Ze Roberto is 50 with a ripped physique ‘better’ than Cristiano Ronaldo and can teach him and Lionel Messi about longevity
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are two of the greatest to ever do it - but it appears both are on the way out.
Waning displays at Euro 2024 and Copa America are proving that, sadly, nothing ever lasts forever.
At 39 and 37, respectively, the duo could well be bowing out soon, impressive ages to still be near the top of the game.
One man who remained elite for longer, though, was former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich midfielder Ze Roberto, who kept playing at the top until he was 43.
And seven years on, aged 50, the Champions League winner and 84-cap Brazil international still looks like he could pull on a jersey and play.
His nation could still do with him having been knocked out of the Copa America - a competition he one twice - in the quarter-finals by Uruguay.
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Ze Roberto, with his 2.8million followers on Instagram, is now a fitness coach who runs online training.
All while showcasing his incredible physique - and who can blame him?
He credits his time in Germany with Bayern Munich as a driving force behind his fitness.
He told their magazine '51': "The time in Munich was really important for my development, because I realised that I'm not just a footballer. I'm not just a footballer, I'm an athlete."
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"Felix Magath was the toughest coach of my career. I wasn't in the military myself, but that's how I imagine it. It was only later that I found out that Magath's fitness coach had actually been in the German army before. It was a bit exaggerated overall. You have to respect your body and its limits," he added.
And the fitness freak can't understand any player neglecting their physicality.
"A player has to understand that their career is short. You used to be able to cover up a lack of fitness with talent. Nowadays, if you don't train properly, you lose touch," says Ze Roberto.
"Taking care of your body as a competitive sportsman is not just about training, but also about regeneration.
"There's no time to train, you have to recover. And sleep is also really important for regeneration. Other players often had problems getting a good night's sleep after matches."
These days, Ze Roberto trains for around two hours a day - but takes Sundays off.
He seems to getting fitter with every passing day and that comes two years after claiming he had a better physique than Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo, who has set the benchmark for footballers fitness levels during his glittering career.
He told TyC Sports: "Today I would say that I have a better physique, because I played until I was 43 years old.
"If he does [play until then], I will say it is him."
However, he didn't see it happening owing to the former Manchester United star's desire to remain at the top level.
"Cristiano is, for me, a machine," he added in an interview with Sky Sports. "But I don't think he will still be going at 40 because he is a player who has always played at the highest level, always winning trophies and always trying to be the best player in the world."
And with one year to go, Ze Roberto might just be proved right.