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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Sport
Darren Wells

Ryan Giggs makes Cristiano Ronaldo prediction on ex-Man Utd teammate's career

Ryan Giggs says Cristiano Ronaldo could follow his lead and play on until he is 40.

The Juventus forward turned 35 in February but has showed no signs of slowing down in his twilight years.

Last season he finished second top goal scorer in Serie A with a tally of 31, before breaking the 100 barrier at international level with Portugal on Tuesday.

Giggs himself waited till he was in his forties before retiring, and now feels his old Man Utd teammate could do the same.

"He'll have to be at the right club obviously. I was at a top club and played until I was 40, and I can see him going on and playing until he's 40 as well," Giggs told PA .

Giggs says Ronaldo can keep playing until he's 40 (via REUTERS)

"He looks after himself - he eats right, rests right and lives for the game - and is the best professional I ever played with.

"I saw him at the start of his career and you could never foresee him going on to score this amount of goals.

"He was a talent and a brilliant player who excited you. Cristiano was always a student of the game, and just like me he always looking for that extra edge.

"He was always in the gym and had it in his mind how good he could be. He scored 40 goals in one season at United and since then what he's done is remarkable."

Ronaldo is now just eight international goals away from equalling the all-time record of 109 set by former Iran legend Ali Daei.

And his brace against Sweden in Tuesday's Nations League fixture were right out of the top drawer.

He opened the scoring with a curling 25-yard free-kick, before firing his second over the keeper from outside of the box, finding the top corner of the net with both.

Where can you see Ronaldo ending his career? Have your say below.

The striker is chasing down Ali Daei's international record of 109 goals (AFP via Getty Images)

Juventus have tied the forward down until 2022 but Ronaldo has hinted previously he could continue beyond then.

Speaking in 2019 he said: "Several years ago, the age of playing football was until 30-32, but now, you find those who are 40 years old playing on the field.

"The moment my body is no longer responding in the right way on the field, then it would be the time to leave."

That time seems some way off at present.

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