Real Madrid superstar, Cristiano Ronaldo, has an ambitious goal as far as his career is concerned: he wants to play six or seven more seasons at the current level. But at 29 years old, is that a realistic objective for the Portuguese striker?
Seven years from now Ronaldo will be 36 years old, and while that is not old by any means, for a footballer the years take their toll. Cristiano is considered one of the best players in the world, and maintaining that intensity is not easy for anyone, even someone as dedicated to his physical conditioning as Ronaldo.
The proof is in what happened at the end of last season, when Ronaldo was plagued by injuries, which ended affecting his performance in the World Cup. Portugal’s captain was diagnosed with tendinitis, and at one point was warned that if he did not withdraw from the tournament altogether, he could suffer a career ending injury.
In part as a result of these nagging injuries, Portugal was eliminated in the groups stage, a disappointment for Ronaldo. After helping to win “La Decima” — the tenth UEFA Champions League, the most of any team — for Real Madrid, Cristiano expressed his desire to bring the World Cup to his country. However, it was not to be.
After some time to recover from the grueling La Liga season and the World Cup, Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to take the field once again this season and prove that he still has what it takes to be at the top of his game. During a sponsor event in Tokyo, he said:
“I would like to play six or seven more years at the top level of club competition. I’m really focused. My injury is gone. I feel very, very good. I really want to get going again and stay in good shape until the end of the season.”
After an incredibly successful season with Los Blancos — which included the Copa del Rey and UCL Championship — Ronaldo insisted he is ready and wants nothing more than to keep winning titles for Real Madrid. The only title that eluded Carlo Ancelotti’s men was the Spanish League, which was taken by cross town rivals, Atletico Madrid.
“Last season was amazing. We now have the opportunity to win five or six titles in the new season, which is fantastic.”
“I’ll try my best the entire season like I do it every year. I’ll try to be the best, try to help my team, try to score goals and try to win titles.”
Cristiano Ronaldo will have some additional help this season as, adding to his teammates from last year, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema, Real has brought in more scoring power. Last week the club signed World Cup winner Toni Kroos from Germany, and on Tuesday the Golden Boot winner, James Rodriguez, also signed with Los Blancos . There is no question that Real Madrid will have one of the deadliest offenses in all of football to keep Ronaldo at the top of his game , hopefully for those six or seven years.
[Image via Twitter ]