Ronaldo greets Fernandes after explosive comments in an interview 0:50
(CNN) --
"You either die a hero, or you live long enough to become the villain," says Harvey Dent in Batman's "The Dark Knight," foreshadowing his descent from hero to villain.
Could the same be said of Cristiano Ronaldo?
It's no secret that the Portuguese superstar hasn't enjoyed a fairytale reunion with Manchester United since returning to Old Trafford last year.
Manchester United's response to Cristiano Ronaldo 1:27
In the latest twist in the saga between Ronaldo and United, excerpts from an explosive interview with Piers Morgan were published on Talk TV this week in which Ronaldo said he had been "betrayed" by the club.
The full interview was scheduled to run over two nights on Wednesday and Thursday.
Specifically, Ronaldo is not happy with new Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag, who suspended the striker after he left Manchester United's game against Tottenham Hotspur last month before the end of the game.
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"I don't respect him because he doesn't show respect for me," Ronaldo said.
"If you don't have respect for me, I will never have respect for you."
The end of an unhappy marriage
Ronaldo enjoyed unprecedented success at Manchester United after joining the club in the summer of 2003. Over the next six years, he would transform from a shrewd winger to the best player in the world, collecting the first of his five Ballon d'Ors. in 2008.
In that time, he's won three Premier League titles, the FA Cup, two League Cups and the Champions League, a tournament Ronaldo has since become synonymous with.
But since he returned to England, he hasn't had the same success.
Last season was the first for Ronaldo in 17 years in which he did not win a trophy, dating back to his early spell at the club.
Since trying to force a departure from United over the summer, Ronaldo has featured sparingly, only playing in 16 games for the Red Devils.
That number is unlikely to increase after the Talk TV interview, which may well spell the end of his time in Manchester.
Cristiano Ronaldo has only one goal in the Premier League this season.
Ronaldo now says he feels ten Hag was forcing him to leave the club, but what he failed to mention was that he was the one who pushed to leave in the summer after United failed to qualify for the Champions League.
In the interview he also reflected on his personal tragedy.
Earlier this year, he and his partner, Georgina Rodríguez, announced that his baby had died.
Ronaldo also said his young daughter ended up in hospital this year, which he cited as the reason he missed most of pre-season training with United.
But after criticizing his manager, former teammates, the club and the owners, many have been appalled by Ronaldo's jabs at his employer.
“I am totally baffled and confused as to why he has done this interview,” Jermaine Jenas, a former England international turned pundit, said on the BBC's Match Of The Day 2.
“We've seen nothing but smugness all year with walking through the tunnel.
Today he supposedly was sick.
He is now doing interviews with Piers Morgan.
“He is a frustrated player.
Whether he feels cheated or not, he just doesn't feel right to me today.
He has to (finish his time at United).”
Beth Tucker, a presenter on United's fan channel The United Stand, appreciated Ronaldo's criticism of United's owners, but not of his treatment of the club or Ten Hag.
“If he wanted to hit the club, he should have gone out against the Glazers.
I shouldn't have gone against the manager as well," Tucker said on The United Stand.
“He thinks he's [bigger than Ten Hag] and in the world of football he is, but at Manchester United right now he's not.
No player is bigger than the club and the coach."
Salary and behavior keep Ronaldo's clubs away
This summer, Ronaldo was linked with a variety of teams, including Atlético Madrid, Chelsea, Napoli, Bayern Munich and there was even talk of a possible return to Sporting Lisbon, where he emerged as a talent 20 years ago.
But despite his label as an elite striker and his tally of 18 goals last season, Ronaldo seemed unable to attract offers to lure him away from United.
One reason is his huge salary at United, which under his current contract is around $560,000 a week.
But the biggest downer for the clubs may be the behavior of Ronaldo, who has now twice left games early this season and has done an interview in which he openly disparages his club.
When Bayern were linked with signing Ronaldo this summer, the club's chief executive Oliver Kahn was quick to say the player "wouldn't fit in".
He said: “I love Cristiano Ronaldo and everyone knows how fantastic he is.
But every club has a certain philosophy and I'm not sure if it would be the right thing for Bayern and the Bundesliga if we sign him now."
Despite his impressive personal journey last season, Ronaldo was routinely criticized for his behavior at United, both on and off the pitch, where other players seemed to be sacrificing their own talents to serve the superstar.
Where will Ronaldo go now?
On Monday, Ronaldo tweeted that he had "complete and utter focus on the work of the national team" ahead of the World Cup, which begins this week.
When contacted by CNN, Man United and the Glazer family said they had no further comment following an original statement on the matter.
Cristiano Ronaldo, tough against Manchester Utd.
0:50
In that statement, the club said: "Manchester United take note of the media coverage of an interview with Cristiano Ronaldo.
The club will consider its response once all the facts have been established.
"Our focus continues to be preparing for the second half of the season and continuing the momentum, belief and unity that is being built between the players, the coach, the staff and the fans."
Some, including former United defender Rio Ferdinand, believe Ronaldo's association with the club will have to end.
“This has all been fabricated for one thing, and that is for him to leave the club,” Ferdinand said on his Vibe with Five podcast.
“I don't feel that the club accepts him and I don't think he wants to come back.
This is all fabricated for that reason.”
Ronaldo still has phenomenal business value as a player and is the most followed person on the planet on social media platforms.
Even with his incredible salary, most club accountants would say he's worth signing.
But Ronaldo has struggled to find his footing of late, demanding that a club not only bring him into the squad, but also build the team around him.
For a 37-year-old who has arguably been through his prime, that's perhaps not something clubs are looking to do.
After this interview, it is also clear that Ronaldo is a potential risk for an elite team and most clubs will now consider signing the striker with less awe and more caution.
Once the game's hero, he is in danger of quickly becoming a villain.
