Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo posted a message of gratitude on his 36th birthday as he reflected on his 20-year career in football.
Ronaldo has established himself as one of the game's all-time greats in a career that has taken him from Sporting CP to Manchester United to Real Madrid and now to Juve.
At an age when most players are slowing down or have already retired, Ronaldo has shown no signs of a dip in form, as he's scored 22 goals in 23 games for Juve this term.
Ronaldo's birthday message
On Instagram the Portuguese posted: “36 years old, unbelievable! It feels like it all started yesterday, but this journey is already full of adventures and stories to remember by. My first ball, my first team, my first goal... Time flies,” the Portuguese striker wrote.
“From Madeira to Lisbon, from Lisbon to Manchester, from Manchester to Madrid, from Madrid to Turim, but above all, from the bottom of my heart to the world... I’ve given everything I could, I never held back and I’ve always tried to deliver the best possible version of me. In return, you gave me your love and admiration, your presence and your unconditional support. And for that, I’ll never be able to thank you enough. I couldn’t have done without you.
“As I celebrate my 36th birthday and my 20th year as a professional footballer, I’m sorry that I can’t promise you 20 more years of this. But what I can promise you, is that as long as I keep going, you’ll never receive less than 100% from me!
“Thank you once again for all your support and for your kind messages and initiatives during this day. It means a lot to me and you all have a special place in my heart.”
Juve's message to Ronaldo
Juventus also posted a highlight video featuring some of Ronaldo's top moments with the club, saying he is "living proof that age is just a number."
What's next for Ronaldo?
Juventus will take on Roma on Saturday in a massive match as the Bianconeri look to claw their way back up the Serie A table. Juve are currently in fourth place, eight points behind Inter but with two games in hand over Antonio Conte's side.
Later this month Juventus will travel to face Porto in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, before the second leg on March 9 in Turin.
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