Anthony Elanga, a forward for Manchester United, defended his teammate Cristiano Ronaldo when he criticized young players in a shocking interview with Piers Morgan.
The Portugal international spoke candidly on a variety of subjects in his explosive TalkTV interview, including his relationship with his current manager Erik ten Hag. The forward also bemoaned the fact that young players take things for granted and disregard his counsel.
Elanga, 20, who made his United first-team debut in May 2021, has openly defended Ronaldo’s remarks while reiterating that he and the other young Red Devils players are committed.
The Swedish international said that he can comprehend his teammates’ opinions and that the situation today is very different from that of Ronaldo’s early days at Old Trafford.
Elanga stated to the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet: “Cristiano talks about young players in general. We are a new generation. I am always 100 percent 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 percent on my job and what I do.”
“Young players at United are listening, but I can understand what he is saying.”
The forward continued: “It is quite difficult. Everyone has their phones and I have friends in Manchester and in Sweden who want to find out what has happened. I don’t know that myself. I only know what others have heard. Hopefully, I will find out the truth.”
“I try to switch off. But everyone is curious, my family is almost the worst, they always want to know. That’s how it is. I might be able to say more after I get back to the club team and find out what actually happened.”
Elanga, who has made a total of 13 appearances this season, was also questioned regarding Ronaldo’s influence at Old Trafford.
“He has helped me a lot not only on the pitch but off it as well. He is an inspiration, not only to me but to all the young players at United. Sometimes it’s just me and him at the gym.”
The Swedish youngster added: “When I’m with him, he hasn’t changed. He is still Cristiano Ronaldo to me. He has helped me a lot.”
Elanga’s remarks follow Ronaldo’s heated criticism of United’s younger players in an interview earlier this week.
“I don’t think that they don’t respect the more experienced players or the older players, but they live in a different era. I can say that for my kid that’s 12 years old, the mentality is not the same.”
“Their hunger [is different]. I think they have things more easily, everything’s easy, they don’t suffer – and they don’t care.”
“I don’t mean only a few in Manchester United, but all the teams in all leagues in the world, the youngsters are not the same of my generation. But you cannot blame them, because it’s part of the life and the new generation, the new technologies that distract them.”
“They listen but this is why we have two ears, as you listen from one side and they go away from another side.”
“It doesn’t surprise me. But in the same way it’s a shame because if they have the best examples in front of your eyes, and if they don’t at least copy what you did.”
“For me, it’s kind of weird, because I remember when I was 18, 19, 20, I always looked to see the best players in Van Nistelrooy, Ferdinand, Roy Keane, and Giggs – this is why I have the success that I have and longevity.”
“I take care of my body, my mentality, my head, because I see these guys and I learn from them.”
Anthony Elanga
Swedish professional footballer Anthony David Junior Elanga, born on April 27, 2002, plays as a winger for Manchester United in the Premier League and the Sweden national team.
At the age of 12, Elanga enrolled in the Manchester United youth program. In 2020, he won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award.
In May 2021, he made his club’s senior debut during a Premier League match against Leicester City.
Before making his senior national team debut in 2022, he competed for Sweden at the under-17, under-19, and under-21 levels.
Former Cameroon international footballer Joseph Elanga is Elanga’s father. The United star was born in the Hyllie neighborhood of Malmö, Sweden, when his father was a player for Malmö FF.
He is trilingual, speaking Swedish, English, and French.
