Former France international Raphael Varane has given reasons for Cristiano Ronaldo’s longevity in football.

According to him, the Portuguese player invests a substantial amount of money in his physical and mental health.

The former Real Madrid and Manchester United defender also lauded Ronaldo for his willpower and dedication on and off the pitch.

During an interview with French top news outlet L’Equipe, Varane, who shared the dressing room with Ronaldo at both Real Madrid and Manchester United, spoke about the Portuguese’s commitment and how he has been able to reach such enviable heights.

“Firstly, he has an extraordinary physique. More importantly, he understood very young, very early on, that he needed to invest in his body to achieve his ambitions.

“He invested a lot of money throughout his career in his care, physically, mentally, and in performance research.

“That’s the big difference with many high-level athletes: he did it from the start of his career when he was at Manchester United.”

Many consider Ronaldo one of the best players to ever play for Real Madrid.

DAILY POST reports that the 40-year-old scored 450 goals and provided 131 assists in 438 games for Los Blancos.

He was at Manchester United during two stints, scoring 145 goals and providing 64 assists in 346 appearances.

Ronaldo’s age has now slowed him down, as he currently plays for Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League.