Why does Cristiano Ronaldo paint his toenails black? Report explains incredible claim on how Al-Nassr superstar looks to gain edge over competitors

Fans recently spotted something unique about Al-Nassar superstar Cristiano Ronaldo on social media. Ronaldo uploaded an image of himself in a steam bath. While his ever-impressive physique was proudly on display in the picture, one other thing that fans noticed was that his toenails were painted black.

His black toenails were also visible when the Portuguese superstar posed with former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou earlier this year. Naturally, one might wonder why the superstar paints his nails black?

According to German outlet BILD, many athletes, especially MMA fighters and other combat athletes, do it to add a protective layer.

Cristiano Ronaldo has to wear shoes for hours when he is on the pitch. He has reportedly painted his toenails to save himself from any fungi or bacterial attack.

The 38-year-old has been among the goals for Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr. Since making his debut for the club in January after joining as a free agent, Ronaldo has scored 11 goals and has provided two assists in 11 matches so far.

Rio Ferdinand opened up on his treatment of Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United

Cristiano Ronaldo was teammates with Rio Ferdinand during his first stint at Manchester United. Both players were crucial to the Red Devils' success during that era.

Ferdinand, however, recently made a fascinating claim about his treatment of Ronaldo. The legendary central defender was a lot senior to Ronaldo. Speaking about how he treated the Portuguese, he recently said (via The Sun):

“Me and a guy called Quinton Fortune … we used to take the mick out of him a lot. [Ronaldo] was a lot younger than us at the time - borderline bullying, maybe, but it was just trying to, like, build him, build that resilience.”

The method might have worked as it hardened Ronaldo's psychology as a player. The Portuguese went on to become one of the best players in the Premier League at United before leaving the club for Real Madrid in 2009.