Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal and Real Madrid’s record goalscorer, is no longer the lightning-fast, agile footballer he used to be back in the day.
At 40 years of age, he now plays out of Europe with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, but remains an integral part of the national team.
“When you’re younger, you think you are going to live forever. You’re going to have power forever,” Ronaldo told the WHOOP Podcast.
“You think you are unbreakable when you are 25. (But) your body is not the same at 30, especially in football.”
Ronaldo made his senior professional debut at 17 with Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United, where he won three Premier League and one UEFA Champions League titles to become a global star.
But his most prominent club legacy came at Real Madrid, where he became one of its most successful players of all time, winning 15 major trophies, including four Champions League trophies.
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At the international level, he led Portugal to both of its international trophies – the European Championship in 2016 and the UEFA Nations League in 2019.
On Tuesday, May 20, he was named for the semifinals of the 2024-25 edition of the Nations League, one he would like to get his hands on before age catches up with him.
“I’m still feeling good, and I prioritise recovery and sleeping much more than before,” Ronaldo added.
Portugal will play Germany in a single-legged semifinal of the Nations League on June 4 in Munich, with the winner taking on Spain or France in the title clash, four days later.
Content Source: sportstar.thehindu.com