Cristiano Ronaldo is stepping down from international soccer at 41. Here are his science-backed longevity secrets.

• Cristiano Ronaldo is retiring from international football at the age of 41.
• Ronaldo has a reputation as a health obsessive who follows a strict health regimen.
• But he balances the boring things we all know we should do for our health with the occasional treat.

In an Instagram post shared with his 679 million followers on Thursday, he said it was time to hand back his No. 7 shirt.

“It was not an easy decision, because some decisions are not made with the mind alone — they are also made with the heart. A journey that began in August 2003 and changed my life forever has come to an end,” he said.

At 985 goals, Ronaldo is the top soccer goal scorer of all time, followed by Argentina’s Lionel Messi at 937 and Brazil’s Pelé at 762. Ronaldo has the most nominations for the prestigious Ballon d’Or, at 18, and has won five times. “This underscores his enduring consistency on the global football stage,” the organization says on its website.

Ronaldo sees dedication to his health and fitness as key to being an all-time soccer great. “If you have talent but don’t work hard, you won’t win anything,” Ronaldo said in 2016. “In my career, I’ve always worked hard in training and games. It’s hard work that achieves success.”

Ronaldo’s secret is relentlessly sticking to the boring basics

Despite his reputation for being health-obsessed, in an era of bio hackers and longevity bros, Ronaldo’s approach to health and fitness is relatively straightforward. The challenge comes in sticking to the right habits consistently for decades.

In Business Insider’s numerous interviews with longevity experts, they typically recommend sleeping enough, eating a nutritious but not-too-strict diet, doing regular cardio and strength training, managing stress, and making time for loved ones and fun.

Although his calorie needs as an elite athlete are far higher than the average person, it’s well documented that Ronaldo’s diet consists of lean meat and fish, plenty of vegetables, and skipping alcohol and excess sugar, which are hallmarks of the much-lauded Mediterranean diet.

Ronaldo told Spanish sports commentator Edu Aguirre in an interview last year that he doesn’t diet. “I have good routines, and today if I feel like having a hamburger and sweet potatoes, no problem, but I’m not going to do more.”

This “free and calm” attitude toward health and fitness is key, he added. It’s ok to eat less nutritious food maybe once a week, he said, and he doesn’t label such meals “bad.” If his kid offers him a cookie, he’ll take it.

“For me, it’s the key to everything,” he said.

In an interview with Ballon d’Or in 2025, he described sleep as his “most important tool,” going to bed between 11 p.m. and midnight, and waking up at 8:30 a.m. In the hours before he sleeps, he tries to wind down, going for a walk with his wife or watching a movie.

The football coach Luis Castro, who worked with Ronaldo at the Saudi Pro team Al Nassr, told Sky Sports in May 2025: “Cristiano has very ingrained routines, a strong culture of training, and great respect for practice and for the game itself. That makes daily work much easier.

Castro added that what sets Ronaldo apart is “what happens before and after training — the so called ‘invisible training’ that he does.”

“His behavior is all tailored towards sports performance — his diet, his sleep, and his recovery. He is a person deeply concerned with eating well, sleeping well and preparing his body properly. In my opinion, this is clearly where Cristiano’s longevity comes from.”

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