By Pete Jenson for the Daily Mail
Published: 22:37 GMT, 13 March 2019 | Updated: 22:43 GMT, 13 March 2019
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When Cristiano Ronaldo told Spanish media in 2016 that he wanted to play on until he was 40, Real Madrid thought it was just talk designed to encourage them to give him a new contract. It wasn't.
Ronaldo's belief in his own longevity was behind the bold statement. It was not bravado to tempt Real to top up his deal and maintain his status as the world's best-paid player.
He wants to go out having pushed back the frontiers so far that no one, not even Lionel Messi, can overtake him.
Cristiano Ronaldo's display against Atletico on Tuesday showed he is the ultimate euro star
Ronaldo masterminded a remarkable comeback for Juventus, scoring a hat-trick in Turin
He already has the most goals in the Champions League (124), having scored more group goals (61) and more knockout goals (63) than anyone else. Messi is on 107 — the gap is starting to open up.
There was a certain inevitability about
