Former Liverpool talisman Fernando Torres is just one player who has transformed his body off the pitch. The ex-Liverpool and Chelsea striker has been spotted hitting the gym and piling on pounds of muscle since ending his playing career. Express Sport takes a look at six footballers who, like Torres, have undergone major transformations by putting on plenty of muscle mass and improving their physiques.

Torres was known for his lightning pace and finishing ability during his time at Liverpool and excelled at Anfield before quitting the club to join Chelsea. But after retiring from football in 2019, the 38-year-old got to work in the gym.

Torres’ new physique caught the eye of fans at the start of 2021 after he became manager of the Atletico Madrid B team. The former striker appeared in a tight-fitting polo shirt in an advert for a casino after becoming a brand ambassador for the company. And he had packed on so much muscle that his arms were virtually popping out of the sleeves. He continues to hit the gym regularly, as he shows on his social media.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo was a skinny teenager when he first signed for Manchester United in 2003. And he struggled with the physicality of the Premier League for a short time. But over the years he worked hard to build muscle – and the results have been plain for all to see as he is still ripped to this day even at the age of 38.

“I put it in my mind that my body can improve,” Ronaldo once said. “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.” The Portuguese is renowned for his shredded physique and the strict diet he follows to maintain it.

Wolves winger Adama Traore is known for his blistering pace and power, and petrifies even the best Premier League defenders due to his physical abilities. His club even oil up his bulging muscles before he plays matches so that opponents cannot easily grab on to him and pull him down to the ground to foul him.

But, incredibly, the 27-year-old has previously insisted his size is natural. “My training? I don’t do weights,” he previously explained. “It’s hard to believe, but I don’t do weights. It’s genetic. I exercise, but I gain mass very quickly.”

Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford is another player who was slender when he was breaking into the Manchester United team as a fresh-faced teenager. But the 25-year-old England star has made strength and conditioning training part of his day-to-day routine and he now has a phenomenal six-pack and protruding muscles, with his excellent fitness helping him light up the Premier League at present.

Robert Lewandowski

Robert Lewandowski benefitted from Bayern Munich’s intense training regime by stacking on size and becoming an unbelievable athlete during his time in Germany. The 34-year-old, who now plays for Barcelona, has been in outrageously good shape in recent years – and his nutritionist wife Anna has received plenty of the plaudits for helping with his transformation.

Adebayo Akinfenwa

Adebayo Akinfenwa became a giant of a man during the latter stages of his professional playing career. The 40-year-old, who recently came out of retirement to sign for Faversham Town, was one of the biggest players to ever ply their trade in the Football League – and became renowned as the strongest player on FIFA. He enjoyed spells with Northampton, AFC Wimbledon and Wycombe.