The former private chef of Cristiano Ronaldo has revealed the striker has banned milk from his diet to help him stay ripped.

Ronaldo, 41, has been praised for his longevity as he continues to play football into the fifth decade of his life, with the veteran primed to lead the line for a Portugal team hopeful of success at the World Cup this summer.

He has received high praise for his ripped physique over the years. In February, posting to his 671million Instagram followers, Ronaldo captioned the snap: 'Longevity and high performance don't happen by chance. They're built through daily, practical recovery. It's not a secret. It's a routine.'

Now, his former chef has revealed his secret is the absence of milk - because he doesn't think it's natural for humans to drink it.

'No milk,' Giorgio Barone told covers.com. 'Humans are the only animals that drink the milk of other animals. No other animal drinks milk after three months. Calves don't drink milk after the age of three months. Animals don't drink the milk of other animals.

'It does not exist in nature. Only human beings continue to drink milk up to 30, 40, 50, and 60 years, and in my view it is wrong. We breastfeed from our mothers, like dogs, wolves, cows and donkeys. It is normal.

'After infancy it is not normal. It is against nature.' 

Ronaldo is known to work out for up to four hours and eat six high-protein 'mini meals' every day in a bid to keep himself in tip-top shape, before using saunas and ice baths to aid his recovery.

He shared an image of himself looking ripped after one sauna session late last year, which amassed more than 22 million likes on the social media platform.

The latest measurement of his body fat states sits at an astonishing seven per cent. Premier League stars are only expected to maintain levels between eight and 12 per cent.

He loves avocado, fresh fish and generally sticks to high-protein, low-fat foods like chicken. Salad, whole grains like quinoa, and fresh fruit are also piled onto his plate every day.

Fellow Portuguese players have said their captain's favourite meal is Bacalhau a Bras, a traditional dish combining scrambled eggs, fried potatoes and salted cod. 

'Cristiano Ronaldo's diet is balanced,' Barone said. 'He eats a little bit of everything, but it's always healthy.

'Starting with breakfast, he would have an avocado with coffee, eggs and no sugar. Absolutely no sugar. Lunch could be chicken, fish and always vegetables. If he needs carbohydrates, he gets them through vegetables, so he doesn't need anything made with flour.

'Nothing like pasta, bread and other types of food. In the evening, he eats light foods, usually fish or meat in the form of fillet. It's always accompanied by vegetables.' 

Ronaldo has also made clear his disdain for soft drinks. At Euro 2020, he moved a bottle of Coca-Cola from his vicinity during a press-conference, imploring fans to drink water instead.

The Portuguese differs to Manchester City star Erling Haaland, who recently revealed he includes raw milk as part of his diet, while he also eats steak and organ meats like liver and heart. 

Barone said: 'I agree with [Erling Haaland's diet of] eating the organs. The liver, heart and brain are all healthy foods. They are superfoods.

'Cristiano liked liver too. I love it. It's very rich in iron and it's important in the diet so for the organs, I approve, but not for the milk.'