Berg: Giggs Can Play On

Treble winner Henning Berg believes his former United team-mate Ryan Giggs is capable of extending his playing career by another "two or three" seasons.

Giggs turns 40 today (29 November) and is showing no sign of physical deterioration, although his training schedule is tailored to get the most out of him, and most recently he turned in an eye-catching display against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League.

Berg, who played alongside Giggs between 1997 and 2001, is confident he can prolong his illustrious career thanks to advancements in sports science and also admits that he wouldn't be surprised if the Welshman signed yet another contract extension at Old Trafford.

"Ryan is obviously a different player now compared to when he broke through as a 17-year-old winger, but that says a lot about how football has developed in terms of sports science to make sure that players still have enough power and energy to play the physical part of the game," Berg told ManUtd.com.

"To be fair, last season he looked fitter than he did two or three years ago. That is a great achievement. He has a lot of help at the Aon Training Complex, but the biggest reason is his own mind, making the right decisions on and off the pitch. He has been fantastic.

"The way that football has developed, the central midfielder doesn't have to run from box to box or more than other players.

"In that position now it is possible to play on longer. Just look at Andrea Pirlo at Juventus. He is younger than Giggs and is not running any more than him.

"Who is to say Ryan cannot play for another couple of years, or even three years? We just don't know, you shouldn't rule it out. For him to play at this level for so long has been unbelievable and I think it is still possible for him to go on."

Berg has a great deal of admiration for Giggs' longevity in the game. "It is a fantastic achievement to play professionally at 40," he added. "How can you better that one? It says a lot about his hunger for the game and his joy for the game. He enjoys being a footballer and if he didn't, he wouldn't have reached 40.

"He has been quite lucky with injuries - he has got good genes. It is just a shame that he was not able to play at a World Cup or a European Championship, but I'm not sure he will think about that too much because he has achieved everything else."