Bayern Munich legend Ze Roberto says Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo might not be playing at 40
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Bayern Munich star Ze Roberto said that he does not believe that Manchester United ace Cristiano Ronaldo will still be playing at 40, despite going strong at 37 in the Premier League.
Ronaldo is one of the oldest players to grace the English top-flight, with the Portuguese forward known for his longevity and his strict physical regime that allows him to play football at the top despite being in the latter stages of his 30s.
Ze Roberto, who won 4 Bundesliga titles with Bayern, said that although a machine, Ronaldo will not last as an active professional footballer at 40 as it isn’t the same as it was when he was younger.
“Cristiano is, for me, a machine, but I don’t think he will still be going at 40 because he is a player who has always played at the highest level, always winning trophies and always trying to be the best player in the world.”
The Red Devils have one of the league’s oldest strike force, comprising 37-year-old Ronaldo and 35-year-old Edinson Cavani. Though both were superstars in their own right when they were younger, the pair have not made the same impact in Manchester as of yet.
“Best proof”
Ronaldo’s age may just be showing in his recent performances, as 2022 has seen the former Real Madrid forward go through a lengthy goal drought – something that is unheard of when it comes to the Portugal skipper.
Ze Roberto, who himself played till he was 43, said that he does not think Ronaldo will be playing for a lot longer because he is not the same player he once was.
The Brazilian isof the opinion that Ronaldo is no longer among the top two or three players in the world.
“But in the last two years, we have seen he has not been able to do that with Juventus and now with Manchester United. The best proof of that is that he hasn’t been among the top two or three players for the big individual prizes.”
Although it is true that Ronaldo is no longer the player he once was, there can be no doubting his quality. One of the world’s best finishers, he has time and again proved his critics wrong when it mattered most, and the expectation is that he will bounce back from his recent poor spell.
People are quick to forget that the forward had an excellent 2021 with United, as he almost single handedly dragged his side to the knockout stages of the Champions League with his goals, and was a constant threat in the Premier League.
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2022 may not have been the most productive year of his career so far, but one would be foolish not to back him to bounce back from this. Time and again, he has proved that he is still not finished at the top, and we can hope that he gets back to his best soon again.
He is still physically fit and has hardly stayed injured, which augurs well for both United and the player himself. A
single goal may restart his goalscoring spell once again, and fans can hope it comes against Manchester City this weekend in the derby, setting a great platform for him to kick on from.
