Health hack used by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo is secret to peak physical fitness
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have both used regimented sleep patterns to help extend their football careers into their late-30s and possibly beyond
by Maria Ortega, Mark Whiley · Wales OnlineLionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the finest players of their generation – and two of the best of all time.
Their success owes much to their phenomenal ability, but not all. The pair have also displayed incredible longevity, playing at a high level into their late 30s. Messi finally won the World Cup aged 35 while Ronaldo turns 40s early next year and has no intention of hanging up his boots.
That longevity is no fluke. The pair have stayed in peak condition thanks to meticulous dedication and preparation – and a good night’s kip. Sleep is vital part of any top athlete’s life away from the spotlight as it can have a direct effect on performance.
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Many clubs and players, including Ronaldo, even use sleep coaches to ensure they get enough quality rest. Dr Eduard Estivill, a specialist in sleep medicine with a degree in medicine and surgery, has lifted the lid on how the likes of Messi and Ronaldo use a snooze to aid performance.
“Messi, for example, sleeps 11 hours including naps,” Dr Estivill told the Endor Podcast. “Ronaldo does the same, he even has a sleep coach who tells him how many hours he needs to sleep.
“They use a lot of energy and they need to recover. Although people think footballers work little, it's not true because training consumes a lot. It was discovered that one of the causes of muscle injuries was precisely the few hours of sleep.”
While splashing out on a sleep therapist isn’t feasible for the majority, Dr Estivill says many of techniques used by Messi and Ronaldo can be copied. His foundation has worked closely with sports teams and individuals, including young basketball players and former La Liga star Alex Granell.
The midfielder, 36, who now plays in Bolivia, reached out to Dr Estivill during his time with Girona, with his sleep and therefore performance benefitting as a result.
“Alex Granell, a super-intelligent guy, had heard us talk a bit about biological rhythms,” said Dr Estivill. “Then he came and told us: 'Look, I'm a good player, but I have a major problem, if I play at 9pm and I have to take a penalty at 10, I have a much greater chance of missing.
“On the other hand, if I play at five in the afternoon and take the penalty, the success rate is 99%. So we did a study of the chronotype of his biological rhythms and Alex Granell turned out to be a morning person.
“At six in the morning, he was up and running and could do anything, but at seven in the evening he couldn't do anything, he was dead tired. What we did with him was to change his biological rhythm temporarily because you can't change this forever.
“It is important to understand it because it is genetically determined by the genes that control the biological clock. So temporarily we can delay this rhythm.
“On the day that he played at night we made him take a long nap after lunch and when he got up he would put glasses on as if simulating a nice morning, a new day. And then, when night came he played very well. He improved, so he was delighted.
“And from there on, the rest of the team got interested and especially through the medical director they have in Girona, who is super good in terms of sports medicine, and all the staff they have.”