5 players who underwent incredible physical transformation

Cristiano Ronaldo during his younger days at Manchester United and now
Cristiano Ronaldo during his younger days at Manchester United and now

#3 Leon Goretzka - Bayern Munich

FC Bayern Muenchen v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga
FC Bayern Muenchen v Borussia Moenchengladbach - Bundesliga

Bayern Munich signed Leon Goretzka from FC Schalke in 2018. In the past three years, Goretzka has gradually established himself as one of the best box-to-box midfielders on the planet. That the German international has been focused on improving himself is obvious and the results are there for all to see.

Goretzka also underwent a massive physical transformation and is a farcry from the scrawny midfielder the Bavarians signed back in 2018. The German international also put the Covid-19 lockdown to good use to build muscle mass. He currently has one of the best physiques in football.

Goretzka's former Schalke teammate Roman Neustadter, who spoke to The Sun, said he reached out to the midfielder to learn the secrets behind his transformation. Neustader said:

“After I’ve seen his development, I wrote to him directly to send me the exercises he was doing! Even at Schalke we saw that he has the physical abilities to build muscle mass without harming his game.
“Of course, he made the best possible use of the coronavirus break. You can’t just decide for yourself: ‘So, I’m gaining a few pounds of muscle mass’.”

#2 Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United

Udinese Calcio v Juventus - Serie A
Udinese Calcio v Juventus - Serie A

When Cristiano Ronaldo first signed for Manchester United, he was a lean winger. His coaches reportedly used to call him too skinny. But Ronaldo had his eyes set on greatness and as he improved the technical side of his game, he worked on his physique just as intensely.

Ronaldo adopted a strict fitness regime and started a Pilates-based routine to strengthen his core. This is why his body functions as though it belongs to a much younger player. When he showed up for his medicals at Juventus in 2018, doctors reportedly said he had the body of a 20-year-old.

Talking about his physical transformation journey, Ronaldo once said:

"I put it in my mind that my body can improve. With dedication and hard work in the gym I improved a lot on that – at the end of the day it’s down to the person’s mindset."

#1 Adama Traore - Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur - Premier League

Adama Traore is a nightmare to defend against. Not only is he fleet-footed and pacy, he is also incredibly strong. There are few football players who can match the physicality of the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger.

On being asked about his physique, Traore told La Sexta.

"My training? I don’t do weights. It’s hard to believe, but I don’t do weights. It’s genetic. I exercise, but I gain mass very quickly."

The 25-year-old's shredded physique is quite a departure from his frame during his early days at Barcelona's youth academy. Traore rocked a rather slender frame and wasn't exactly famous for his physique.

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