Maniche says Ronaldo could have retired at 29 or 30

Former Portugal midfielder Maniche said Cristiano Ronaldo, a forward for the national team and Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, could have ended his football career at 29 or 30.

Speaking to “FourFourTwo,” Maniche recalled that Ronaldo was financially secure at that age and had won the Champions League. Despite this, the Portuguese player loved competing, demanding the maximum from himself and being a star, he said.

In Maniche’s view, playing at 40 requires incredible professionalism and deep respect for one’s work; nothing is achieved through luck alone. He described Ronaldo as a role model for young players and stressed that reaching the top requires doing many things right rather than thinking only about money.

Maniche added that Ronaldo likes being the world’s best and likes people talking about him. These traits are part of the player’s personality, he said.