There is a bizarre reason why the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and various MMA fighters have started painting their toenails black.
Sports icons like the five-time Ballon D'Or winner alongside a whole host of UFC stars have been spotted donning the black nail varnish on their toes and people are totally baffled as to why.
After sharing a shot of himself post a recent Al Nassr game - it's clear that the only thing anyone could focus on were Ronaldo's feet.
Advert
It all started when Ronaldo posted a photo to his Instagram story sitting in a luxurious sauna with nothing on except some black briefs.
Oh - and black nail polish on his toes to match.
The football icon's post was enough to cause a complete frenzy on social media with huge swathes of fans flocking to Twitter to share their reactions to the unlikely cosmetic choice.
One Twitter user questioned: "Why does Ronaldo have black toenails?"
Advert
A second echoed: "Did I miss something or everyone else missed it? Did Ronaldo paint his toenails?"
Another added: "We not gonna talk about the fact Ronaldo has painted his toenails black?"
A fourth claimed: "Cristiano Ronaldo paints his toenails black. How can any girl find that attractive?" while a final Twitter user hit back supporting the footballer with: "Omg.. what is SO wrong about men with painted toenails?? I support Ronaldo's black nails!!"
And this isn't the first time that the Portuguese star has been seen sporting the black toenails.
Advert
In a series of posts uploaded earlier this year (21 January) by UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou, the 38-year-old can be seen yet again with black nails peeking out of his sliders.
However, it seems like the polished tootsies are far from a fashion statement and there is actually a scientific purpose behind painting one's trotters and it's not what you'd expect.
According to the German outlet, Bild, athletes reportedly paint their nails or cover them up with a protective layer to prevent them from fungi and bacteria.
The publication revealed that this is a fairly common thing among sports professionals - with MMA fighters getting involved in the health trend too.
Advert
"Many top athletes do this to protect their nails from fungi and bacteria when they are stuck in sweaty shoes for hours," it adds. "Even Mike Tyson."
And it's not just Ronaldo and 'Iron Mike' as former UFC heavyweight champion, Andrei Arlovski, also painted up whenever he stepped into the ring.
The nail polish is said to help the fighters prevent their toenails from cracking or splitting during action as it hardens the nail itself which, in turn, minimises the danger of it being injured mid-fight.
So, there you have it.
Topics: Celebrity, Cristiano Ronaldo, Football, Health, MMA, Sport, UFC
Rhiannon Ingle