Who says Messi doesn't work hard?

Messi is a genius with innate talent, while Ronaldo is a symbol of hard work and perseverance. That comment is "nailed" into the thinking of many football fans.

Messi still maintains impressive form at the age of 38 - Photo: REUTERS

At the age of 40 - 2 years older than Messi, Ronaldo still maintains a perfect body with a fat ratio of only 7%, bulging muscles and a clear "6-pack" abdomen.

There are countless details that show how hard Ronaldo has worked to reach the level he has today, as well as the fact that he regularly posts pictures showing that he is always working hard.

Meanwhile, Messi rarely shows off his workouts. On his social media accounts, the Argentine superstar focuses on family photos and other daily activities.

Therefore, a popular public opinion trend is that - Messi doesn't need to practice to be good, because he is a genius with innate talent.

But these are clearly just completely unprofessional comments, lacking scientific basis. Contrary to the arbitrary opinions of the majority of fans, scientists always follow Messi to find out the formula for the Argentine superstar's hard work to become talented.

If Ronaldo is famous for his body fat percentage of only 7%, Messi is also similar with a body fat percentage of always around 8-10% - according to Pursue Performance. And to maintain that number, Messi lives a strict life just like Ronaldo.

Although Messi doesn't share much, there is still a lot of information about his life, lifestyle, training methods, diet, and the difficulties he had to go through to get to where he is today.

Here is some information that shows that:

Radical change: give up pizza, give up soda

Early in his career, Messi was addicted to soda, pizza and Argentinian barbecue. However, after the age of 25 and especially after the 2014 World Cup, he completely changed his diet.

Messi gives up soft drinks and replaces them with yerba mate tea to quench his thirst - Photo: EN

Under the guidance of Italian nutritionist Giuliano Poser, Messi embarked on a strict and scientific diet: cutting out almost all refined sugar, gluten, and fried foods; replacing them with green vegetables, fresh fruits, whole grains, lean fish, olive oil, mineral water, and anti-inflammatory foods.

He even completely gave up drinking soft drinks and carbonated water, and only quenched his thirst with water or a South American tea (yerba mate).

Optimal training

Unlike other players who work out at the gym to get in shape, Messi trains in a minimalist but extremely precise way.

He focuses on core training, balance, and short-distance acceleration and change of direction.

His ankles, hamstrings, and other muscles that are important in contact play are all carefully worked on. In addition, Messi maintains practice on ball feel, tight spaces, and body control under pressure – skills he has perfected since he was a child.

Messi pursues optimal training methods - Photo: PA

On a normal day, Messi spends about 2 hours on these exercises in the morning. He only practices with the ball in the afternoon.

Modern and special recovery method

Messi uses a range of modern methods to restore and maintain his physical condition at peak condition:

-Cryotherapy (deep cold therapy): helps reduce muscle inflammation, eliminate lactic acid after the match.

-Hyperbaric oxygen chamber (HBOT): enhances the ability to regenerate cells and muscle tissue.

-Specialized massage therapy: monitoring each weak muscle group, with a separate physical therapy team.

-Physical sensor device: measures heart rate, speed, and exercise density to adjust the lesson plan.

-Sleep according to biological rhythm: sleep early, deep, restore growth hormone and nervous system.

Discipline in living and recovery

Messi hardly stays up late, doesn't party, and doesn't drink alcohol. Despite his reckless youth, for nearly 10 years he has lived a private, introverted life, focusing on family and football.

Messi rarely shows off photos in the gym - Photo: INSTAGRAM

The captain of the Argentina national team always wakes up early, trains regularly, and rests scientifically. Many times, teammates have revealed that Messi is the one who arrives at the training ground early and leaves the field late, despite being the biggest star.

Not only physical strength, the Argentine superstar also trains his motor nerves: practicing eye-foot-hand synchronization, light meditation and deep breathing techniques to control his cardiovascular system. This is the reason why he is surprisingly calm under pressure - from penalties to thrilling matches.

And finally, before reaching that highly professional lifestyle, Messi had to overcome rickets that Ronaldo, as well as most top sportsmen, do not have to face.

Can a player who "only eats, sleeps, and plays with the ball" overcome genetic and physical difficulties and the terrible pressure in every match?

Messi doesn't often show off pictures in the gym, but that doesn't mean he doesn't work out!

Back to topic

HUY DANG

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ai-bao-messi-khong-kho-luyen-20250624103519547.htm