CRISTIANO Ronaldo’s delve into the business world has seen the Juventus forward hint at a possible retirement from football in the next year or two.
The 34-year-old five-time Ballon d’Or winner continues to keep his legion of fans guessing, having previously stated he could play past 40 or retire as early as 2020.
And with his business ventures picking up beyond the pitch, Ronaldo conceded he was not sure what the future will bring.
“I still love football. I love to entertain the fans and the people who love Cristiano. It doesn’t matter the age, it’s all about mentality,” he told SportBible.
“The last five years I start to enjoy this process of seeing me outside of football, so who knows what will happen in the next year or two?”
Ronaldo is the most followed person on Instagram, while he has attached his CR7 brand to a fashion range and fragrances, as well as restaurants and hotels.
The Portugal captain admits he will have less control in business than he does in football, but is relishing the challenge of growing his brand even further.
“I do not want to imitate anybody,” said Ronaldo, speaking about his approach to business.
“You have to be yourself all the time, but you can always pick up small details and take something from good examples, not only in football but in other sports as well – Formula 1, NBA, golf, UFC, whatever. The best athletes have a similar work ethic.
“Even the CEOs of great companies are always motivated and they have to work hard to achieve good things.
“You have to trust in yourself. In football, I have more control. I know what I can do. In business, it’s more difficult, you depend on other people, but I have a good team. It will be a challenge.” – Eurosport
