Cristiano Ronaldo, who turns 29 on 5th February, will be at the top of his game for at least six more seasons, according to António Gaspar, the physiotherapist for Portugal's national side, who believes the player is currently at his "peak" in terms of fitness.

"If he wants, Cristiano still has many years ahead of him. He could play at the top level until he's 34 or 35 without any major complications", Gaspar predicts.

The acclaimed physiotherapist, who has been working with Portugal's national squad since 2003, highlighted the player's intense focus on training, an absence of serious injuries and his "mental capacity to excel and do better" as factors that could help prolong his time in elite-level football.

"I'm saying 34 or 35 because that's a reasonable milestone, and I'm only not saying longer because there may come a time when he himself will want to do other things. But that's a personal matter. What is clear is that, if he wishes, he could have an impressively long career as he has the capacity and characteristics for it", he said.

Gaspar feels that an extraordinary genetic advantage, coupled with a strong work ethic, have made the Madrid player "the phenomenon of nature" he is today. "I think, for those who know him well, he is better now than two, three or four years ago... He's at his peak right now. I am certain that he will be able to stay that way or he may get even better", the FPF physiotherapist thinks.

Outstanding speed, endurance, flexibility, reflexes and agility are unusual qualities in a player of the Madeiran star's stature, 1.89 metres tall and weighing 85 kilos, measurements more fitting of a player who relies on power over and above anything else. "His development process was well balanced. I remember him eleven years ago and it's been a progressive development. He has improved technically, in his flexibility, in his working capacity. Not only in his strength", said the physio.

Gaspar listed one of Ronaldo's top qualities as "not suffering from abrupt drops in physical performance", being able to maintain high energy levels for 90 minutes without major fluctuations.

He believes that the player's fitness training has also helped to prevent serious injury. "His level of self-expectation is so high that he makes sure everything is working at its best. Those are factors that reduce the chances of injury, although all athletes are susceptible to them", he concluded.