Cristiano Ronaldo, the five-time Ballon d’Or winner, has a stringent and bizarre health routine that helps him stay on top of his game. The former Real Madrid legend eats up to six meals a day, with fish being a big part of his diet. He regards chicken as ‘magical’ due to its high protein and low-fat content. Ronaldo also swears by cryotherapy treatment, which he has been using since 2013. He had a chamber, costing around £50,000, installed in his Spanish mansion when he played for Los Blancos. Standing in the chamber for around three minutes, liquid nitrogen freezes Ronaldo to between minus 160 and minus 200 degrees Celsius. Cryotherapy beats muscle soreness and reduces swelling, inflammation or sprains.
When it comes to working out, Ronaldo does not do things in half measures. Following a strict fitness plan, he will add 25-30 minutes of cardio, high-intensity sprinting and targeted weights to increase muscle strength to his daily routine. Ronaldo is also a regular swimmer and is obsessed with Pilates that focuses on resistance work to strengthen his core. Incredibly, he will train three to four hours a day after he’s finished with his club. Ronaldo likes his sleep and gets eight hours a night. But that’s on top of the five naps he takes during the day.
After a busy week in Saudi Arabia, Ronaldo recently let his hair down in a sauna. Sharing the image on social media, he sported black painted toenails. According to German publication Bild, many athletes paint their toes to avoid fungi and bacteria infections. It’s another factor in what makes Ronaldo one of the GOAT.