7 per cent body fat, 6 clean meals, no pasta: What Cristiano Ronaldo eats for peak fitness at 41

Cristiano Ronaldo is playing his sixth FIFA World Cup this year at the age of 41. He is the first in Europe and only the second player ever to feature in his sixth tournament, after Lionel Messi became the first hours before him.

While his performance for Portugal during their opening match against DR Congo on Wednesday was below his standards, it is no doubt that he has been delivering beyond the expected for quite some time now. With physical fitness that will give players half his age a run for their money, Cristiano's motto always have been consistency and discipline.

Inside footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's strict diet

Born on February 5, 1985, Cristiano Ronaldo is in his 40s and continues to perform at the highest level. What is the secret behind this astounding success, many might ask and the answer is talent, discipline and of course a strict, restricted diet.

Giorgio Barone is the footballer's former personal chef from when he played in the Italian club Juventus. He has reportedly revealed the intensive diet that has made Cristiano into the athletic beast he is today.

Cristiano says a big no to sugar and sugary products, which means he doesn't get to have dessert. That is probably the small price one has to pay for greatness.

The Portuguese athlete takes his nutrition seriously and there is no escape from it. He does not consume carbohydrates like pasta or bread but gets his carb intake from healthy vegetables.

At 41, Ronaldo reportedly sits around 7% body fat. His days are typically built around 3–5 hours of training, from explosive sprints and HIIT to heavy gym work, Pilates and swimming, keeping his speed above 33 km/h even deep into his career.

The coca-cola controversy

Of course, processed fruits and drinks are completely out of the picture for Cristiano Ronaldo. Fans will remember the controversial moment at the UEFA Euro press-conference in 2021 when he removed two Coca-Cola bottles and held up a bottle of water, shouting "agua" (Portuguese for 'water'), urging people to drink healthily. Consequently, the market value of the soft-drink company saw a huge dip.

What do Cristiano Ronaldo's meals look like?

Cheg Giorgio has also reportedly shared a basic outline of the player's meals. For breakfast, he chooses eggs, avocado, coffee and of course, water. Lunch menu typically consists of chicken or fish and fresh vegetables and dinner again, has fish or lean meat, vegetables and recovery-focused meals.

Cristiano strictly avoids indulgences. Besides sugar, refined carbs and processed food, he does not eat any sort of fast food or any milk and dairy products. He majorly prefers light, homemade food with olive oil and light seasoning.

Six clean, high-protein meals, zero processed sugar, strict sleep and recovery routines is what keeps his body running like a machine.

There is no break from this strict diet for Cristiano, even when he is on vacation. There is nothing that describes him better than consistency and he maintains that when it comes to his diet as well.

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