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Yesterday Leo Messi yet again completed another full match for Barcelona against PSV Eindhoven - scoring a goal and providing an assist in a 1-2 away win for the Blaugrana. Messi, who made his Barcelona debut at the tender age of 15, is still going strong at 31 years. One of the most astonishing facts is that Messi has played an unbelievable 52,714 minutes for his Catalonian club until now. The ‘La Pulga’ has a contribution in more than three-fourths of the total Barcelona matches since his arrival in the year 2004. While many players face a major slump in their performances in the later stages of their lives, Messi is turning back the time. What makes Messi the Benjamin Button of the world of football?
The wake-up call
To understand the curious case of Messi let us go back to 2013-14 season. That year, Leo started to be seen as one of the most senior and responsible players of Barcelona. Observing that the FIFA World Cup 2014 was on the horizon, the then coach of Argentina, Alejandro Sabella promoted Messi as the captain of the team as well. This excessive mental and physical pressure started to take a toll over the magician from Rosario. Having suffered from 11 various injuries from the year 2006 to 2013, Messi suffered four muscle problems in eight months in the year 2013. The 2013-14 season was the worst for the five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Because of his continuous muscular injuries and sickness which often caused him vomiting after training and matches, his time on the pitch was regularly dipping. In the same season, he was able to play his part in only 70% of the total Barcelona minutes, his lowest since the 2008-09 season. This was a crucial time for Messi and he desperately needed an expert’s advice. On an international duty, Messi sat down with his Argentine teammate, Martin Demichelis. The Argentinean center half had a great season with Malaga at the veteran age of 32. He led Malaga to quarterfinals of UEFA Champions League and later followed his boss Manuel Pellegrini to Manchester City. Martin advised Messi to visit his Italian nutritionist, Giuliano Poser.
Impact of diet instructions
The success of any athlete depends on three major factors: proper exercise, sufficient rest and adequate diet - arguably the best player ever, Lionel Messi was no different. Leo was more concerned towards training and rest but rarely checked his fuel. Following their meeting on the reference of Martin Demichelis, Poser revolutionized Messi’s diet. It was due new diet instructions, 5’5" tall Leo shredded off three kilograms to drop down his weight to 67 kg. The nutrition advice not only made Messi lighter, but it also increased muscle strength and flexibility. These physical changes not only protected him from injuries but he was more lethal and agile than ever. Later, Messi played for full 90 minutes in 55 matches out of total 60 Barcelona matches in the 2014-15 season. His minutes for Barcelona shoot up by 24% to 94%. He also appeared for the Catalan side in 95% of the matches. Let us find out some of the major findings from Messi’s upgraded diet chart that elevated his performances and physical attributes.
#1 No to fast food and fizzy drinks
Before meeting Poser, Messi was fond of Pizza and fizzy drinks. The Italian nutritionist immediately summoned Leo to give up Pizza and fizzy drinks. Now the Argentine keeps himself away from any kind of fast food. He also replaced fizzy drinks with traditional South American caffeine-rich infused Mate tea. Caffeine is a natural steroid that stimulates the central nervous system hence increasing mental alertness. Messi and other footballers are often seen with Mate before their match as it is a very good pre-workout drink.
#2 Remaining hydrated
Remaining hydrated is the key to performance and injury-free career. Water keeps the muscles flexible. In case the muscles are devoid of water, they lose their flexibility hence causing cramps. When the dehydrated muscles are made to work, they tear. Poser cut short Messi’s muscular injuries by preparing a diet that doesn’t cause dehydration. Messi was advised to drink more than sufficient amount of water every day, especially before the match days. He also completely removed artificial sugar from Leo’s diet. According to Poser, Sugar is the worst thing for muscles. It not only causes dehydration but due to the high glycemic index, it is the leading cause for weight gain. Messi had to sacrifice his favorite chocolates and alfajores (South American filled cookies) according to his new diet chart. He also restricted Messi from Alcohol consumption as it not only causes dehydration but it also causes damage to central nervous system hence causing delayed reaction time.
#3 Turning Vegan
Poser cited excessive meat consumption as the leading cause of Messi’s sickness and vomiting problem. The Italian nutritionist is against overdosage of highly carnivorous diet which is very characteristic in the meals of Uruguayans and Argentineans. Although rich in protein, meat is very difficult to digest. This not only takes a lot of body’s energy to digest but also causes stomach disorders. On the advice of Poser, Messi cut down his meat intake. The majority of plant-based diet enhanced Leo’s performance and resistance towards injuries to that extent that the Argentinean turned to vegan completely later on. Now Messi’s diet consists of fresh fruits and vegetables along with whole grains and cereals. He avoids refined flours which are a big problem according to Giuliano. Messi’s snacks consist of seeds and nuts which are a source of good fats and protein.
#4 Cooked in olive oil
Leo’s food is mostly cooked in olive oil which according to Poser is best for the athletes. The Barcelona number 10 also includes turmeric in his diet. Turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory which not only reduces pain during injuries but also speeds up the recovery process. It is for this very reason Leo is now seen back on the pitch far before his expected return date post-injury. The nutritionist from Italy also recommended fish (or fish oil) in Messi’s diet. The oil present in fish is rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are good for joints and slowing down the ageing process.
Messi has successfully kept himself at the pinnacle of fitness for more than 15 years. And the role of diet in the making of the legend cannot be ignored. Due to radical alterations in food habits, Leo was able to prevent a serious threat to his career four years ago. Since then the South American is netting goal for fun and mesmerizing the football enthusiasts with his eye-pleasing football skills. At 31, it still feels like the captain of Barcelona is fitter than ever. His skills and experience continue to nurture while his physical age seems to have reached a plateau. His simple, disciplined and vegetable-based diet has faked the human ageing process just like his body feints fool defenders on the football field.
