Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted that his guilty pleasure is eating pizza as the Manchester United star tries to break up his rigorous, "boring" diet.
The 37-year-old's eating habits are well-known, with Ronaldo following a strict routine to ensure he is performing at the highest level he can. This has been a theme of his 20-year professional career as soon as he started at his native Sporting Lisbon, before enjoying spells at United, Real Madrid and Juventus.
It has previously been revealed that Ronaldo eats a high protein diet, with lots of wholegrain carbs, fruit and vegetables, and avoids sugary foods. The Portugal international has a personal dietician who has worked with him ever since his Los Blancos days, eating six small meals a day – or one every three to four hours.
Ronaldo likes fish – particularly swordfish, sea bass and sea bream – and his favourite dish is a mixture of cod, onions, thinly sliced potatoes and scrambled eggs. He also eats plenty of fruits and lean proteins. At restaurants, Ronaldo often orders steak and a salad, and never anything frozen - everything he eats is fresh.
However, even an athlete of Ronaldo's calibre can afford a cheat meal every so often, with the Portugal legend opting for a pizza to avoid a 'boring' life. He revealed that he enjoys that with his son, Cristiano Jr, in an attempt to break up his usual routine. He told YouTube channel ChrisMD : "The key is to take care of your body, train, do your recovery and eat properly. Although sometimes I do eat pizza with my son, otherwise it would be boring."
In an interview with GOAL earlier this year, Ronaldo opened up about his secrets to success and what made him one of the most successful footballers of his generation alongside Lionel Messi. Ronaldo also sometimes works out after training, in activities such as swimming.
"Eat regularly," Ronaldo said. "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."
Ronaldo has always tried to keep himself in peak physical condition and rarely has time off from working at his best. He often spends time in the gym and follows a strict plan which has allowed him to be recognised as one of the fittest footballers on the planet.
His pilates-based routine focuses on resistance work to strengthen his core. And while some players like to sit at home in front of the TV after a match, Ronaldo heads straight to the pool. He swims lengths, often alongside Cristiano Jr, which not only helps him unwind from the physical toll of a match, but also helps him build his huge physique.
