The surprising reason Cristiano Ronaldo paints his toenails black ahead of Portugal vs Norway clash

Cristiano Ronaldo's latest pre-match picture caught people's attention for a reason that had nothing to do with football, as the Portugal superstar showed off his black toenails while preparing for the Nations League clash with Norway.The 41-year-old is expected to feature for Portugal on Sunday evening and posted a picture of himself wearing leg compression boots as part of his recovery routine. But with his bare feet also visible, it was the colour of Ronaldo's toenails that immediately stood out.Ronaldo has always been obsessive about what he does away from the pitch, with his training, recovery and general approach to looking after his body playing a huge part in his extraordinary longevity. Even his painted toenails, it turns out, have a practical reason behind them.So why does Cristiano Ronaldo paint his toenails black?Ronaldo's feet have taken plenty of punishment over the course of a career that has lasted more than two decades, but the black colour on his toenails is reportedly not simply the result of bruising or the wear and tear of playing football.The Athletic reported that Ronaldo paints his toenails black because the nail polish is believed to offer some protection against bacteria and fungal infections.That is particularly relevant for someone who trains and exercises almost every day and spends long periods wearing sweaty football boots and training shoes. Warm, damp conditions can make it easier for fungal infections to develop, which is why foot care becomes particularly important for athletes who spend so much time in footwear.Britain's Royal College of Podiatry has previously pointed to a small study suggesting that nail varnish could provide some protection, although good foot hygiene remains the most important way to prevent problems.Dr Helen Branthwaite, a spokesperson for the Royal College of Podiatry, told The Athletic: “With over 250,000 sweat glands in your feet, the average person will produce around half a pint of sweat per day in their feet.”She explained that most fungal toenail infections begin with a fungal skin infection, commonly known as athlete's foot, which can then spread to the toenail.“Virtually all fungal toenail infections come from fungal skin infections, commonly known as athlete’s foot, which then spreads to the nail,” Branthwaite said.“Leaving this skin infection untreated is the biggest risk factor for developing nail fungus.”So while the black toenails might look unusual when Ronaldo posts a picture from his recovery routine, there is reportedly more to them than simply making a statement.Ronaldo is not the only sports star doing itThe habit is not particularly unusual in combat sports, where athletes regularly deal with heavy training loads, sweaty footwear and repeated impact on their feet.Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson is understood to have painted his nails during his career, while former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has also been seen with painted nails.Former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski was another fighter who sported painted nails during his career.There are also specialist nail varnishes and treatments that market themselves as helping to inhibit fungal growth, although Branthwaite stressed that the simplest form of prevention is still “good foot hygiene”.Ronaldo is also a well-known fan of the UFC, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and the practice has become particularly visible among professional fighters.That does not necessarily mean Ronaldo is copying the fighters, however, with the explanation given for his own routine being linked to protecting his toenails rather than simply following a trend.For a player who has built much of his career around tiny details, it is perhaps fitting that even something as small as his toenails has become part of his preparation.Ronaldo is still chasing the 1,000-goal markThe black toenails may have been the talking point in Ronaldo's latest picture, but there is a much bigger number he is still chasing on the pitch.The Portugal captain has scored 979 goals for club and country and is now targeting the extraordinary milestone of 1,000 career goals.He came agonisingly close to reaching 980 in Portugal's win over Wales, only for a VAR check to prevent the goal from counting and leave him on 979.Ronaldo is expected to lead Portugal's attack again against Norway, with the latest Nations League fixture another opportunity to continue what has become one of the most remarkable scoring records in football.At 41, the forward is still putting the same attention into recovery and preparation that has helped keep him playing at the highest level for so long.And if that means painting his toenails black before pulling on his boots, Ronaldo clearly has no problem with it.Stay updated with the latest Asian Games 2026 news, check the Asian Games medal tally and complete Asian Games schedule.Get the latest Sports News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.