Go, go, go, ale, ale ale, goes the South American soccer anthem. And football fans are holding their breath. Will he, will he not? Will soccer messiah Messi boot out powerhouse Nigerians in today’s (June 26) match or will be left singing “Don’t’ cry for me Argentina”? That’s the million dollar FIFA question dangling over the heads of frenzied Argentine fans.
With his country’s expectations and hopes riding on his human shoulders, it’s but natural for Argentinians and the whole world to long for Lionel Messi’s goals.
So what’s it that powers Messi? How does his body keep him going for an hour and a half on the football field?
For all those left wondering how a totally vegan diet can pump him with the energy to run cheetah-like, Messi has the answer. His experiments or body connect with veganism began just after World Cup 2014 when Messi met the famed Italian dietician, Guiliano Poser. What the world saw next was a much trimmed down Leo Messi. Guiliano had prescribed a top class vegan diet for the player. It was strictly vegetarian in every sense of the word – no milk, no eggs, only veggies. So the Messi diet boiled down to olive oil, grains, fresh fruits, vegetables, multi-cereals and multiple sprouts.
Till he went vegan, Messi, like any other sanguine Argentinian, had dined lustily on beef, chicken and pork. There’s more to come … no pizza either. To those naysayers who jibed at his okra-tomato diet, Messi had only once answer – his rejuvenated body and renewed vigour.
A strict disciplinarian when it comes to his pre-match diet regimen, Messi stops eating all types of food high on carb content 10 days before the match. From then, it’s protein shake thrice a day and seven to eight glasses of water.
Vegetable soups become a regular and compulsory item five days before the match. He goes for a veg soup before every meal with measured doses of chilli powder, pepper powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and ginger. This concoction is to regularize and enhance blood circulation. As for the day before the match, it’s boiled potatoes, plenty of vegetables and fresh fruits.
Read more : Bad diet made me vomit during games: Messi
Like anyone else, chicken, prawns and other fish were a must on Messi’s menu once upon a time, that is, before his vegan fad set in. Six hours before the match, he digs into totally-carb free food like oats. Though he used to be on egg whites, that too have become history. One-and-a-half hours before he steps on to the turf, he has mangoes, apples or plantains.
To conclude, what makes Lionel Messi the messiah of football is his stricter than strict diet plan, regular exercises and a happy lifestyle.
Here’s to Messi and his dream for Argentina: La Copa de la Vida, the Cup of Life!