Diets are not only crucial for professional footballers but also for everyone. It may sound cliché, but with a balanced diet, we can keep our bodies in shape and our minds clear and stable, both essential for living well and pursuing our goals.
However, I’ve noticed something about certain professionals that, unfortunately, makes them look more amateur than my current physique.
After some digging, I found valuable insights on how to eat like a professional footballer, along with a few great recipes.
My curiosity grew even more after seeing Bryan Mbeumo‘s form, although strangely, I caught myself thinking about Manchester United at the same time.
Semi-Professional Football Player Suggestions
The diet of semi-professionals competing in lower-tier leagues is similar to that of people who train regularly at the gym: protein-based and performance-focused.
I came across a YouTube channel by Antony Papadopoulos, who plays for Crawley Town, where he shares his four-meal daily plan. He emphasises that it directly boosts his on-pitch performance, and he also underlines the importance of hydration, something players often overlook.
Personally, I try to drink at least one litre of water a day.
For breakfast, Antony enjoys avocado toast alongside yoghurt with berries. His meal typically includes four eggs, two slices of sourdough bread (my favourite bread in the UK), and half a pot of yoghurt with blackberries and fruit.
My own breakfast is quite similar, though if you’re aiming to lose weight, cutting the bread can help, although that’s easier said than done if you love sandwiches in the morning like I do.
Antony notes that this hearty breakfast is usually a post-match choice; on regular days, his breakfast is lighter. (I’d love to see his reaction to a full Turkish breakfast!)
On Sundays, his whole team completes a gym recovery session: fifteen 15-minute mobility exercises. Lunch follows at 2pm. Since he often has several matches coming up, he focuses on getting more protein.
A typical lunch for him is chicken breast with white rice and a simple salad of lettuce and tomato. If chicken breast feels too bland, boneless thighs are a juicier alternative, and I prefer them.
After a long walk, good for blood flow and mental clarity, he prepares his final meal of the day: beef ragu penne pasta. Penne works perfectly with protein-rich sauces, though sausage can be substituted for beef if you want more variety in flavour and spice.
Private Cooks and Their Incredible Recipes
The hardest part of maintaining a diet is consistency. We’re all human, and cravings can test our discipline.
That’s why I explored the world of private chefs, who design and prepare meals for players in Manchester, Liverpool, and London, and compared their approaches to Antony’s.
One big reason Premier League players hire private chefs is time management – plus, they can afford it. Their schedules are much busier than those in lower leagues, and the cost of such personalised service is not exactly small.
I discovered Diego Prego, who has cooked for stars like Virgil van Dijk, Andrew Robertson, and Jan Vertonghen. Now based in Manchester, he works for a Manchester City player.
His day starts at 9:30am with grocery shopping, followed by breakfast prep: banana, almond butter, and a granola-based snack bar. At 12:47 pm, he begins lunch – pork and prawn gyozas, Asian sautéed vegetables, and egg fried rice served right at 2 pm, which he says is the ideal lunchtime. Dinner prep begins at 5:53pm., often featuring dishes like gremolata, and he shares the full process on his YouTube channel.
Prego’s “bowl meals” are especially popular with his clients. While desserts and sugar are usually off-limits, he creates healthier alternatives. One favourite is his bacalhau à Portuguesa, a salt cod stew, which I’m eager to try cooking myself.
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Final Words
While there are plenty of resources for footballers to balance their diets and maintain peak form, there are still many “bad professionals” in the game. It’s hard to blame those playing their trade in places like Gaziantep, Hatay, and Adana, though, try resisting the local street food there before judging them.
Hopefully, this article helps you prepare and maintain your diet, whether for the gym or your professional career.
Next time, I’ll dive into the Champions Path and League Path in the Champions League, with a heavy dose of criticism for UEFA’s favouritism and how it damages competition.
Stay tuned!
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images
Recording Date: 09.08.2025