Train Like a Pro: Football Secrets From Ronaldo, Messi & Beckham

Conditioning coach Mick Clegg - father of ex-Man United player Michael Clegg - is one of the trainers behind Portugal’s age-defying Cristiano Ronaldo, the man who helped create the strict fitness and dietary regime that ensures Ronaldo is at peak condition for match day.

Ronaldo, born in 1985, manages his body physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. ”He's got a knowledge of nutrition and he knows how to balance things," Clegg said. “And he's consistent in everything he does."

Intrigued, SPYSCAPE dug deeper, investigating the training secrets of Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, David Beckham, and others who may help you to train like a World Cup footballer - and yes, you will need to give up alcohol and go to bed early, but don’t despair. Here are nine pro secrets to kick your way to success. 
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Cristiano Ronaldo’s secrets to success

1. Diet

When Ronaldo has supper, ”he doesn't just eat any old s***,” Clegg said. “He eats what he knows is going to put what he needs into his body. His focus all the time is on getting things right.” 

Ronaldo eats six small meals a day and particularly likes swordfish, sea bass, and sea bream (always fresh, not frozen). If he’s in a restaurant, Ronaldo orders steak with salad or the Portuguese fish dish bacalhau à braz which is layered salted cod, onions, thinly sliced fried potatoes, black olives, and parsley atop a pile of scrambled eggs.

“My son also likes pizza,” Ronaldo’s mother revealed. “He eats one once a week but afterward he does loads of sit-ups.” 

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2. Workouts, including weekends

Ronaldo warms up on the pitch with a few laps, stretches, and cardio exercises to decrease the risk of injury. "Make sure you do something similar in your training, even if it is jogging to the gym or a warm-up on the treadmill or bicycle," Ronaldo advises. He then focuses on sprinting drills and high-intensity drills that resemble match situations. Ronaldo also fits in exercise whenever possible. "You can do an abs workout in your bedroom when you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed. If you get into a routine then it makes it easier."

On the weekends, Ronaldo writes down what he plans to do during his workout and sticks to his checklist to reach his goals. He begins with leg exercises, followed by laps, jumps, push-ups, an ab workout, and squats. Don’t worry, even he’s out of breath toward the end.

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‍3. Recovery and post-match bath therapy

‍You can't be your best if your body is in the wrong condition, so Ronaldo takes care of himself before and after the game. His post-match routine is a regimented warm-down ritual. As he told Spanish sports newspaper AS, “Recovery is more important to me than actual training sessions due to the large number of games I have to play.” If he’s playing near his home, Ronaldo drives back for ‘bathing therapy’ which involves five minutes in a hot bath (between 38C and 44C) followed by a three-minute cold bath, repeated for 30 minutes. The therapy aids circulation and stimulates blood flow in areas where there might be injury or strain.

He also reportedly invested $50,000 on having a cryotherapy ice chamber installed in his house to improve his conditioning. The chamber reaches temperatures of around -160 degrees and is designed to stimulate muscle recovery and help build up strength.
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Lionel Messi’s secrets to success

4. Diet‍

Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser finessed the Argentinian’s diet when they started working together in 2014, basing it around five foundational foods/liquids - water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit, and fresh vegetables. He also recommended nuts and seeds, and advised Messi to cut back on sugar. Poser reportedly helps Messi prevent injuries by using a mix of Bach flower remedies, emotional therapy, and a balanced diet.

"Vegetables, seasonal fruits, and a good mineral water are essential fuels for our muscles. You have to reduce the intake of processed foods or foods contaminated with pesticides, herbicides, antibiotics, medications," Posner told Corriere del Veneto. "And, of course, alcohol, tobacco, and foods that are not tolerated.” 

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5. Lionel Messi workouts

How does Messi stay on top? “It is the hard work, the effort, the will to get better every day,” he said. 

Messi’s workouts focus on maximizing agility and linear speed. His workouts are divided into sections. First, he practices the pillar bridge-front which tones abs, lunges, hamstring stretches, and pillar skips. To strengthen his core and leg muscles, Messi uses the hurdle hop and split squats.

The next step of the workout is to maximize his multidirectional speed. Messi uses pillar skips, skipping ropes, and squats to build his leg muscles. For agility, he skips past diagonal hurdles, cones, and other obstacles to improve his lateral movements. At the end of each workout, he drinks plenty of water to keep himself hydrated and jogs for five to 10 minutes to cool down.

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6. Winning psychology

A top sports psychologist weighed in on the key to Messi’s success in 2018: “He is humble. And that means he still thinks he can get better,” said psychologist and mind coach Don Macpherson. “He is not arrogant in his confidence. He knows he is the best player in the world, but he thinks he can always do better.”

That means Messi, born in 1987, controls his emotions and works harder: “He does not react to decisions, does not show anger when teammates make mistakes, does not make a fuss when he is injured. He gets on with it.”

David Beckham, post-football secrets‍

7. Retirement workout

David Beckham retired from football in 2013, but his workout regime is still being studied, proving there is life after 40. Beckham, born in 1975, favors running, cycling, and walking as training methods when he’s not at the gym. “Three or four times a week, I walk my daughter to school instead of driving her, or she bikes home with me. It’s the little things that make a difference,” Beckham said.

He’s also created the DB45 fitness workout, a hybrid of high-intensity interval training, cardio, and weight training that will burn abs and legs and test your limits at the gym. Celebrity trainer Gunner Pearson said the routine is based on Beckham’s football training: “A lot of fun hand- and foot-to-eye movements. He loves fast feet, footwork drills, all multidirectional, using various planes and circling around.”

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8. Diet

Beckham practices a mainly plant-based, leafy clean diet. Based on research by Total Shape, Beckham’s diet plan has included fruit, yogurt and a breakfast cheese omelet with lunch consisting of leafy greens like cabbage or spinach and lean protein including chicken or fish. Supper might be a tomato omelet, fish fingers, yogurt, lean proteins, or pasta. 

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9. Beckham’s trainer - ‘Less can be more’‍

Like all great athletes, Beckham hasn't done it alone. Beckham’s ex-trainer Tegan Haining, believes less can be more: “Often when people are beginning a new fitness regime they set themselves some very tough targets. 'I'm going to train every single day' is a popular one, or 'I'm not eating chocolate ever again'. While it's great to have such enthusiasm - we can often be setting ourselves up for failure,” she said. 

“We need to make sure we are setting targets we can easily reach in order to stay motivated and build momentum. Aim for two gym sessions, one cardio, and one yoga. Or one pilates, one tennis game - whatever suits your needs. Once this is a habit you can start to add to it, but don't go too hard too fast, this will only lead to burnout.”