Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't want to play well into his 40s, he wants to play well, into his 40s.
Every professional athlete has that dreaded internal conversation with themselves at one point. Asking when enough is enough is a tough and unavoidable process.
Timing is incredibly difficult. That drive that saw a star rise to the zenith is the same one that could make them stay too long. Ideally, you want to go out on your own terms with nothing left to prove. You want to achieve all that you could have hoped for. You want to reach your full potential.
However, even those who tick all the above boxes can find new motivations as they go into physical decline. When the reinvention brings success, it can be tough to say goodbye. There might be something left in the tank, but is it really worth using up?
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One man who can say that he's done just about everything there is to do in his field is Cristiano Ronaldo. Aside from winning that elusive World Cup, the Real Madrid superstar has experienced pretty much everything the beautiful game has to offer.
That being said, he has no intention of hanging up those boots anytime soon. As explained during a recent appearance on Spanish television programme El Chiringuito (quotes via
Independent), he wants to keep playing until his early 40s.
"Right now I have a biological age of 23. I've still got a long time left, I can keep playing until I'm 41. I'm feeling good, happy, I can't complain. We are playing another final on Saturday and the fans are behind Cristiano."
Why not? Ronaldo is in incredibly good shape, he hasn't had too many injuries throughout his career. If he feels he can go for another eight years, he might just be right.
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