Cristiano, if only you were Peter Pan...
On February 5, the best player in the world (in my opinion) will celebrate his 32nd birthday. I understand that a lot of people think that he is ageing against the expectations that someone as formidable as Cristiano can stir. But the Portuguese has shown me over the last seven years what the words “competitiveness” and “drive” really mean. When he said, smiling broadly while looking at his mother (Doña Dolores Aveiro, thank you for convincing your son to sign for Madrid), that he is considering playing until he is 41, it is because his steely mentality is asking him to continue competing for another 10 years. Holding on to these two months of below-par form will be advantageous. It is worth noting that so far this season he has scored seven goals, the same number as Gareth Bale, who is in the best form of his career. A little bit of Cristiano still goes a long way…
Furthermore, on February 11 another exemplary striker, Aritz Aduriz, will be 36! And at his age the Athletic forward is still capable of scoring five goals in a single game. Nobody is looking at his wrinkles… Cristiano looks after his physical fitness like a triathlete. If only he was Peter Pan, the fairy-tale boy who is immune to getting older. Cristiano has earned his place in the pantheon of Real Madrid greats. Only Alfredo di Stéfano, his reference point, still stands above him. The video of Cristiano’s achievements, shown yesterday in the Bernabéu’s VIP suite, moved me. He has given us so much… Cristiano, obrigado for committing your future to us.