Cristiano Ronaldo has been compared to Zlatan Ibrahimovic and backed to continue playing into his forties by former Real Madrid fitness coach Giovanni Mauri.
While Juventus forward Ronaldo turned 36 on Friday, he remains as lethal as ever in front of goal and he is top scorer in Serie A having netted 15 times in 16 games.
But despite the Portuguese's fine tally, Juve find themselves seven points behind league-leaders AC Milan, who have a prolific veteran of their own.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic will turn 40 in October and continues to defy his age with a remarkable haul of 12 goals in 10 Serie A games.
Mauri - who worked with Ibrahimovic at Paris Saint-Germain and Ronaldo at Real Madrid - hailed the two seasoned forwards and tipped the latter to continue playing for many more seasons.
Mauri told Tuttosport : “When he [Ronaldo] arrived in Italy, I said he is a player out of the norm. He’s settled in and he continues scoring.
“He is following the method we proposed him in Madrid where rest is a fundamental part of the training.
“Rest doesn’t only mean to sleep. It’s not passive, but it’s made of specific exercises that aim to reach muscular, mental and articular wellness.
“I’ve worked with many footballers on their forties, from [Paolo] Maldini to [Alessandro] Costacurta.
“When I was at PSG I was sure Ibrahimovic would have played until 40 years old. They are all athletes with great flexibility despite their strength.
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“Ibra has got a dancer’s mobility despite a weight of almost 100 kilograms. Cristiano Ronaldo is part of this category and can play until he’s 40.”
Fourth-place Juventus will hope to close the gap at the top of Serie A with victory over third-place Roma on Saturday, ahead of Milan's home clash with rock-bottom Crotone on Sunday.
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