{"id":190075,"date":"2025-06-16T22:23:11","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T22:23:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/190075\/"},"modified":"2025-06-16T22:23:11","modified_gmt":"2025-06-16T22:23:11","slug":"cristiano-ronaldos-black-toenail-explained-as-football-icon-poses-shirtless-for-snap-with-son","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/190075\/","title":{"rendered":"Cristiano Ronaldo’s black toenail explained as football icon poses shirtless for snap with son"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cristiano Ronaldo’s recent Father’s Day photograph with his eldest son has drawn attention for an unexpected detail: his black-painted toenails.<\/p>\n

The 40-year-old Portuguese star shared the gym photo on Instagram to his 657 million followers, showing off impressive physique with Cristiano Jr ahead of the teenager’s 15th birthday on June 17.<\/p>\n

Eagle-eyed fans quickly noticed Ronaldo’s jet black toenail on his left foot in the image, with one questioning: “Is no one going to talk about the black painted nails?”<\/p>\n

The unusual sight sparked curiosity across social media, though there’s a practical explanation behind the choice.<\/p>\n

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According to German publication Bild, athletes paint their nails to create a protective barrier against fungi and bacteria that thrive in the sweaty conditions of sports footwear.<\/p>\n

A source told the outlet: “Many top athletes do this to protect their nails from fungi and bacteria when they are stuck in sweaty shoes for hours. Even Mike Tyson.”<\/p>\n

The polish serves a dual purpose – it hardens the toenails whilst forming a protective coating that prevents cracking.<\/p>\n

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\"Cristiano<\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo and Mike Tyson are some of the superstars that have used the method<\/p>\n

Reuters<\/p>\n

This technique has become particularly common amongst track athletes, boxers and mixed martial arts fighters who spend extended periods training in enclosed footwear.<\/p>\n

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has also adopted the practice, demonstrating its widespread use across combat sports.<\/p>\n

For footballers like Ronaldo, who spend countless hours in boots during training and matches, the protective benefits are particularly valuable.<\/p>\n

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Ronaldo, who is not participating in the ongoing Club World Cup in Florida, recently confirmed his plans to remain at Saudi side Al-Nassr after he guided Portugal to their second Nations League title.<\/p>\n

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner, who has the record for the most amount of international appearances and goals, won his third trophy with the national team earlier this month.<\/p>\n

The former Manchester United forward scored eight goals in nine Nations League games, including a crucial equaliser in the final, to propel his nation to further glory.<\/p>\n

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\"Cristiano<\/p>\n

Cristiano Ronaldo lifted his third international trophy earlier this month<\/p>\n

Reuters<\/p>\n

International success runs in the family, too, with his son Cristiano Jr being called up to the national team for the first time last month.<\/p>\n

Cristiano Jr, also known as Cristianinho, followed in his father’s footsteps by scoring an impressive brace for Portugal’s youth team against Croatia in May.<\/p>\n

Ronaldo has insisted it is a dream to play alongside his son in some capacity in a professional game.<\/p>\n

With his goalscoring showing no signs of slowing and Cristianinho also playing in the Al-Nassr youth set up, the pair linking up on the pitch seems to be a very real possibility.<\/p>\n