Cristiano Ronaldo has been hailed an “absolute genius” by the man who he credits with giving him the template to sustain his glittering career.
Ronaldo turns 37 on Saturday, but has shown no signs of slowing down, having already plundered 14 goals in his second spell at Manchester United.
Despite his age, Ronaldo has the build of a player a decade younger, having kept himself in peak physical condition with a strict fitness and dietary regime.
Mick Clegg, who worked with Ronaldo in his role as United's power development coach, is convinced the Portugal star can play on until his mid-40s.
“Cristiano is a genius, an absolute genius,” said Clegg. “He learned a lot, in the early days, about how to manage his body.
“Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally and spiritually, too. He's got a knowledge of nutrition and he knows how to balance things.
“He knows how to balance his food and he's consistent in everything he does.
“The only person I've found as consistent was Ryan Giggs, which was why he played on until he was 40.
“Cristiano will want to go beyond the 40 mark. He'll be hoping he can play until his mid-40s.
“He needs to know everything about himself. If he has a niggle, he'll want to know what that niggle is and will talk to people he knows and trusts.
“He'll make sure he won't put himself in danger of having an injury, so he doesn't self-injure, which is what a lot of players do.
“So he's always doing the right recovery after games, he's always doing the injury prevention stuff before training and games.
“With Cristiano, everything is done with precision. When he goes to the dinner table, he doesn't just eat any old s***.
“He eats what he knows is going to put what he needs into his body. His focus all the
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