Latest Nottingham Forest news as we look at when Anthony Elanga took on criticism from Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Manchester United
Incoming Nottingham Forest winger Anthony Elanga has taken on board criticism aimed at his generation by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Elanga is set to join Forest after a £15million fee was agreed with Manchester United. He will become the second signing of the summer following the arrival of free agent Ola Aina on Saturday.
While together at Manchester United, Ronaldo publicly critcised the younger generation of players in an interview, saying they lack hunger and ‘don’t care’ as much as players his age. Elanga responded to it a short while later, and was surprisingly in agreement with the legendary forward.
“The hunger. They [young players] have things more easily,” Ronaldo said in November 2022. 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.
“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.”
Responding to Ronaldo’s comments days later, Elanga 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.”
