CRISTIANO RONALDO will play until he's 40 - but will retire as soon as his body slows down, according to Portugal boss Fernando Santos.
The Manchester United star, 37, is still dominating the headlines as he looks to force a move away from Old Trafford.
And Santos has revealed Ronaldo will keep on playing until his physical level finally drops.
In 2020, Santos told TVI24: “Cristiano is ready to play until he's 40, but he doesn't know if it will happen.
“At some point he may feel that he no longer has the same conditions.
“He's not a player who will lower his level, when he feels like he can't be Ronaldo, he won't.”
Ronaldo is yet to play since the end of the 2021-22 season after failing to report back to United training as he tries to find a new club.
Recent reports claim the forward is willing to take a 30 per cent pay-cut to join Atletico Madrid - local rivals of old club Real - this summer.
The news comes after Chelsea and Bayern Munich rejected Ronaldo after agent Jorge Mendes offered him to the clubs.
But one thing is for certain, Ronaldo is not planning to retire any time soon - and his incredibly detailed fitness regime makes that all possible.
In 2020, Ronaldo revealed his desire to play until he's 40 after celebrating his 35th birthday.
Quizzed on how long he can keep going, the Portuguese icon told Marca: "Much will depend on what I feel, on my motivation.
"Physically it will never be a problem.
"I am treating myself well and I think can play safely up to 40 years.
"The most important factor, honestly, will be more psychological - that will be the one that makes the difference.
"In any case, everything has a beginning and an end. I won't last a lifetime but I still feel strong enough to continue winning.
"I will stop if I have no incentives."