Former Manchester United star Raphael Varane has revealed the lengths Cristiano Ronaldo would go to in order to stay in peak physical condition.

Varane was twice a team-mate of Ronaldo's, first at Real Madrid from 2011 to 2018, then at United from August 2021 to November 2022. If anyone knows the secrets of how the five-time Ballon d'Or winner has stayed in first-class shape into his 40s, it's the former French international.

World Cup winner Varane, who retired from the game in September 2024, disclosed that the Portuguese icon's secret to maintaining top form is down to his "extraordinary" willpower and dedication. Varane also explained how Ronaldo, who turned 40 last week, actually began "investing" in his body and mind when he joined the Red Devils in 2003 as a fresh-faced 18-year-old.

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"Firstly, he has an extraordinary physique," Varane, 31, told L'Équipe. "More importantly, he understood very young, very early on, that he needed to invest in his body to achieve his ambitions.

"He invested a lot of money throughout his career in his care, physically, mentally, or in performance research. That's the big difference with many high-level athletes: he did it from the start of his career when he was at Manchester United.

"What isn't replicable is his willpower, absolutely extraordinary. His competitiveness is quite incredible, and that will be hard to copy; it's something you either have or don't. Making sacrifices, taking care of oneself, arriving earlier for training is within everyone's reach, but it requires willpower. It's very mental."

Varane, who won the Champions League four times with Ronaldo at Madrid, also claimed his application to his condition, which has so far seen him rack up 923 career goals, bordered on obsessive. He confirmed the claim that Ronaldo would head straight to the gym when the team bus returned home from an away trip.

"They say genius borders on madness, and what he does is sometimes a bit mad. It's so intense that it's impressive. He inspired me enormously throughout my career.

"Yes, hot bath, cold bath. But that's not a myth; I did it too. He does it for the physical aspect but also for the mind, to unwind before sleeping. He didn't do it every match nor did [he do] sit-ups all day long every day, but he always maintained this level of demand," Varane added.

As for Ronaldo's future as he enters into his fourth decade, Varane claimed that retirement doesn't look to be on the cards for the Al-Nassr star. He continued: "He wants to be untouchable in terms of records and leave an indelible mark on football for thousands of years if possible. His major motivation at 40 is hard to analyse since he's already won everything long ago, but it's not financial.

"It's more about wanting to be extraordinary. He never mentioned age limit [in terms of retiring]. But for him, anything is possible. So when he reaches a limit, he wants to go further. I think he'll only stop when he can't anymore."