At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo is still chasing a milestone that once seemed beyond the reach of any footballer, with his career tally approaching 1,000 goals after another prolific season for Al-Nassr. His longevity has been built on an unusually disciplined approach to training, recovery and nutrition, although one of the strictest rules in his diet concerns a food that many athletes regard as an everyday source of protein and calcium. According to his former private chef, Giorgio Barone, Ronaldo does not drink milk at all.
Why Ronaldo refuses to drink milk
Milk is commonly included in athletes’ diets because of its protein, calcium and other nutrients, with many players using it as part of their recovery routine. Ronaldo, however, has avoided dairy as part of his long-standing nutritional approach, a decision his former private chef says reflects more than a preference about taste or performance.Giorgio Barone, who previously worked as Ronaldo’s private chef, explained that milk was completely excluded from the forward’s diet because of his views on humans consuming the milk of other animals.“No milk,” Barone told Covers.com, before explaining his reasoning.“Humans are the only animals that drink the milk of other animals. No other animal drinks milk after three months. Calves don’t drink milk after the age of three months. Animals don’t drink the milk of other animals.“It does not exist in nature. Only human beings continue to drink milk up to 30, 40, 50, and 60 years, and in my view it is wrong. We breastfeed from our mothers, like dogs, wolves, cows and donkeys. It is normal.“After infancy it is not normal. It is against nature.”Barone’s explanation is his own view of nutrition, rather than an established medical consensus, but it illustrates how deliberately Ronaldo has approached the food he consumes throughout his career. Dairy is not the only category he avoids, with the Portuguese forward also known for steering clear of refined sugar, processed foods and alcohol.
What Ronaldo eats throughout the day
Barone described Ronaldo’s diet as balanced rather than built around a single food group, with the emphasis placed on fresh ingredients, lean protein and vegetables. The former chef said the forward eats a little of everything, provided it meets the standards of his nutritional routine.“Cristiano Ronaldo’s diet is balanced,” he said. “He eats a little bit of everything, but it’s always healthy.”Breakfast typically includes avocado, coffee and eggs, with no added sugar. Lunch can consist of chicken or fish accompanied by vegetables, while dinner is generally lighter, with fish or meat served alongside vegetables.“Starting with breakfast, he would have an avocado with coffee, eggs and no sugar. Absolutely no sugar. Lunch could be chicken, fish and always vegetables. If he needs carbohydrates, he gets them through vegetables, so he doesn’t need anything made with flour.“Nothing like pasta, bread and other types of food. In the evening, he eats light foods, usually fish or meat in the form of fillet. It’s always accompanied by vegetables.”The broader nutritional approach described in the additional account of Ronaldo’s routine includes as many as six high-protein meals a day, spaced three to four hours apart. Chicken, cod, sea bass, fresh vegetables and avocado feature prominently, while quinoa and other whole grains provide carbohydrate sources alongside the vegetables mentioned by Barone. The emphasis remains on whole foods and consistent meals rather than relying on processed products or sugary snacks.
Ronaldo maintains under 10% body fat, avoids refined sugar, milk, and focuses on strict recovery routines/ Instagram
That routine is designed to support the physical demands of a player who continues to compete at the highest level well into his forties. Ronaldo’s body fat has been reported at below 10 per cent, with some accounts putting it at around seven per cent, although the exact figure can vary with the timing and method of measurement.
The training and recovery behind his longevity
Ronaldo’s approach extends well beyond what he eats. His training combines high-intensity sprinting, plyometric exercises and explosive strength work with Pilates and other forms of conditioning, while recovery has remained an important part of his daily routine.His recovery methods include sauna sessions, ice baths and cryotherapy, with his partner Georgina Rodriguez also known to join him for some of those activities.
Ronaldo’s recovery routine includes intense sauna sessions and ice baths to maintain peak fitness and longevity/Instagram
Sleep is another area in which Ronaldo has reportedly adopted an unconventional approach. Rather than relying solely on one long overnight period, he utilizes polyphasic sleep to optimize his recovery. His routine consists of five 90-minute naps spaced throughout the day, a strategy meticulously designed to maintain high metabolic energy levels and maximize cellular repair between intense training sessions.The combination of nutrition, training and recovery has helped Ronaldo remain physically competitive across a career spanning more than two decades. His longevity has also made him unusually conscious of the small decisions that can affect his preparation, from the food he eats to the time he gives his body to recover between matches.One of the most visible examples of his attitude towards nutrition came during the 2021 European Championship. At a press conference, Ronaldo moved bottles of Coca-Cola away from the table and encouraged viewers to “drink water”. The gesture attracted enormous attention and was followed by a reported fall in Coca-Cola’s market value.
Why Ronaldo’s former chef agrees with Haaland about organ meat
Barone also discussed the differences between Ronaldo’s nutritional choices and those of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who has spoken about including raw milk in his diet. The two approaches differ on dairy, but Barone agreed with Haaland’s preference for organ meats, which he considers particularly nutritious.“I agree with [Erling Haaland’s diet of] eating the organs. The liver, heart and brain are all healthy foods. They are superfoods. Cristiano liked liver too. I love it. It’s very rich in iron, and it’s important in the diet, so for the organs, I approve, but not for the milk.”Ronaldo’s customized routine has continued to attract global attention because of what he manages to sustain on the pitch. The 41-year-old forward has elevated his historic, all-time record tally to 985 official career goals following a masterful performance for Al-Nassr. His latest Saudi Pro League appearance against Al-Kholood featured a dazzling 15-minute hat-trick that secured a thrilling 5-3 victory. This incredible treble marked the 67th senior career hat-trick for the Portuguese icon, extending his unparalleled scoring record even further ahead of long-time rival Lionel Messi.The performance came shortly after Ronaldo was named the winner of the inaugural B.O.A.T. award, or Ballon d’Or of All Time, following a global fan poll that selected his 2008 season with Manchester United as the greatest peak campaign. With the updated career total placing him 15 goals short of 1,000, the milestone is now a realistic target as he continues to lead Al-Nassr and Portugal.His pursuit of that record has brought renewed attention to the discipline behind his career, including the strict nutritional choices described by Barone. For Ronaldo, avoiding milk is one part of a much larger routine built around consistency, preparation and the demands of remaining an elite footballer at 41.
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