Inside Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable body transformation down the years as he shows off his ever-growing muscles at aged 38 after going from skinny-fit to ripped

Despite being 38, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner and a scorer of 873 goals in his career, Cristiano Ronaldo shows no signs of slowing down.

Just this week, the Portuguese superstar was spotted showing off his incredible muscles in the gym at the start of the Saudi Pro League winter break.

Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr side won’t return to competitive action until February 14, when they take on Al-Fayha in the AFC Champions League play-offs, but he continues to work hard.

The latest example of his relentless work ethic comes after Ronaldo finished as the world’s top scorer in 2023 with 54 goals in both club and international action.

It was the fifth time that Ronaldo received the award, after he also became top scorer at Real Madrid in 2011, 2013, 2014 and 2015.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains in incredible physical shape despite being 38 and earlier this week shared photos of himself working hard in the gym during the Saudi Pro League winter break

The Al-Nassr star finished 2023 as the world’s top scorer with 54 goals for club and country

Despite joining the Saudi Pro League at the end of 2022, he shows no signs of slowing down

Ronaldo has undergone an incredible body transformation since his days at Sporting Lisbon

Although he has dominated our screens over the past decade as a world-class footballer with a ripped body, this has not always been the case for the forward.

When he made his debut for Sporting Lisbon in 2002 at the age of 17, Ronaldo was a tall but thin teenager who looked very different than he does today.

However, this did not stop him from excelling and his brilliant performances and talent earned him a move to Manchester United.

However, Ronaldo almost looked like a different person in the early 2000s and after a promising but unspectacular debut season he realized he needed to strengthen to cope with the physical demands of English football.

The now 38-year-old began adding muscle to his upper body, while ensuring he was lean enough to handle the challenges he faced from opposition defenders.

It would prove to be a masterstroke as Ronaldo excelled under Sir Alex Ferguson for six years from 2003 to 2009, becoming the first United star to win the Ballon d’Or since George Best in 1968.

As technology and nutritional advice advanced, Ronaldo took these opportunities to get himself into the best shape possible.

Ronaldo’s stunning form earned him a world record £80 million move to Real Madrid, where he continued to work on his physique.

His fitness and form were so impressive that Ronaldo started to change the way we looked at footballers and what the ideal football body was.

This came after significant dedication from Ronaldo, with the 38-year-old known to employ a personal nutritionist, doctor, physio and chef in a bid to improve his performance.

One of the most iconic moments of his career was his goal in Real Madrid’s 4-1 victory over city rivals Atletico Madrid to win the 2014 Champions League title and secure La Decima for the Spanish giants.

As he scored Real’s fourth goal, Ronaldo ripped off his shirt and tensed up, giving fans around the world a glimpse of his incredible physique.

Ronaldo with Sir Alex Ferguson at the unveiling of Manchester United in August 2003. The Portuguese superstar, then 18, looked completely unrecognizable from his physique today.

Ronaldo realized he needed to train to meet the physical demands of English football

He continued to do this and this iconic pose with Real Madrid during their Champions League final victory over Atletico Madrid in 2014 has gone down in history.

Coupled with a hectic gym routine, Ronaldo revealed the importance his diet and lifestyle played in his body transformation over the years.

Speak with FourFourTwo in 2015 he said: ‘I watch my diet, eat healthy and avoid things that are bad for me like alcohol, sugary soft drinks and processed foods.

“I focus on eating simple, whole foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.” I really like fresh fish and try to get a lot of my protein from it.

‘A good night’s sleep is very important to get the most out of training. I go to bed early and get up early, especially before games. Sleep helps my muscles recover, which is very important.

‘Exercise and workouts in the gym are essential, but a relaxed lifestyle guides you to get the best out of yourself, both physically and mentally. I spend my free time with family and friends, which keeps me relaxed and positive.’

Reports have also claimed in the past that Ronaldo eats six meals a day, which helps him build muscle and stay slim.

Given his strict regime and continued performances on the pitch, it is no surprise that many, including his former United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, are backing Ronaldo to play into his 40s.

The attacker continues to perform in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, where he is the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League this season with twenty goals and nine assists in eighteen games.

Despite a poor second spell at United that ended in acrimony, Ronaldo remained in good form

Ronaldo (with partner Georgina Rodriguez) has backed himself to continue playing into his 40s

Together with his uncompromising professionalism and strict diet, as evidenced by the gym photos this week, his form so far has ensured that age has not caught up with him and few would make it past 40 following Solskjaer’s predictions.

Speaking in 2022 to ESPNRonaldo backed himself to do just that, saying: ‘Genetically, I feel like I’m 30 years old. I take good care of my body and my mind. Something I’ve learned recently is that I believe at 33 the body can deliver when you need it, but the real battle is mental.

“Going through a lot of things with the focus on the end goal of staying at a high level is the hardest thing I can do, and that’s what I’ve been doing for the last few years.

“I’ve been working and concentrating more on working on my mind. I know my body can handle me because I respect it a lot and listen to it a lot.

‘Life must have important moments, for better or for worse, but when you fall you must have the strength to get up.

“I want to know if I’m going to play until I’m 40, 41 or 42, but the most important thing is that my daily goal is to enjoy the moment.”

With all that Ronaldo has achieved, you wouldn’t pass it up that the Portuguese superstar continues to prove the doubters and traditional science wrong.