LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) Dimitar Berbatov, a former Manchester United teammate of Cristiano Ronaldo, has expressed his belief that Ronaldo can continue his football career until at least the age of 41.
Despite turning 38 last February, the Portuguese forward has shown no signs of slowing down.
He recently scored a brace for his national team, Seleccao, in their 3-2 victory against Slovakia, securing their place in the European Championship in Germany next year.
Ronaldo’s exceptional form extends to his club, Al-Nassr, where he has netted 17 goals in as many matches.
READ ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo Remains Uncertain About Playing Beyond 40
Berbatov sees no reason for Ronaldo to contemplate retirement at this stage.
“Ronaldo will stop when he wants to stop,” commented the former United striker in an interview with Betfair.
“When you take care of yourself as he does and have the support team that he has, the prospects of playing football for longer than expected increase significantly.
“In Cristiano’s case, I believe he has the potential to continue for another two or three years.
“Some may argue that he plays in a slower league that is not as competitive as the Premier League, but it’s irrelevant.
“He is continually proving that he is still going strong, especially with his recent performances and goal-scoring record for Portugal.
“He has helped Portugal qualify for Euro 2024, and while his last tournament will eventually come, we shouldn’t dwell on that yet.
“We should let him continue and I’m certain he will surprise us with another decision before long.
READ ALSO: Cristiano Ronaldo Aims For 1,000 Career Goals
“For now, Cristiano is still going strong, so we should savor watching him play until he decides it’s time to hang up his boots.“
Ronaldo has reportedly expressed his desire to continue playing for Al-Nassr until 2027, hinting at a potential World Cup appearance at the 2026 tournament in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Furthermore, he has set an ambitious goal of scoring 1,000 career goals before retirement, currently boasting 857 goals. Should he maintain his current scoring rate, achieving the four-digit milestone is well within reach.
