Lionel Messi has been at the top of world soccer for more than two decades, from his early days and dominance at FC Barcelona to his later career with Inter Miami and Argentina. Success and trophies, including a World Cup, have kept coming at an astonishing rate.
Many rightly point to his extraordinary natural talent, perhaps the greatest of his generation or even all time, but ability alone does not explain it all. Modern training methods, elite conditioning, injury prevention, physiotherapy and plenty of hard work away from the pitch have all helped Messi stay at the very top for so long.
Then there is his diet, the often overlooked but crucial piece. What Messi eats and drinks has become more important as the years have gone by, helping him meet the physical demands of playing at the highest level well into his 30s.
During the early stages of his career, Messi's eating habits were far from what you would expect from a modern elite athlete. Pizza, fast food and soda were among his favorites, along with traditional Argentine dishes such as milanesa, a breadcrumb-coated beef fillet typically shallow-fried.
For a while, it hardly seemed to matter. Messi was tearing through defenses, collecting Ballon d'Or awards and helping Barcelona win nearly every major trophy. But by the early 2010s, the physical demands became harder to ignore. Recurring injuries interrupted his rhythm, and he was occasionally seen vomiting on the pitch before matches.
By 2014, a change was clearly needed. Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser came in and played a major role in transforming Messi's approach to food.
Messi's 2014–15 campaign was spectacular. He scored 58 goals and added 23 assists as Barcelona swept to a historic treble, lifting the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.
A major part of the change behind the scenes was his work with Poser. The Italian nutritionist, reportedly recommended to Messi by Argentina teammate Martín Demichelis, completely revamped his approach to food. Poser identified five staples—water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables—as the foundation of Messi's new diet, while also encouraging him to cut back on sugar and red meat.
Poser's approach went beyond food, reportedly incorporating Bach flower remedies and emotional therapy as part of a broader plan for Messi's physical and mental well-being.
Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Poser explained the thinking behind the overhaul.
"He eliminated processed foods and replaced them with foods rich in vitamins—cereals, vegetables, fish and olive oil," he said. "He had won everything, but wanted to continue this excellence for years and understood he had to change something. We are talking about a very intelligent and intuitive person."
Source: www.livescore.com — Read the original article
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