"The real big stars only keep this up for about seven years"

This quote by Ruud van Nistelrooy is a reflection on the short lived nature of success worldwide of professional sports. He is recommending that even the most talented and effective athletes have a restricted window of time in which they can stay at the top of their video game. After 7 years, the real huge stars will begin to decline in performance and eventually be changed by the next generation of athletes. This quote is a suggestion that success is not long-term and that professional athletes need to take advantage of their time in the spotlight. It also serves as an alerting to those who are just starting out in their careers, as they must aim to take advantage of their time in the spotlight and not take their success for approved. Ultimately, this quote is a suggestion that success is short lived which professional athletes need to maximize their time in the spotlight.