superstar Messi often jumps rope, does hamstring stretches, runs with high knees, overcomes obstacles to increase speed, and adheres to a healthy diet.
After a thrilling match against France on the night of December 18, Argentina officially became the 2022 World Cup champion. One of the biggest contributors to the team’s trophy win was Lionel Messi. Despite turning 30, the team’s superstar has been playing better every season. Messi looks better and more radiant than ever and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, thanks to the following diet and exercise tips.
Practice
Messi is not as physically demanding as his old La Liga rival Cristiano Ronaldo , who is known for his rigorous training regime. However, he still follows some exercises under the supervision of a coach.
According to Pinata, the Argentine’s training is mainly to ensure his body is always up to speed. He focuses on maximizing his speed before each match day, improving his acceleration and power.
The entire workout is divided into different parts, with specific exercises. For basic movements, he does planks, crunches, hamstring stretches, and high-knee running. He also incorporates hurdles and squats to strengthen his core and leg muscles. To finish off the first part of the workout, he does various sprinting exercises.
The next part is a workout that focuses on increasing linear speed, maximizing multi-directional movement. Messi does exercises like jumping rope and squats to build leg muscles. He also runs through obstacles to improve flexibility. At the end of each workout, he drinks plenty of water to keep his body fresh, and jogs for about 10 minutes to cool down.
Lionel Messi celebrates after Argentina beat Croatia at Lusail Stadium in Lusail, Qatar, December 13. Photo: AFP
Eat and drink
Since working with Messi in 2014, Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser has revolutionized the Argentine’s diet. He has identified five main foods as the foundation: water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables.
He said Messi also cut down on sugar in his daily diet because “sugar is something that destroys muscles, it should be avoided as much as possible”. According to him, the player does not consume refined flour, because nowadays, it is very difficult to find wheat that is not contaminated with impurities.
Like many nutritionists who work with athletes, he advised Messi not to eat too much meat, a habit common in South America and Spain.
“The amount of meat that Argentines and Uruguayans consume every day is considered excessive and difficult to digest,” he said.
Barcelona, the club Messi has played for 21 years, revealed his “favourite recipe” is grilled chicken with vegetables. Barca shared the recipe with fans on their official website. The meal consists of 30g of olive oil, salt, 4 cloves of crushed garlic, an onion, a bunch of carrots, a leek, 700-800g of sweet potatoes, 4 chicken thighs and fresh basil.
The preparation of the above ingredients is also very simple. Messi’s chef preheats the oven to 200 degrees Celsius, puts oil and salt in a baking tray, then puts in vegetables and chopped chicken. All the ingredients are baked for 45 minutes at 190 degrees Celsius.
Messi also said he loves the Argentine specialty Milanesa, a thin beef fillet fried in breadcrumbs. He has previously admitted that he has difficulty eliminating beef from his diet.
“What you should be putting into your body at 18 or 19 is very different than what you should be eating at 27,” he says.
Instead of carbonated drinks, Messi drinks Yerba Mate tea, a South American caffeinated beverage. Alcohol is also completely banned. Messi also gives up pizza, another of his favorite foods.
