Although milk is often touted as a super drink rich in protein, calcium and essential vitamins, and is widely used by athletes to recover and support muscles, Cristiano Ronaldo has avoided milk in his long-term diet, a choice that, according to his former personal chef, is in line with the discipline behind his longevity in his 25th season as a professional. The 41-year-old, who currently plays for Al-Nassr, is on the verge of reaching 1,000 career goals after scoring his 969th goal in a victory last weekend. During his time at Manchester United and Real Madrid, Ronaldo has always pointed to discipline in diet and recovery as central to maintaining peak physical condition.
Why milk was excluded from his diet
Ronaldo’s former chef Giorgio Barone explains that milk completely disappeared from his daily life, not just for performance reasons but because of a broader view of consumption. “No milk,” Barone told Covers.com, Before outlining the reasoning in detail: “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 three months. Animals don’t drink the milk of other animals.” “It doesn’t exist in nature. Only humans continue to drink milk for 30, 40, 50 and 60 years, and that seems wrong to me. We suck from our mothers, just like dogs, wolves, cows and donkeys. It’s normal.” “After infancy, this is not normal. It is unnatural.”
Ronaldo’s daily diet structure
Barone described Ronaldo’s diet as controlled but varied, built around consistency rather than restrictions for the sake of the diet itself. “Cristiano Ronaldo’s diet is balanced,” he said. “He ate a little bit of everything, but always healthy.” He then detailed the day: “Starting with breakfast, he would have an avocado, coffee, eggs, no sugar. Absolutely no added sugar. Lunch can be chicken, fish and of course vegetables. If he needs carbohydrates, he can get 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 food, usually meat in the form of fish or fish fillets. Always with vegetables.” This method completely eliminates refined sugar and avoids flour carbs, instead relying on protein, vegetables, and healthy fats.
Cristiano Ronaldo maintains body fat below 10%, avoids refined sugar, milk, and focuses on a strict recovery routine / Instagram
Physical condition and recovery procedures
This structure is reflected in Ronaldo’s physical condition, with body fat levels remaining below 10%. His daily routine goes beyond diet and includes recovery methods such as saunas and ice baths, which he and his partner Georgina Rodriguez are known to use regularly.
Ronaldo’s recovery routine includes vigorous saunas and ice baths to maintain optimal health and longevity / Instagram
The same discipline is evident in public spaces. During Euro 2021, Ronaldo removed a bottle of Coca-Cola from the press conference table and told viewers to “drink water,” a moment that wiped billions of dollars off the company’s market value.
Diet comparison with other players
Barone also spoke of comparisons to Erling Haaland, who has said drinking raw milk is part of his own daily routine. While rejecting milk, Barone agreed with other elements of the approach, particularly the inclusion of offal: “I agree [Erling Haaland’s diet of] Eat offal. Liver, heart and brain are all healthy foods. They are superfoods. Cristiano also likes liver. I like it. It’s rich in iron and important in the diet, so for organs I’m in favor, but not for milk. “
