Why Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo can carry on playing until he is 40

Cristiano Ronaldo might be 33 but Giorgio Chiellini reckons he could play at the top level for another seven years

Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo could carry on playing until he is 40 years old.

That is the opinion of team-mate Giorgio Chiellini, who spoke in glowing terms of the impact Ronaldo has had since moving to Italy in the summer.

Playing until he is 40 would mean another seven years at the very top, something defenders across Europe will not be enthralled about.

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Chiellini, meanwhile, is 34 and believes he could carry on playing until that age too, but that doesn’t not mean he will do it.

“Ronaldo? If we can play up to forty years both? Yes, although I do not think I will do it,’ he said.

‘No, it’s not so much the fact that he comes to training first, but the way he works makes the difference. He pushes you to improve yourself.

“He is also very smart. He arrived in a different league and country, but immediately tried to understand the dynamics and integrate into the city.

He will come back to the national team and he will be able to play even more than me. I have to manage myself.’