Cristiano Ronaldo was told that he had the physical capability of a 20 year old despite being 14 years older than that at the time.
Considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time, Ronaldo kicked off his career at Sporting CP before making the move to Manchester United in 2003 under Sir Alex Ferguson. Six years with the Red Devils led to Real Madrid to sign him for an at the time world-record fee of £80million in 2009.
After picking up two La Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and two Copa del Reys with Los Blancos, Ronaldo made the move to Juventus in 2018. And it was during his medical for the Serie A titans where doctors discovered the miraculous shape that Ronaldo was in despite his age.
A viral TikTok video claims that a medical examination found that he had the physical capacity of a 20 year old. The video also details that the forward had just seven to eight percent body fat, which was unheard of for a 34 year old – as well as a muscle mass of around 50 per cent.
But what is the reason for Ronaldo’s consistent fitness over the years, seemingly defying the ageing process like no man before him? It could well be his strict diet and workout routine. It is said that the athlete meticulously sticks to a diet plan which physicians and nutritionists have tailored to him, with an in-house chef preparing at least six reasonably sized meals a day to promote performance, cardiovascular health, and muscle mass.
Falstaff earlier this year quoted Ronaldo as saying: “The best training doesn’t help if it’s not combined with a good diet. I eat a high-protein diet with lots of wholegrain products, eat fruit and vegetables and avoid all sugary foods.” It’s safe to say that Ronaldo stays away from sugary soft drinks, famously removing two bottles of Coca Cola from a press conference table at a Euro 2020 chat with the media which coincided with a $4billion market value drop pertaining to the brand.
During the incident, Ronaldo also told the world to “drink water”. One food that Ronaldo has religiously avoided comes in the form of high-fat sweets and sugary treats in general. Former Manchester United goalkeeper Lee Grant told talkSPORT that players would be given a selection of desserts to round of their Friday evening meal, including the likes of apple crumble, brownies and whipped cream.
But when Ronaldo returned to North West England in 2021, Grant admitted that no one would dare load their plate with the tempting treats in awe of Ronaldo’s presence. He explained: “When we saw that he always had the healthiest plate of all of us, nobody dared to load up on junk food anymore.”
Ronaldo celebrated his 39th birthday in February this year, and showed the utmost restraint when he was gifted a delicious-looking cake to celebrate the milestone. Taking to social media to post a photo of the dessert alongside his wife, Georgina Rodriguez and his children, Ronaldo wrote: “Grateful to spend my 39th birthday the best way possible: with my family and back on the training pitch.
“Thank you all for the warm messages!” It is reported that Ronaldo only allowed himself the tiniest slither of cake to stick to his incredibly committed diet – no off days for the footballing great. While many professional players opt to retire when they hit their mid-thirties, Ronaldo is still going incredibly strong at 39.
Since signing for Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr last year, the Portuguese GOAT has made 76 appearances, scored 67 goals and created 18 assists. He also appeared at the Euro 2024 competition this summer under manager Roberto Martinez, helping his side to the quarter-finals of the competition where they were knocked out by France on penalties.