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Lionel Messi admits sweets and fizzy drinks helped to cause fitness problems
Lionel Messi has admitted that his penchant for sweets and fizzy drinks has caused him fitness issues in the past.
Speaking to America TV’s La Cornisa last weekend, Messi said: “I ate badly for many years: chocolates, alfajores [South American biscuits], fizzy drinks, and everything. That is what made me throw up during games.”
The Barcelona star has occasionally been spotted barfing during matches, including in the World Cup final in Brazil. According to The Mirror, his lax diet has long been viewed as his Achilles heel at Barca.
“I ate badly for many years” Lionel Messi
Despite being instructed to see a nutritionist under Pep Guardiola, Messi’s eating habits worsened again under Pep’s successors and it has been suggested they contributed to a string of muscular issues. While Messi’s fitness has generally been excellent during his time at the pinnacle of world football, a player of his incredible value needs to be at 100% every game.
Messi was pictured vomiting while on international duty in March 2014 seven minutes into a friendly with Romania, as well as during Barca matches. The following year, Carles Rexach, who initially signed Messi for the Blaugrana, said: “I think last year Messi ate more pizza than he should have.”
‘Now I look after myself’
During Luis Enrique’s reign at the Nou Camp, Messi once again began to adhere to a stricter dietary regime and feels he has found that extra modicum of brilliance as a result. “Now I look after myself better. I eat fish, meat, salads. Everything is organised and taken care of,” Messi told La Cornisa.
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“Sometimes a bit of wine, but that’s not a problem. I noted a lot the change when it came to vomiting. They said it could be a lot of things, eventually I changed and it didn’t happen any more.”
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So there we have it. With 35 goals already this season Messi has been exceptional, and he’s been helped in no small part by cutting out choccies, pizza and sugary drinks.
