Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has been causing a sensation for years with his sophisticated diet and training plan. And he polarizes opinion – the latest occasion being when he took on the Coca-Cola group in front of the general public.
Cristiano Ronaldo thinks nothing of Coca-Cola. And since June 14, 2021, the Coca-Cola Group no longer thinks anything of the Portuguese soccer star either. On that day, captain Ronaldo gave a press conference before the Portuguese national team's European Championship match against Hungary. As he took his seat at the podium, he noticed two Coca-Cola bottles that the European Championship sponsor had placed prominently in front of him. Visibly annoyed, he pushed the drinks as far away from him as possible, held up his water bottle and shouted: “Drink water!”
This short scene amused viewers around the world and went viral on social media. The famous drinks manufacturer, however, didn't find it funny at all, especially when they saw the next day that Coca-Cola shares had lost 40 percent of their value. The appearance of the capricious footballer had cost Coca-Cola four billion dollars, the US company complained. But Ronaldo was completely unperturbed by this, as he is convinced that his hard training and healthy lifestyle have been decisive factors in making him one of the best footballers in the world for over 20 years. The 39-year-old proved just how fit he is at the 2024 European Championships in Germany.
When it comes to his body, the Madeiran-born athlete has left absolutely nothing to chance for many years. He meticulously sticks to a diet plan that his sports physicians and nutritionists have tailored precisely to him. Ronaldo has his in-house chef prepare at least six meals a day that are not too big. In order to complete his high training workload, he needs a boost of energy every three hours. “The best training doesn't help if it's not combined with a good diet,” he says. “I eat a high-protein diet with lots of wholegrain products, eat fruit and vegetables and avoid all sugary foods.” That's why you won't find any sodas in Ronaldo's house.
The athlete despises indiscipline and loves clear structures. He makes sure that every day follows the same routine as far as possible, he said in an interview. So when the alarm clock rings in the morning, he has usually slept for ten hours. The Portuguese starts each day with his first training session, wherever he happens to be. Only then do they have something to eat. If the father of five has enough time to have breakfast with his family, he likes to treat himself to cheese, ham, fruit, low-fat yoghurt, avocado toast and a cappuccino. However, if his schedule does not allow this, he satisfies his calorie requirements with protein shakes.
“You have to look after Ronaldo's body as if you had a Ferrari in front of you,” Giorgio Barone told the British publication The Mirror. The Italian chef spoiled the soccer star during his time at cult club Juventus of Turin. The secret to Ronaldo's perfect body has less to do with money than with salad, Barone revealed. The footballer did not set great store by luxury products such as caviar, oysters and truffles. But he did value organic and fresh food.
The private chef, who only uses coconut oil to prepare his dishes, was happy to serve Cristiano lean veal, swordfish, sea bass, sea bream and his favourite dish from his native Portugal, Bacalhau à Bras. The side dishes were black rice, eggs and lots of different vegetables.
Ronaldo seems to enjoy this food, but not all of his guests are as enthusiastic about it as he is: “Just don't accept an invitation to lunch from Cristiano,” warned Patrice Evra in a television program. When the former French international signed for Manchester United in 2006, his famous teammate invited him to lunch after training. “When we got to his house, there was only salad and some chicken – without any sauce – on the table. There was no juice to drink, just still water. As soon as Cristiano had eaten a little, he jumped up and said to me: 'Let's go into the garden and do toe touches, and then we'll go swimming. – 'But we've just come from training,' I exclaimed, still hungry. In short, this afternoon was incredibly exhausting. Ronaldo is simply a machine.”
Whether the machine was playing for Manchester United, Real Madrid or Juventus, his iron discipline made an enormous impression everywhere. Polish goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek got to know – and appreciate – Ronaldo during his time at Real. “He was the first to come to training. If the session started at eleven o'clock, he was there at half past nine. He did some sport and got a massage. After that, he'd train for an hour and a half and then go back to the gym.” Letting himself go after all that effort is not Ronaldo's thing, former Man United goalkeeper Lee Grant also told the British sports channel Talksport. After training on Friday evening, the players were given a selection of desserts to round off the meal. Apple crumble and brownies with whipped cream went down a treat with the players – until Ronaldo returned to Manchester United in 2021. He didn't lecture anyone, but he showed his teammates what it means to eat healthily. “When we saw that he always had the healthiest plate of all of us, nobody dared to load up on junk food anymore.”
Unsurprisingly, Ronaldo only drinks alcohol on rare occasions. On special occasions, he toasts with a glass of red wine or champagne. His sister launched her own champagne brand Champagne Elma Aveiro in 2022 – and dedicated a collector's cuvée with the resounding name The 777 Goals to her brother. He scored the 777th goal of his career in May 2021. The number seven is also his lucky number.
When Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson brought the skinny 18-year-old from Lisbon to England for 17.5 million euros in 2003, he presented him with the number 7 shirt before his first match, which had previously been worn by legendary striker David Beckham. “But that's the number of the really big stars,” Ronaldo told Ferguson in amazement. “That's exactly how it is,” he replied.
The unique career of the Portuguese idol began in Manchester and it took him on to the best European clubs. In 2023, Ronaldo went to Riyadh, where he scored goals for the Saudi Arabian first division club al-Nassr FC for an annual salary of 200 million euros.
Wherever he settled, the boy, who grew up in poor circumstances, never forgot where he came from. He feels connected to his birthplace of Funchal and his family, who still live in Madeira. The airport on the island was even named after him in 2017. And the large statue that stands in front of the CR7 museum is one of the most popular photo opportunities for tourists who come to follow in the superstar's footsteps. Those who can afford it spend the night in Ronaldo's hotel right on the harbour.
During the coronavirus pandemic, when all soccer matches were cancelled, he returned to Funchal with his partner Georgina Rodríguez and his children. He trained in the city's empty stadium. The fact that he disregarded all the curfews that were in place brought him criticism from the media. The Portuguese, on the other hand, were hardly upset by his breach of the rules. On the contrary, most of them saw the return of their national hero as a great moral support in difficult times.
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