Ronaldo defies age with 1,000-goal ambition

If global football icon Cristiano Ronaldo (40, Portugal) invited you over for a meal with a casual, “Wanna eat at my place?”, you'd probably picture a lavish feast laid out before you, leaving you wondering which delicacy to try first. Given the reputation of some star athletes, those who’ve made front pages with their flushed party faces, you might expect a full-blown celebration.

But former teammate Patrice Evra (44, France), who played alongside Ronaldo at Manchester United in the English Premier League, would advise you not to get your hopes up. “Ronaldo invited me to his house once. All he served was chicken breast and salad. Not even juice, just water,” Evra once revealed.

After filling up on dry chicken breast, Evra said Ronaldo turned to him and said, “Now let’s go outside and kick the ball.” Rather than complaining about the underwhelming hospitality, Evra recounted this story on British TV with admiration, saying, “This is the lifestyle that made Ronaldo who he is.” In other words, Ronaldo’s discipline, his ability to suppress the urge to indulge and party, is his identity.

According to Portuguese media, Ronaldo’s “biological age” this year, measured through metrics like heart rate and physical performance, stands at 28.9. It is the product of a strict high-protein, high-nutrition diet and an unwavering fitness routine, with over four hours of intense individual training five times a week.

Most professional footballers retire around the age of 35, but Ronaldo’s feet are still on fire well into his 40s. Last season, he scored 35 goals in 41 matches for Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia). Still a regular on the Portuguese national team, he netted eight goals in the 2024–2025 UEFA Nations League, spearheading his country to win the championship.

His forward-looking mindset, “The most important goal is the next one,” is what keeps him going. Last year, Ronaldo declared his new dream of reaching 1,000 career goals. He currently stands at 938, just 62 short.

LeBron James (41, LA Lakers), the NBA superstar dubbed “the King,” has a similar formula for longevity. Each offseason, he reportedly invests over 2 billion KRW into body maintenance, including personal trainers and recovery equipment. Once a fan of burgers and pizza in his rookie days, James gave up junk food in his mid-20s. A four-time NBA champion and the league’s all-time leading scorer with 42,184 points, James has long said one of his motivations was to one day share the court with his son. That dream came true last year when his eldest, Bronny (21), joined the Lakers, making them the first father-son duo to play together in NBA history. Now, as James prepares for his record-breaking 23rd season, he is eyeing yet another championship ring.

So, is biological age really the ultimate signal of when to call it quits? If you ask Ronaldo and James, their answer would be a firm “no.” While many of their peers have dropped out of the GOAT (Greatest of All Time) race, these two are still sprinting ahead, almost as if they are running against time.