New deal on the table for former Brazil soccer superstar Ronaldo in Macau
Former world footballer of the year rekindles the competitive buzz that he missed so much - this time at a table
Ronaldo says he was under no illusions when the time came to hang up his boots. "My body had been telling me 'enough' for some time," says the Brazilian.
By the age of 35, Ronaldo's knees had finally succumbed to the rigours that come with an extended football career. He'd been battered by the demands of the modern game as much as defenders on his way to establishing himself as one of the greatest players the world has known - club and championship winning stints with Barcelona, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, among others, as well as two World Cups with Brazil, three Fifa world player of the year awards and two Ballon d'Or awards.
I was still thinking a lot about football but I had so many injuries I just could not play any more
But when Ronaldo sits down to reflect on his life and times he reveals it was not so much facing his last game that kept him awake at night but how he would replace football once that end finally came in 2011. How can anything ever replace that buzz?
"The first year of retirement was a difficult time," reveals the 39-year-old. "I was still thinking a lot about football but I had so many injuries I just could not play any more.
"Match day was a beautiful feeling and it is a hard feeling to replace. I think this is something every professional faces at the end of their career. How do you replace that feeling and how are you going to spend your time?"
The answer for Ronaldo over the past few years has been found in a game used to while away the hours before he played football and it's one that allows him to lean heavily on the killer instinct he perfected as one of the greatest ever strikers.