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Former Manchester United defender Wes Brown has hailed former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo for the way he has managed his body throughout his career. The Al-Nassr forward, 40, recently penned a two-year deal with the Saudi Pro League outfit that will keep him playing until after his 42nd birthday.
Brown was at Old Trafford at the same time as a young Cristiano Ronaldo, with the pair tasting success under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson. He was at the club when the Portuguese forward arrived as a teenager and saw him grow into the player who won the Ballon d'Or at the club.
The ex-Manchester United man spoke with GOAL about his former teammate and was asked about his longevity. The former defender pointed out that Ronaldo's desire to continue to break records must be seen as a positive and something that can inspire younger players. He also joked that scientists be allowed to study his body, calling him a machine.
“His body should be given to scientists when he finally rests! He’s a machine. He obviously likes it there [Al-Nassr]. He gets treated well. Believe me, if he didn’t want to carry on, he wouldn’t. He loves the game. He’s enjoying himself. He still does the business, and that’s all you can hope for.
“At any point he could retire and relax, do whatever he wanted, but he still wants to be part of football. He still wants to break records and make records. Rather than looking at that negatively, you have to look at that as so much of a positive. Especially for the younger lads coming through - how much he puts in and is willing to put in.
“He’s willing to put his body through stuff just to carry on playing football. For him, I’m really happy he’s been able to do that", he said.
Having been a defender, Wes Brown enjoyed a career that ran for 22 years between 1996 and his retirement in 2018. Despite retiring at 39, he did not manage to match Ronaldo's impressive longevity at the highest level of football.
Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to win the UEFA Nations League in June and is expected to be at the FIFA World Cup next summer. The forward is aiming to become the first man to score 1,000 official career goals, a feat that will further secure his legacy.
Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo engages long-time partner
Former Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo has engaged his partner Georgina Rodriguez in a private ceremony. The Spanish-Argentine model showed off her diamond ring on her Instagram account with a caption that said "Yes I do. In this and in all my lives".
Ronaldo and Rodriguez met in Madrid nine years ago and have remained together ever since, with their journey taking them to Juventus, Manchester United, and Al-Nassr. They raise five children, two of whom were born by Rodriguez, together. She gave birth to twins, Angel and Bella, in April 2022 but the former was stillborn.
Georgina Rodriguez has built a successful brand as a model and a reality star since the start of her relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo. They live together with their children in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, having moved there when Ronaldo left Manchester United in 2023.
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Sulayman Salahudeen
Sulayman is a European and international football writer at Sportskeeda covering news and transfer rumors. He has an overall experience of 4 years, having previously worked at the likes of SportsRation and ExtraTimeTalk. His tryst with the sport happened at a young age, playing it at home and watching the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Sulayman has a good feel for the game, which is reflected in his descriptive articles. He double checks information via multiple sources for accuracy, and only uses top-tier platforms like Transfermarkt and Opta for statistical information. His experience and exploits in the industry have led Sulayman to cover the Nigerian Professional League for three years along with games involving the Nigerian national team. He has also worked in F1, joining hands with industry veterans to provide a smooth viewing experience in Nigeria.
Sulayman hails Lionel Messi as the one true GOAT, and his brace in Argentina’s 2005 U20 FIFA World Cup final win over Nigeria left a lasting impact on him. He also supports Chelsea at club level, having followed their dominance under Jose Mourinho. Sulayman also follows other leagues with Nigerian players like Eredivisie, Saudi Pro League, Turkish Super Lig, and more. When not writing, he enjoys cooking and eating.
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