Rome: It’s the truth… age is just a number for Cristiano Ronaldo. Well on his 30th birthday February 5, five years back, he was heavily criticised. He was in Real Madrid then and after his team had suffered a humiliating 0-4 loss to city rivals Atletico that afternoon, the Portuguese star was filmed singing to 150 guests at an exclusive restaurant. No one forgave him for such an act.
Five years later, in 2020, there was no such party. Ronaldo probably celebrated his 35th birthday with a training session, a nap and probably a plate of avocado on toast.
Figures themselves tell the story. Before his 30th birthday, Ronaldo had scored 52 goals in 118 matches for Portugal. Since then his incredible return is 47 goals in 46 games, inspiring Portugal to glory in the 2016 European Championship and also the inaugural UEFA Nations League last year.
Prior to his 30th birthday, Ronaldo scored 72 goals in 109 Champions League matches for Manchester United and Real Madrid. In the next five, he has scored in the competition 56 times in 59 matches for Real and Juventus, lifting the trophy three times.
In the 13 years from the time debuted for Sporting Lisbon at the age of 17 to 30, Ronaldo scored 360 goals for his clubs and 52 for his country. In just the five years since, he scored another 265 goals for club and country. It is a simply phenomenal resistance to the effects of time on body and mind.
Ronaldo’s obsession with fitness and conditioning is legendary and that is probably one of the main reasons for his successes. But then there are other factors too. Ronaldo eats little but six times in a day giving each meal a margin of 3-4 hours as opposed to the usual three square meals most footballers have.
Ronaldo’s diet allows for ultra-low fat, high muscle body type. With the aid of a specialist nutritionist, he eats whole grains, fresh fruit and lean proteins contained in fish such as swordfish, sea bass, bream and cod. And food is cooked fresh.
And then his sleeping routine, Ronaldo sleeps five times each day other than the match days. No, no eight hours of continuous solid sleeping for him.
This programme has been designed to fit in with the training he is doing throughout the day and support the fast metabolism athletes have.
Ronaldo religiously follows this pattern, even during his holidays. All of which is adding up to a most remarkable longevity, but as Ronaldo passes his 35th birthday, he has no intention of stopping yet.
Who said age is a barrier? No, not at least for Cristiano Ronaldo.
CR7 stats
(Before his 30th birthday February 5, 2015)
52 goals in 118 games for Portugal
72 goals in 109 Champions League games
412 goals for clubs and country
(After his 30th birthday till present)
47 goals in 46 games for Portugal
56 goals in 59 Champions League games
265 goals for clubs and country
PNN & Agencies