I had the biological age of someone 10 years younger than me at 33 - here's how I did it

Cristiano Ronaldo was told he had the body of an athlete 10 years younger than him after sticking to his strict health routine.

Football icon Ronaldo, 39, is entering the twilight of his career but the former Manchester United hero is still scoring goals for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr. He also remains Portugal's captain and has scored the most goals in the history of international football.

As he approaches his 40th birthday in February, Ronaldo is no longer the flying winger he was as a teenager and has been forced to alter his game in recent years. However, the striker reportedly stunned Real Madrid coaches with his age-defying methods in the past.

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In 2018, Men’s Health reported that Ronaldo’s Real Madrid coaches had run tests and concluded that the then-33-year-old had similar biology to a 23-year-old. The forward spent nine years in Madrid and it took him less than six years to become the club’s all-time top scorer, twice winning La Liga and four Champions League titles.

"He's not one of those players you see who goes out late at night, having dinner and drinks," Spanish sports journalist Santiago Segurola said. "He's always training, with the team or at home. He's obsessive about taking care of his body. He takes care of his body as if it were a Ferrari."

The Portuguese forward is claimed to take an ice bath at 5 a.m. - or even earlier after a match. Ronaldo is widely reported to have seven per cent body fat and 50 per cent muscle mass, which he maintains by following a high-protein, low-fat diet that is broken into six mini meals.

The Daily Mail claims that Ronaldo takes the same approach to sleep, getting his seven-and-a-half hours of rest in the form of five 90-minute naps. In terms of staying in top shape, Ronaldo adds to his work at the training ground through daily targeted weight training, intense sprinting drills, and 25-30 minutes of cardio at home.

Split across multiple sessions, Ronaldo reportedly works out for three to four hours per day, five times a week. When previously asked for his three top health tips, Ronaldo replied, “Eat well, stay hydrated and sleep properly.”

It has certainly worked well for Ronaldo, who has scored 202 goals in 273 club games since the 2018/19 season. The Portugal skipper is scheduled to face Poland and Croatia later this month and will hope to still be leading his country at the 2026 World Cup.