting that he felt officials at the club doubted the reason for his absence.

WHAT HE SAID: "I spoke with the director and the president of Manchester United," Ronaldo explained on Talk TV's Piers Morgan Uncensored: "Kind of they didn't believe that something (was) going wrong, which made me feel bad.

When Morgan asked if they didn't believe Ronaldo, he responded while shaking his head: "They believed it but in the same way they are, they, I never..." He continued after hesitating: "Piers, I'm never gonna (exchange) the health of my family for football. Never. (Not) now or 10 years behind or forward.

"And it's something that really hurt me, because they doubted my word," he added, confirming that a 'big problem' was why he could not attend pre-season.

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Ronaldo missed the vast majority of United's pre-season preparations under new manager Erik ten Hag, including a tour of Thailand and Australia, before wrapping up in Europe. The 37-year-old returned for their final pre-season fixture, playing 45 minutes against Rayo Vallecano before leaving the stadium early.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR RONALDO? United released a statement acknowledging Ronaldo's interview earlier on Monday, with the players now with their respective nations for the World Cup. The 37-year-old's future will likely be resolved after the tournament.