Football: Fitness secrets and regimes of your favourite football stars

Among sports, nothing matches the popularity of football. The passion and support it receives from its fans is evidence of why it is the most popular team sport in the world. Hence, it is only logical that if a player performs well, he is celebrated and recognized worldwide. The popularity and appreciation received by the top football stars often matches the popularity of the Pope. However, the tough training and fitness drills these athletes have to go through is often overlooked by most fans.

Footballers have one of the best fitness regimes among all sporting athletes. Since football is a contact sport which requires speed, agility, strength and flexibility, players have to put their body under immense pressure by following a strict diet and daily routines.

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Let’s take a look at fitness regimes of some of the best footballers in the world:

Cristiano Ronaldo: The Portuguese superstar is among the greatest football players of all time. The secret of his fitness lies within the effective routine he has created for himself. Ronaldo’s diet includes sufficient intake of proteins and green vegetables for minerals and vitamins. He practices daily for three to four hours and does several cardio sessions. He frequently follows his technical drills and never fails to hit the gym.

Gareth Bale: This Welsh footballer is an inspiration for aspiring athletes across the world. Gareth Bale is one of the fittest and quickest players in the Welsh and the Read Madrid line-up and a lot has to do with his fitness ethics. Bale’s workout routine includes rigorous strength training whenever he hits the gym, managing physical stress to tackle any situation during the game and lots of cardio to stay up to the speed. Like most soccer players, Bale also undergoes technical training to be on top of his game for 90-minutes on the field.

Lionel Messi: The fitness regime of this Barcelona player knows no limits. Even in his early 30’s, Messi is as fit and as quick as someone in their 20’s. The star footballer undergoes diagonal hurdles and runs around cones which sharpens his movements on the field. To strengthen his leg muscles, he frequently uses hurdle hop and does several hours of cardio sessions.

We hope this gives you an insightful of the fitness secrets of some of your favourite football stars. If you are aspiring to grace soccer or any sport for that matter, make sure you add these routines in your daily schedules.

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