Chelsea striker Didier Drogba insists that he still possesses the desire to continue his hunt for glory, despite turning 32-years-old on Thursday.
In defiance of his advancing years, the hit-man has scored 32 goals in his last 52 appearances for the Blues.
"I still have the same passion for the game," Drogba told the club's official website.
"I still feel hungry and I am still chasing medals.
"I feel really good you know. As I have said in the past it depends on the injuries you get and this season I can say that I am lucky, or I can say that the few months that I took out last year to get my knee well are now paying off."
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti had previously maintained that between 30 and 33, a player reaches the middle age in his career, claiming that advancements in training techniques and changes in lifestyle have helped prolong footballers' careers.
"But at the same time your lifestyle is only as important as your mental approach to the game," the Ivorian added.
"If you put in your head that you are 32 and you are old it is going to be difficult.
"I still feel like a kid when I am on the pitch so sometimes he [Ancelotti] has to pull me back."
Despite staying atop the Premier League for a majority of the season, the Ivory Coast international did not want to count chickens before they were hatched.
When quizzed as to what success in the league would mean, he said: "We are far from that."
"We have lot of games coming and big games too so I don't want to bring bad luck by talking about if we win, but this season so far has been really good for me."
In defiance of his advancing years, the hit-man has scored 32 goals in his last 52 appearances for the Blues.
"I still have the same passion for the game," Drogba told the club's official website.
"I still feel hungry and I am still chasing medals.
"I feel really good you know. As I have said in the past it depends on the injuries you get and this season I can say that I am lucky, or I can say that the few months that I took out last year to get my knee well are now paying off."
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti had previously maintained that between 30 and 33, a player reaches the middle age in his career, claiming that advancements in training techniques and changes in lifestyle have helped prolong footballers' careers.
"But at the same time your lifestyle is only as important as your mental approach to the game," the Ivorian added.
"If you put in your head that you are 32 and you are old it is going to be difficult.
"I still feel like a kid when I am on the pitch so sometimes he [Ancelotti] has to pull me back."
Despite staying atop the Premier League for a majority of the season, the Ivory Coast international did not want to count chickens before they were hatched.
When quizzed as to what success in the league would mean, he said: "We are far from that."
"We have lot of games coming and big games too so I don't want to bring bad luck by talking about if we win, but this season so far has been really good for me."
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