Lionel Messi’s Diet: What the Soccer Superstar Eats to Stay at the Top

Lionel Messi has been at the pinnacle of world soccer for more than two decades, from his emergence and subsequent domination with FC Barcelona to his later years with Inter Miami and Argentina, where success and trophies—including a World Cup—have continued to arrive at an astonishing rate.

While many, quite rightly, point to the Argentine’s extraordinary natural talent—perhaps the greatest of his generation, if not all time—it hasn’t all come down to ability alone.

State-of-the-art training methods, elite conditioning, injury prevention, physiotherapy and plenty of good, old-fashioned hard work away from the pitch have all played a role in allowing Messi to remain at the very top of the sport for so long.

Then there’s his diet—the often overlooked but crucial piece of the puzzle. What Messi eats and drinks has become increasingly important as the years have gone by, helping him maintain the physical demands required to perform at the highest level well into his 30s.

Here, we take a closer look at Messi’s diet and the eating habits that have helped the Argentine magician sustain an extraordinary career at the top of world soccer.

Messi’s Early Diet

Messi’s eating habits were far from what you would expect from a modern elite athlete during the early stages of his career.

Pizza, fast food and soda were among his favorites, while he also enjoyed traditional Argentine dishes such as milanesa, a breadcrumb-coated beef fillet that is typically shallow-fried.

For a while, it hardly seemed to matter. Messi was tearing through defenses, collecting Ballon d’Or awards and helping Barcelona win virtually every major trophy available. But by the early 2010s, the physical demands were becoming harder to ignore. Recurring injuries began to interrupt his rhythm, while he was also occasionally seen vomiting on the pitch before matches.

By 2014, a change was clearly needed. Enter Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser, who would play a major role in transforming Messi’s approach to food.

Time for a Change

Messi’s 2014–15 campaign was nothing short of spectacular. He scored 58 goals and added 23 assists as Barcelona swept to a historic treble, lifting the Champions League, La Liga and Copa del Rey.

A major part of the change behind the scenes was his work with Poser.

The Italian nutritionist, reportedly recommended to Messi by his Argentina teammate Martín Demichelis, completely revamped his approach to food. Poser identified five staples—water, olive oil, whole grains, fresh fruit and fresh vegetables—as the foundation of Messi’s new diet, while also encouraging him to reduce his intake of sugar and red meat.

Poser’s approach went beyond food, too, reportedly incorporating Bach flower remedies and emotional therapy as part of a broader approach to Messi’s physical and mental well-being.

Speaking to Gazzetta dello Sport, Poser explained the thinking behind the overhaul.

“He eliminated processed foods and replaced them with foods rich in vitamins—cereals, vegetables, fish and olive oil,” he said. “He had won everything, but wanted to continue this excellence for years and understood he had to change something. We are talking about a very intelligent and intuitive person.”

Soda Out, Yerba Mate in