Longevity has been crucial factor for me to keep playing at a high level, asserts Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Manchester United from Juventus this summer for his second spell at the club after leaving the Manchester club in 2009 for Real Madrid. The mercurial Portuguese has started his second stint with United in sensational form as he has scored 14 goals and registered three assists in 22 appearances across all competitions. Although he has done his part on the pitch the five-time Ballon d’Or winner has been unable to prevent United from enduring a torrid campaign to date.

The 36-year-old was not included in the squad to face Aston Villa the previous weekend in the third-round of the FA Cup due to a muscle injury although interim manager Ralf Rangnick has revealed that he is in contention to feature for United this weekend. There have been doubts over whether the Portuguese international can consistently feature for the English giants this season across three competitions although Ronaldo has admitted that he can play on for a long time.

"I feel happy to be a player who has shown who, in my case, longevity has been a crucial factor for me to keep playing at a high level, putting in good performances. I take great care of my body and my mind. Something I've learned recently is that after 33, I believe the body can deliver if you need it, but the real battle is mental,” Ronaldo told ESPN.

“I've been working and focusing more on working on my mind. I know my body will handle me because I have a lot of respect for it and I listen to it a lot. I want to find out if I'm going to play until I'm 40, 41, or 42, but the most important thing is that my daily goal is to enjoy the moment," he added.