World Cup: How does Ronaldo, 41, set for record sixth appearance, defy age?

When Cristiano Ronaldo joined Al Nassr right after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, it seemed like a pragmatic move in more ways than one. At 37, the prolific Portuguese forward had already achieved almost everything in the game — five World Cup appearances, a European Championship title, and hundreds of goals — making a move to a less competitive league, coupled with enormous financial rewards, appear like a natural next step.

The intent of the Saudis, of course, was clear – CR7 could be their brand ambassador as they wanted to give a major facelift to the Saudi Pro League to be a part of the sports washing plan in their bid for the 2030 World Cup. The regional big brothers had then just lost a game of one-upmanship to Qatar, who defied all negative publicity to host a successful World Cup, and they wanted to make amends.

As the 41-year-old was named in Roberto Martinez’s 27-man roster on Tuesday, Ronaldo’s decision to opt for a less demanding league was vindicated. It has kept him in top shape and relatively injury-free while the most valuable brand in football still went on doing what he likes best – scoring goals for fun. The first man to play six World Cups in it’s 96-year-old history (his biggest competitor Leo Messi is set to join him once the Argentina squad is named), Ronaldo is expected to play the leader in a seasoned squad which also boasts of the likes of Bruno Fernandez and Joao Felix.

It’s a no brainer that he will not be on the pitch in the upcoming World Cup for 90 minutes, but Martinez backed Ronaldo to be the leader of the pack – unlike the way his predecessor Fernando Santos handled him four years back. ‘’He’s a model captain,’’ the Spanish coach said as he reminded that Ronaldo was a key piece in his jigsaw in Portugal’s recent European Nations League triumph. ‘’When you talk about him, there are two sides: the global soccer icon and there’s our captain.’’

The million dollar question is: what is it that has made Ronaldo hold on to such highest standards of athleticism and consistency? Records say that only seven players over the age of 40 have appeared in World Cup finals with Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary holding the record for the oldest player to ever appear in a World Cup match - 45 years and 161 days. He made one appearance at the 2018 World Cup in Russia during a 2-1 group stage defeat to Saudi Arabia to set the record by more than two years.

Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, 43, is so far the oldest player to be named in a full squad this year by some distance. However, the expectations of the man with over 970 goals across all competitions is sky high one – making one wonder as to what has made him tick in a career spanning over two decades.

A WHOOP biometric testing had recently put Ronaldo’s physiological age to that of someone under 30 – which is backed by a combination of meticulous physical science, psychological targets and tactical adaptation. Unofficial reports suggest that the star’s annual ivestment runs to over $ one million on this head and includes the following regimen:

* Cryotherapy & ice baths: Ronaldo uses cryogenic chambers twice a week to expose his body to sub-zero temperatures, instantly suppressing inflammation and accelerating muscle recovery.

• Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: The star utilizes an oxygen-rich hyperbaric chamber to boost tissue repair and keep his muscles highly oxygenated.

• Active Thermogenesis: He averages a massive 17,000 steps per day, ensuring his metabolism remains highly active even outside of formal team training.

• Calculated sleep and nutrition protocols: He emphasizes fixed waking and sleeping windows, routinely clocking 7 to 8.5 hours of deeply regulated sleep to let his nervous system reset.

This is just the top of the iceberg and the results have been showing so far. Come 17 June, when Ronaldo’s Portugal open their campaign against Republic of Congo, another new chapter is set to be written!