Sir Jim Ratcliffe takes strong action after Cristiano Ronaldo's brutal Man Utd dig

Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have clapped back at Cristiano Ronaldo's previous comments in the grandest way possible by opening Manchester United's new £50million training facility. United's state-of-the-art Carrington renovation is now operational, in a significant boost for Ruben Amorim and his players ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Glazer family's negligence had left the club's infrastructure inferior to their Premier League rivals, contributing to over a decade of decline. But Ratcliffe's football-first approach shone bright during a stunning unveiling of the new-look Carrington, which he hopes will drive standards and support United's return to the top.

Ronaldo's departure in 2022 was ugly. The Old Trafford icon fell out with Erik ten Hag before using Piers Morgan Uncensored to force an exit by aiming fire at several areas of the club.

Among them were the training facilities at Carrington, which the 40-year-old claimed had not changed since he left for Real Madrid in 2009.

"Nothing changed since I left, the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym, even some technology," Ronaldo vented to Piers Morgan.

"Even the chefs whom I appreciate, lovely people. I thought I would see new technology, infrastructure. I saw things I saw when I was 20!"

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While the Glazers didn't act on Ronaldo's criticism, Ratcliffe did, in some style. Carrington is now an elite hub that will fuel United's renaissance under the INEOS banner.

The year-long project was led by Foster + Partners, who are also helming plans for the club's 100,000-capacity new stadium worth £2bn.

United have described the new facility as "a leading-edge, high-performance training environment designed to inspire collaboration, innovation and excellence."

The upgrades include a new high-altitude room in the gym, where players can push themselves by simulating exercises in the most extreme altitudes in the world.

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United have also levelled up the pool area, one of Ronaldo's gripes. There are now hot and cold plunge pools to maximise recovery, alongside a state-of-the-art hydroworks pool (an underwater treadmill).

In the dressing room, players each have their own timber lockers with a screen displaying their respective weekly schedules.

While the renovation doesn't guarantee improvement on the pitch, Amorim and his players now have the tools to ensure the lows of 25/26 don't happen again.