With 657 million followers on Instagram, Cristiano Ronaldo's social media posts are always viral. In recent days, the five-time Ballon d'Or winner posted a photo with his son, which didn't fail to spark a reaction: CR7 applying black nail polish to his toenails. Is this a simple style statement or yet another example of the Portuguese's perfectionism for the long term? The American media outlet The Athletic investigated and revealed that this trend was popularized by mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters as a way to harden their nails and prevent them from cracking under stress. While there is still no professional consensus on the issue, a recent study by the Royal College of Podiatry (RCPod) shows that this practice can protect healthy nails from fungal infections, a real problem for footballers who train regularly. Commonly referred to as "athlete's foot," these fungal infections are caused by the use of boot studs. To limit the risks, Dr. Helen Branthwaite says the best treatment is "good hygiene and avoiding walking barefoot in common areas like changing rooms."
Brief
Cristiano Ronaldo posted a photo with his son, which didn't fail to spark a reaction: CR7 applying black nail polish to his toenails