I feel proud to still compete at the highest level at this age – Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo is proud that he is still going strongly at the top level despite turning 39 in February. Ronaldo has performed consistently in the last two decades and still has the hunger and motivation to keep going.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star has scored 891 goals in his career and is the all-time leading scorer in men’s international football with 128 goals.

The talisman has been in sensational form in the Saudi Pro League for Al-Nassr, scoring 33 goals in the 28 matches of the ongoing season. Furthermore, the Portuguese have provided 10 assists.

Moreover, Ronaldo has scored six goals and has provided two assists in nine matches of the AFC Champions League.

Ronaldo said on the Whoop podcast, “I feel proud to have this age and still compete at the highest level. It’s great and it gives me motivation to carry on. If you look at my career for the last 20 years, it’s unbelievable. I do that and I continue to do that. For me, it’s a big achievement.”

“It’s not easy to be at this level. To still push, to still motivate, to carry on, and the goals, to be in good shape, to compete with the young lions that are coming and when they play against me, they want to show me that they are stronger and faster than me,” he added.

“You have to prepare well not just physically but mentally too. This is the challenge,” Ronaldo continued.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo admitted he didn’t expect to become a global football star when he started his career.

“I would be lying if I said yes (if he saw himself becoming a star). At first, I did not feel that way. Maybe then, at the beginning of the 2000s, I began to feel that everything would become different.”

Al-Nassr will take on table-leaders Al-Hilal on Friday.