In the early morning of April 13, Cristiano Ronaldo scored a double to help Al Nassr win 2-1 against Al Riyadh in the Saudi Arabia Championship.
Three days earlier, Lionel Messi also scored two goals, helping Inter Miami come from behind to beat LAFC to reach the Concacaf Champions League semi-finals.
At nearly 38 years old, Messi continues to shine. Ronaldo, at 40 years old, is even leading the Saudi Pro League’s top scorer list with a stable scoring performance.
Eat scientifically, sleep properly
Ronaldo maintains a strict nutritional lifestyle. According to The Sun , he prioritizes natural, protein-rich foods such as salmon, quinoa, and avocado.
Alex Telles – former teammate at Al Nassr – revealed that Ronaldo has his own menu, designed by a nutritionist.
He inspired his teammates to change their eating habits. The team even changed their dessert menu because of the Portuguese superstar’s influence.
Messi also strictly controls his diet. He eats fresh foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, tuna and grilled chicken. Messi says no to refined sugar, fried foods and refined carbohydrates.
In addition, he regularly drinks yerba mate tea – a traditional Argentine tea, containing antioxidants and B vitamins, which help boost immunity and improve mood.
This tea also helps reduce fatigue and stay alert, very suitable for athletes competing at high intensity.
Both take sleep very seriously. Messi sleeps around 11 hours a day, including a nap. Ronaldo hires a sleep coach and takes multiple short naps throughout the day to optimize recovery. Sleep is a key factor in maintaining their fitness throughout the season.
Scientific recovery and training
Ronaldo is known for his high intensity training. He invested in a hyperbaric oxygen therapy room at home, which helps him recover quickly from injuries by promoting tissue regeneration.
In addition, Ronaldo also uses cold therapy, massage, and modern support equipment to optimize the recovery process. Before each match, he motivates himself by looking in the mirror – an indispensable part of his good competitive mentality.
Messi doesn’t train as hard as Ronaldo, but prioritizes speed, balance and flexibility exercises such as jumping rope, lunges, squats and core. Thanks to that, he maintains a stable physique and limits injuries, despite a busy schedule in the US.
Messi’s exercises focus on maintaining flexibility and ball feel, helping him stay sharp in tight spaces.
Changing the way you play to adapt to age
Towards the end of their careers, Messi and Ronaldo both adjusted their playing style to adapt. Messi now often drops deeper, and does not accelerate as much as he did at his peak.
He observes more, choosing the right time to move and accelerate to save energy and reduce the risk of injury. His role is not only to score goals but also to regulate the tempo and create for his teammates.
Ronaldo moves more wisely, chooses effective finishing positions and makes the most of opportunities. The appearance of new player Jhon Duran at Al Nassr has created conditions for Ronaldo to play more flexibly, no longer being tied to the highest position in the attack as before, according to Talksport
Both are no longer at their physical peak, but the way they take care of their bodies, adjust their playing style and maintain discipline is the reason they still shine at the highest level, something few players can do at the age of nearly 40.
