The diet of a Champion

The Portugal superstar is renowned for being one of the most athletic players in football history, but what is the secret to his never-ending insatiable hunger for glory? He is a strict dietician.

There's no point having the nicest car if you're not going to put the right fuel in it. Having a balanced diet is the fuel in the engine of one of the greatest football players ever. Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo, unsurprisingly, takes his diet very seriously. "A good workout must be combined with a good diet," he stated. "I eat a high protein diet, with lots of wholegrain carbs, fruit and vegetables, and avoid sugary foods," he added.

The Portugal international has a personal dietician who has worked with him ever since his Real Madrid days, eating six small meals a day – or one every three to four hours.

He particularly likes fish – particularly swordfish, sea bass and sea bream – and his favorite dish is bacalhau a braz, which is a mixture of cod, onions, thinly sliced potatoes and scrambled eggs. He also eats plenty of fruits and lean proteins. At restaurants, Ronaldo said he often orders steak and a salad, and never anything frozen - is everything he eats fresh.

For his breakfast, Ronaldo is partial to the likes of cheese, ham, low-fat yoghurt alongside plenty of fruit as well as avocado toast.

"Eat regularly," Ronaldo continued, "If you train regularly it’s important to keep energy levels high to fuel your body for better performance. I sometimes eat up to six smaller meals a day to make sure I have enough energy to perform each session at top level."

Hydration is of paramount significance for an athlete. "Drinking water is so important," affirmed Ronaldo. One of the sacrifices he makes to keep his body in top condition is avoiding alcohol and carbonated drinks.

In 2021, he hit headlines for a disdainful assessment of soft drink Coca-Cola at Euro 2020, urging people to "drink water" instead. There is no player in world of football that has drawn more plaudits for his physical qualities and dedication to his craft than Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Al Nassr and Portugal forward boasts an extraordinary set of athletic skills, combining rapid pace and agility with elite aerial ability and power. Ronaldo was not born with those traits, though; the rippling physique we see today is a marked transformation from the skinny teenager that arrived at Manchester United from Sporting back in 2003.