In recent weeks, there has been a lot of talk about the future of Cristiano Ronaldo.
As soon as he returned from a holiday in Europe, rumours about his next destination began. Would he stay at Juventus, transfer to PSG or Manchester United or even return to Real Madrid?
Everything seems possible.
At the age of 36, what can we expect from CR7? I have no doubts that he will be a great asset at any of these clubs.
Ronaldo has been through several phases in his career. He learnt over time, better than anyone, how to adapt his position on the pitch to suit his age and physical abilities.
He never needed instructions from any of his clubs. He did it himself and thought it through meticulously. Not even during holidays or days off does he give his body any respite. He runs on the treadmill, does weight training, cardio exercises, enters the hyperbaric chamber to recover faster and consumes protein-rich shakes, sleeps a lot, eats regularly and drinks a lot of water.
The Cristiano Ronaldo of today weighs less and has less muscle mass than the Cristiano Ronaldo of 2014: less volume to carry means greater physical availability and less wear on the joints.
This allowed him, for example, in the game against Germany in the Euros to reach 32km per hour when he crossed the field to score the first goal for Portugal. He completed 97 metres in 11 seconds - impressive.
It's unbelievable that he continues to break records - like equalling former Iranian striker Ali Daei’s all-time international goalscoring mark with his 109th strike for Portugal, or winning the Golden Boot at the European Championship.
It is the insatiable character of the Portuguese that pushes him to train harder and adapt. It's admirable to see Ronaldo at 36 continue to score goals and break records.
He is now a pure finisher, and opponents fear him. He has become a poacher but nevertheless a masterful one. And it will continue to be so for the next few years.
He always looks for records. He has reached 100 goals for Juventus, thus becoming the first player to score 100 or more goals for clubs in three different countries after England (Manchester United, 118) and Spain (Real Madrid, 450).
Scoring 100 goals for another club and country can be extra motivation. Ronaldo will still be a valuable asset for any top European team for the next two years.
