The Portuguese bodybuilding influencer known as Monster who claimed to be the most 'shredded ever' has died in Germany aged 46 as his heartbroken wife pays tribute to the star online. 

Marco Cesar Aguiar Luis, whose nickname in his native language was Monstro, had a massive following on social media where he described himself as an online coach and motivator.

Canadian-born wife Mariza Luis, who also did regular gym workouts, said in a Facebook post on Sunday alongside a video of her partner flexing his biceps: 'I'm the wife of Marco Luis Monster.

'I'm not into publications, let alone of this sort, but after so many messages, YES, I can confirm that Marco has died in Cologne, in Germany.

'He was in his 'paradise' doing what he loved,' she said of the muscleman.

The Portuguese bodybuilding influencer known as Monster has died aged 46 in Germany

The exact circumstances of his death were not immediately clear today

His bodybuilding wife, Mariza Luis, paid tribute to her late husband on social media after announcing his sudden death 

'Thank you in advance for all the support I've received, you've been tireless.

'As Marco died in a foreign country, I will have to bring his body back to Portugal after it is released which may take a few days.

'I ask for everyone's understanding at this difficult time and please I ask for RESPECT!

'Marco may have had his own way of thinking and acting but he was a humble person and never hurt anyone.'

Pal Flavio Gouveia added in an emotional social media post: 'I have lost a great friend.

'I am not one for many words, I didn't want to believe it when I heard the news.

'From the first day I entered your house in your gym we always got along well, there was a great friendship right away.

'We trained many times together, we did great workouts together, you were always a person of good will, cheerful, fighting for your dreams, and who always thought about helping others, you never gave up on your dreams, on training and growing, it was what you loved to do!

'My condolences to your wife Marco Luis Monstro.'

The online coach and motivator described himself as the 'most shredded' bodybuilder 'ever'

The exact circumstances of his death were not immediately clear today.

Marco Luis, who hailed from the volcanic island of Terceira in the Azores archipelago, had nearly 25,000 followers on Instagram alone as well as his own YouTube channel where his leading video was titled 'A story of overcoming challenges in life and motivation, from being disabled to becoming a winner.'

Recounting his problems in an emotional online biography, Marco whose full name was Marco Cesar Aguiar Luis, wrote: 'I was born on May 7, 1977 on Terceira Island, a small island in Portugal.

'I was born with physical problems that made it impossible for me to do sports and at the age of 20, when I started Judo, I soon saw that my passion was muscle and with the help of my father we made cement weights and I started training at home and it was at home that I always trained, buying weights and machines little by little, and today, after 26 years, I have a gym with the bare minimum.

'In other words, I have never trained in commercial gyms. I was natural until I was 32 because I didn't even know what chemistry was and it wasn't until I was 40, in 2018 that I competed for the first time and won.

'But before competing I made some training videos and put them on my YouTube and due to my condition, skin quality and vascularity I was recognized by American motivation video producers such as MAKAVELLI, ALWAYS MASSIVE, MIND PUMP MOTIVATION, and many others.

'Through these videos I received sponsorship proposals even without ever going on stage. something that outraged Portuguese athletes as I was the first Portuguese to be sponsored by an American brand, becoming the image of the brand after leaving Flex Wheeler.'

The muscleman's nickname in his native language was Monstro

Azores-based firefighter Luis Branco said: 'Marco will always be an icon of bodybuilding

Going on to say how in 2015 he had appeared in several American motivational videos, he added: 'Today I live from this sport thanks to sponsorships and being an online coach.

'As you can see, everything in life is possible even if it seems impossible. From disabled to victorious. From Marco Luís to MONSTER.'

He called bodybuilding 'his life and passion' on his other social media and had referred to himself online in the past as the 'most shredded bodybuilder ever.'

Azores-based firefighter Luis Branco said: 'Marco will always be an icon of bodybuilding.

'He's the Monster and he will always be remembered by the lovers of the sport he had so much passion for.

'To all his family, my most sincere condolences at this time of great pain.'

On March 27, 34-year-old Brazilian influencer and powerlifting champion Rhayara Morais was discovered lifeless in her bed at her apartment in Aguas Claras in the South American country's Federal District, home to its purpose-built capital Brasilia.

Rhayara, who had nearly 150,000 followers on Instagram and boasted of having half a million fans on Tiktok, won a regional powerlifting title after taking up the sport around two years ago.

The first time he won a competition was at the age of 40, in 2018

On March 9 a bodybuilder who showed off his demanding fitness routines to more than 50,000 followers on Instagram was shot dead outside his home in Vila Matilde, one of the 96 districts in Brazilian city Sao Paulo.

Muscled Denis Yoshio, who was dating a stunning model, was gunned down by two men who fled on a motorbike.

The 32-year-old's brother put him into his car and tried him to rush him to hospital before being assisted by firefighters en route who helped transfer him to an ambulance.

The gunshot victim is said to have gone into cardiac arrest after reaching hospital.

One of the bullets that killed him struck his spine.

Last October a former bodybuilding champion was shot dead by two gunmen as he trained in a gym in the city of Botocatu 150 miles southeast of São Paulo.

Brazilian Eustacio Batista Dias, 27, was executed after trying to escape his killers when they started firing at him as he chatted to another man between exercises.

The horror moment he was killed was filmed on CCTV.

One unconfirmed local report at the time said the assassins may have been able to confirm their victim's whereabouts through photos and a video he posted as Instagram Stories shortly before being executed showing he was weight-training.