Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo remains unsure when he will retire, saying it could be as soon as next year or he could play into his 40s.
Ronaldo, 34, has continued to star after joining the Old Lady last year, scoring 28 goals in 43 games in all competitions and helping the Italian giants win another Serie A title in 2018-19.
The five-time Ballon d’Or winner is uncertain when he will stop playing, although he intimated that it may not be far away.
“I don’t think about that,” Ronaldo told TVI on Tuesday.
“Maybe I can leave my career next year … but I can also play up to 40 or 41.
“I don’t know. What I always say is to enjoy the moment. The gift is excellent and I have to continue to enjoy it.”
Along with numerous individual honours, Ronaldo has won a record five Champions League titles (four with Real Madrid and one with Manchester United), three Premier League crowns, two La Liga trophies, and the one Serie A crown.
Ronaldo wants to make history and is seemingly motivated by setting records.
“Are there any soccer players who have more records than me?” he asked.
“I don’t think there are any footballers who have more records than me.”
His team-mate Sami Khedira likened the ex-Manchester United attacker’s standing in football to the role of superstars in other sports and the work ethic of legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.
“Ronaldo is an example for all sportsmen, like LeBron James in basketball or Tom Brady in American football,” Khedira told Kicker .
“Or like [Gianluigi] Buffon. When the boys see Gigi pushing weights for 45 minutes, at 41, they understand his love for this sport and can only think, ‘I can do it too’.
“Older players are a great motivator for the younger ones.”
With Serie A having a later start to the season than Europe’s other strong leagues, Juventus begin their campaign to win a ninth straight Scudetto away to Parma on Saturday.
They face a tough opening to the season, with fixtures against Fiorentina(away) and Napoli (home) to follow after their opening weekend match.
CREDIT: BLURPRINT
