Why CR7 avoids drinking milk & all of Al-Nassr star's diet secrets revealed

Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo's longevity at the highest level of football is no accident, with the 41-year-old Al-Nassr superstar remaining in peak physical condition. Now, his former personal chef, Giorgio Barone, has lifted the lid on the meticulous dietary habits that fuel one of the greatest athletes in history, including avoiding milk.

Reason behind the no-milk rule

According to Barone, Ronaldo views the consumption of milk by adults as fundamentally incorrect and avoids it entirely in favour of dairy alternatives.

Speaking to Covers.com about the rationale, Barone explained, "No milk. 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."

Cristiano Ronaldo Al-Nassr 2025-26

Inside Ronaldo’s daily diet routine

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward follows a strict schedule that prioritises lean proteins and healthy fats while completely eliminating refined sugars. Every meal is designed to provide maximum energy without the heavy processing found in modern diets.

Barone detailed the daily routine, stating, "Cristiano Ronaldo’s diet is balanced. He eats a little bit of everything, but it’s always healthy. 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."

Ronaldo vs Haaland: The organ meat debate

Interestingly, while Ronaldo differs from Manchester City star Erling Haaland on the topic of milk - with the Norwegian famously touting the benefits of raw milk - they do find common ground when it comes to "superfoods" such as organ meats. Barone revealed that Ronaldo is a fan of liver, which is dense in essential nutrients like iron.

Barone commented on the comparison between the two strikers: "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."

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Longevity through recovery and discipline

Diet is only one pillar of the legendary attacker's regime. To stay sharp for Al-Nassr and the Portugal national team, Ronaldo utilises high-end technology, including cryotherapy chambers and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, to speed up recovery between matches.

His dedication to health has been public for years, perhaps most famously when he removed Coca-Cola bottles from a Euro 2020 press conference. With the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada on the horizon, these strict habits are what allow the veteran to continue captaining his country into his 40s.