4 reasons why Cristiano Ronaldo should retire from international duty

#2 To reduce the workload on him

Ronaldo is now more susceptible to injuries

The average world class footballer plays between 55 - 60 top-level matches every season for club and country. This is 60 times when they put their bodies under the intense strain and rigors associated with professional football for 90 minutes.

Breaking it further, the average footballer spends about 15 years playing at the top level and when you do the math, you see the massive stress footballers undergo over the course of their professional career.

Despite the fact that they go through intense workout and conditioning sessions to reduce the risk of injuries, there is only so much one can do. The reality is that virtually every footballer throughout history has picked up one knock or two and this takes a toll on their bodies later on in their careers and even beyond retirement.

It is for this reason that most footballers retire internationally once they approach their early thirties to focus on just club football to reduce the number of matches they play and concordantly reduce their chances of sustaining injuries.

Cristiano Ronaldo broke out in the year 2003 and amazingly, 16 years later, he is still waxing strong at the very top of the global game. The 34-year-old is rapidly closing in on 1,000 professional matches which is indicative of just how much football and mileage he has in his legs. It is no hidden secret that Ronaldo is one of the most dedicated and hardworking players in history, taking immense care of his body such that at 34 he looks as fit as ever.

However, the bottom line is that no matter how hard you try, you can't cheat nature. For all of his superhuman attributes and performance levels, Ronaldo is still very much human and has started to show some signs of decline in his performances at times.

In the match against Serbia, the former Real Madrid player pulled a hamstring in what seemed to be a routine chase of a ball. This could be a sign that his body is no longer in as pristine shape as it once was.

If he retires from international duties, that would mean that he reduces his yearly exertions by at least seven matches, while also cutting down significantly on his travels and this could prove extremely helpful in prolonging his already elongated career.