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What Cristiano Ronaldo Predicted He Would Be Doing At 36 Years Of Age

What Cristiano Ronaldo Predicted He Would Be Doing At 36 Years Of Age

Cristiano Ronaldo turned 36 today and is expected to play into his 40s.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

Cristiano Ronaldo has never lacked confidence and self-belief but even he has admitted he could not have predicted his incredible longevity in the game.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner he's revealed that, as a youngster, he thought by now he would be a fisherman back in Madeira, the small island he grew up in.

"'I thought I was going to be a fisherman in Madeira," he told Canal 11, as per the Daily Mail.

"This never came into my mind. I wanted to be a professional footballer but I didn't think I was going to win everything I've won."

Quite the opposite has happened. Ronaldo, now 36 and with his body still in the physical state of a 20-year-old thanks to his disciplined routine, is still going strong.

The Portugal skipper has notched 22 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions for Juventus this term and recently became the highest goalscorer in football history when he scored his 760th career goal and knocked Josef Bican off his perch.

Given he's been playing first-team football at the highest level since he was 18 years of age, one might have felt Ronaldo would be winding down at this point and heading towards retirement.

But Giovanni Mauri, who was Carlos Ancelotti's fitness coach at multiple clubs including Real Madrid and PSG, reckons Ronaldo will follow in the footsteps of Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Image: PA
Image: PA

Despite a devastating ACL injury, Ibrahimovic is still doing the business for AC Milan as he approaches his 40th birthday.

Mauri told Tuttosport : "When he [Ronaldo] arrived in Italy, I said he is a player out of the norm. He's settled in and he continues scoring.

"He is following the method we proposed him in Madrid where rest is a fundamental part of the training.

"Rest doesn't only mean to sleep. It's not passive, but it's made of specific exercises that aim to reach muscular, mental and articular wellness.

"I've worked with many footballers on their forties, from [Paolo] Maldini to [Alessandro] Costacurta.

"When I was at PSG I was sure Ibrahimovic would have played until 40 years old. They are all athletes with great flexibility despite their strength.

"Ibra has got a dancer's mobility despite a weight of almost 100 kilograms. Cristiano Ronaldo is part of this category and can play until he's 40."

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Topics: Football News, Football, Portugal, Juventus, Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid