Luis Enrique: Why Manchester United Didn’t appoint PSG Boss Despite Ronaldo’s Advice
- Luis Enrique could have been Manchester United's boss three years ago if the club had followed Cristiano Ronaldo's advice
- The Spanish tactician has been coaching Paris Saint-Germain for the last two seasons and could lead the French club to the FIFA Club World Cup
- The Red Devils opted to go with Erik ten Hag, but things have gone downhill since, while Enrique is flying
Don't miss out! Join Tuko.co.ke Sports News channel on WhatsApp now!
Luis Enrique won the treble with PSG and could lift the FIFA Club World Cup, but that could have been Manchester United's achievement; however, they reportedly ignored Ronaldo's advice.
Source: Getty Images
Man United have struggled to find a successful formula since Sir Alex Ferguson retired
How Luis Enrique transformed PSG
Enrique has made PSG a force in Europe this season. He has implemented a beautiful style, which saw them win the treble, capped by a 5-0 win in the Champions League final over Inter Milan.
He took charge of PSG in 2023, but his first season was far from impressive despite winning Ligue 1. This season, he has transformed the team built around Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha.
They've wrapped up the league title, and a win in the Club World Cup would cap off an incredible year.
Could Luis Enrique have joined Man United?
Enrique could be doing that with Man United, who have struggled for years and changed coaches multiple times.
According to the Mirror, Ronaldo, then a Man United player, reportedly urged the club's hierarchy to appoint Enrique to replace Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who was fired in November 2021.
However, they ended up hiring Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, who was fired last October. The Dutchman was replaced by Ruben Amorim, who joined from Sporting CP.
According to Sky Sports, Ronaldo's preferred candidate was Enrique. The tactician was appointed as Spain's coach in 2018 and took a break following the painful death of his nine-year-old daughter, Xana, in August 2019.
"Can I consider myself fortunate or unfortunate? I consider myself fortunate, very fortunate," Enrique said via the Sun.
"My daughter Xana came to live with us for nine wonderful years. We have a thousand memories of her, videos, incredible things."
He returned months later and took his country to the 2022 World Cup, but they lost to Morocco in the round of 16. The Red Devils missed Enrique due to the timing.
Source: Getty Images
The club went backwards under Ten Hag, and last season, they finished 15th and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham Hotspur.
Best reactions to Luis Enrique's masterclass vs Arsenal
"Luis Enrique is a genius. He was as a player and he is as a coach. Balls the size of planets, top personality, amazing human. He should've become MUFC manager in '22, but the timings weren't right as he was at Spain ahead of the World Cup."
"Luis Enrique been schooling prem managers all knockouts."
"Like it or not, Luis Enrique is the most box-office coach now in Europe. I tend to think he's also incredibly underrated."
Supercomputer predicts Club World Cup winner
In a related story, TUKO.co.ke reported that Opta's supercomputer predicted the FIFA Club World Cup winner.
Enrique's PSG faces Chelsea on Sunday afternoon in New Jersey, with the winner pocketing billions of shillings.
PSG have been given a 42.2% chance of victory, while Chelsea have been given a 31.4% chance of winning.
Proofreading by Mercy Nyambura, copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
