Although not as strict in training as Neymar or Ronaldo, Messi also has a habit of practicing regularly and extremely seriously.

Thanks to his natural talent and serious sports training regime , Lionel Messi is one of the most talented football players on the planet.

Winner of countless championships and awards, the Argentine superstar boasts incredible speed, ball control and attacking ability.

Throughout his career, Messi has overcome countless physical obstacles to get to where he is today.

Despite those challenges, Lionel Messi continues to assert his position. And it is the strict training and diet regime that is an important part that has helped Messi achieve success.

What does Lionel Messi eat?

Being one of the best athletes in the world requires certain sacrifices when it comes to eating, and the Argentine striker is extremely compliant with that.

However, he was not always strict with his diet. In his younger years, he occasionally ate fast food, carbonated drinks, pizza, etc.

His favorite dish is Milanesa, an Argentinian dish made from thin beef fillet, fried crispy with breadcrumbs.

As he begins to age, the superstar striker is forced to control his eating habits. In an effort to adopt a healthier lifestyle, Messi began working with Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser in 2014.

Accordingly, the diet that Giuliano Poser designed for Messi includes 5 main foods: water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.

Overall, these are foods that support muscle recovery and provide the foundation for the superstar striker’s ongoing diet.

Additionally, Poser emphasizes the importance of eating as little sugar and refined flour as possible.

When training, Messi also avoids eating too much meat, because in Poser’s words, “the amount of meat that Argentines and Uruguayans usually eat is too much, because it is difficult to digest.”

To compensate for the lack of protein, Messi drinks up to 3 glasses of protein a day and lots of water.

Messi’s diet is basically about eating healthy foods and the right kind of carbs, while reducing meat intake and adding protein.

Instead of carbonated drinks, the Argentine striker often drinks Yerba Mate tea, a caffeinated drink from South America.

By adopting this diet, Messi was able to reduce injuries and even overcome the frequent bouts of vomiting he often encountered before big matches.

How does Messi train?

Messi is not very physical, but he still has to follow some regular training plans under the supervision of his coach.

The Argentinian’s workouts largely revolve around making sure his body stays up to speed, maximizing his agility before each competition day and improving his linear speed.

He mainly focuses on three factors: speed, strength and stretching ability.

To increase speed, Messi’s training process is divided into different parts consisting of several exercises.

In terms of basic movements, he practiced hitting the bridge in front of the post, bending over, stretching his hamstrings, and jumping post. He also does hurdle jumps and squats to strengthen his core and leg muscles.

To finish off his workouts, Messi often performs various acceleration exercises. To gain more agility and flexibility, Messi practices obstacle course exercises.

At the end of every workout, he drinks plenty of water to keep his body hydrated and then jogs for 5 to 10 minutes to cool down his body.

Thanks to this multi-pronged approach, Messi is able to deliver explosive power, speed, consistent stability and undisputed agility.

Of course, that also comes from his natural talent. Putting all that together, we get perfect ball control.

Therefore, it is not difficult to explain why the Argentine striker is always literally one step ahead of his opponent.