Why UFC fighters paint their toenails black like Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo has his toenails painted in a social media post and there's a very good reason behind it.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner shared a picture of himself in a sauna as he recovered from his excursions in Saudi Arabia.

He showed off his remarkable physique, with people on social media noticing something unusual about the snap.

They turned their attention to his toenails, which were painted black.

One fan wrote: "Did I miss something or everyone else missed it. Did Ronaldo paint his toe nails?"

Another added: "All I know is athletes who do MMA usually add paint to get a protective layer or something."

Image: Instagram

The protective layer is supposedly the reason behind the 39-year-old painting his toenails.

According to a source via German outlet Bild, athletes paint their nails or cover it with a protective layer to prevent their nails from fungi and bacteria.

They said: "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."

Ronaldo isn't the only top-level athlete who paints his toenails as former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski would also do the same during competition.

It's claimed it helps the fighters to prevent their toenails from cracking or splitting up.

A layer of nail polish hardens the toenail, which minimises the danger of the nail being damaged in a fight.

Ronaldo is a consummate professional and goes above and beyond to maintain his impeccable health and physique.

The painting of his toenails is just another sign of his elite-mentality as he enjoys a prolific spell in Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this week, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid forward scored two free-kicks inside 10 minutes for Al Nassr in their Saudi Pro League clash against Abha.

Ronaldo is currently the leading goalscorer in Saudi's top flight this season with 29 goals to his name.