Cristiano Ronaldo has already given his opinion on Man Utd boss Michael Carrick

Tom Weber

• 13 Jan 2026 14:24 CST
• 3 min read

News

Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo believes that Michael Carrick has what it takes to become a successful coach.

The 44-year-old has been officially unveiled as the Red Devils' new interim head coach until the end of the season. Carrick received the nod over Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and replaced Darren Fletcher, who has returned to his U18s role after two games in charge.

Carrick will lead Man Utd training for the first time on Wednesday and will take charge of his debut game in the Manchester Derby on Saturday. He inherits Ruben Amorim's squad with the goal of getting the Old Trafford club back into the Champions League.

Man Utd, who did not qualify for Europe last term, crashed out of the Carabao Cup against League Two side Grimsby early on this season, and are now also out of the FA Cup following their defeat to Brighton in Fletcher's final game at the weekend.

Carrick's sole focus is therefore on the Premier League, where Man Utd currently sit seventh, one point off Brentford in fifth and three off Liverpool in fourth.

Ronaldo endorses Carrick

This is not Carrick's first head coaching job, nor is it his first tenure at Man Utd. The 44-year-old had been out of a job since getting sacked by Middlesbrough after the end of last season.

Before his two-and-a-half-year stint at the Riverside Stadium, the former midfielder had a three-game spell as Man Utd caretaker manager in late 2021. He recorded two wins and a draw before being replaced by Ralf Rangnick.

When Carrick left in December 2021, he received a ringing endorsement from then-Red Devil Cristiano Ronaldo, who wrote on X: “Michael Carrick was a class act as a player, and he can become a great coach as well. Nothing is impossible for this guy.

“Personally, I’m proud to have played with him by my side as well as with him as a manager on our bench.”

Carrick will now have the chance to prove himself over a longer period of time than in 2021. As things stand, Man Utd are expected to hire a big-name replacement in the summer.

However, should Carrick manage to turn Man Utd's fortunes around, he could put himself in contention to get the job permanently.

The FootballTransfers app

Check out FootballTransfers' new app for all of football's big storylines, transfer rumours and exclusive news in one convenient place directly on your mobile device.

The FootballTransfers app is available in the Apple App Store. Download here:

•App Store