‘Just took them a year to see it’: Magnus Carlsen aims dig at Ruben Amorim after Manchester United sacking

Manchester United's head coach Ruben Amorim reacts during the English Premier League soccer match between Manchester United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in Manchester, England, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Dave Thompson)

5-time World chess champion Magnus Carlsen who had been a vocal critic of Ruben Amorim throughout his tenue at Manchester United, reacted to the news of the Portuguese’s sacking with a short 8-world tweet on X. “Just took them a year to see it,” Carlsen posted on the social media platform, quote tweeting a post he had made in January of last year.

In that tweet which simply said “Amorim Out”, Carlsen asked Manchester United to sack their then manager Amorim after they had stumbled to their 10th Premier League defeat of the season where they lost 1-3 to Brighton at Old Trafford.

Carlsen’s wish came true on Monday when Amorim’s turbulent 14-month tenure as United manager ended abruptly when he was sacked a day after voicing a passionate defence of his role and vowed not to quit in the wake of a disappointing 1-1 draw with Leeds United.

Just took them a year to see it https://t.co/at6DkaSZ6i — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) January 5, 2026

“With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League, the club’s leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change. This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish,” the club said in a statement.

The Portuguese coach, 40, took over from Erik ten Hag in November 2024, ending his first season with ‍the club ⁠15th in the Premier League – their worst placing since they were relegated in 1974 – and losing to Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League final.

This season they are sixth after 20 games – 17 behind leaders Arsenal – having won three of their last 11 matches and the Leeds result triggered a fiery outburst in a press conference from the usually mild-mannered and refreshingly honest coach. He bristled at questions about his job security, delivering a defiant message that he ​came to United as a manager with full authority and not merely a ‌coach taking orders.

Amorim joined ‌United after impressing at Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon but struggled to make any immediate impact. In his 63 games, he oversaw 24 wins, 18 draws and 21 defeats, with a win percentage of 38.1. In the league that ‌dropped to 32%, the worst of any of the club’s managers in the Premier League era and which has left them completely out of the conversation when it comes to challenging for the title.