England's football stars have been banned from eating two common condiments—ketchup and mayonnaise—ahead of their World Cup quarterfinal clash against Norway in Miami on Saturday night. The revelation comes from Jonny Marsh, known as 'The Football Feeder,' who has cooked for about 100 Premier League players, including Jordan Pickford.
Beetroot Takes Center Stage
Marsh explains that the Three Lions squad will be consuming a lot of beetroot this week, even taking beetroot shots before the game, due to its ability to 'support exercise performance naturally.' The pre-match eating plan starts days ahead, with increased carbohydrate intake beginning on Thursday.
'For a Saturday kick-off, nutrition actually starts a couple of days earlier on Thursday, when you begin gradually increasing carbohydrate intake. The day before the match, both lunch and dinner are more carb-focused, often with foods like pasta or rice to help top up energy stores,' Marsh said.
Matchday Meal Strategy
On matchday morning, players typically have a lighter meal with some protein and a small amount of vegetables, but fibre is kept low. 'The focus shifts back towards easily digestible carbohydrates so they are fuelled without feeling too heavy going into the game,' he added.
When asked about foods professional footballers avoid, Marsh noted: 'A few years ago things like ketchup and mayonnaise were pretty much cut out in a lot of setups, not just with England but across the Premier League too. It wasn’t really a single manager’s rule, more a general shift in how clubs approached nutrition. It was mainly down to them being high in sugar and fats, so players were encouraged to avoid them with meals.'
Hydration in the Heat
High temperatures have been a major talking point of the competition, with controversial hydration breaks attracting loud crowd reactions. Marsh emphasizes the importance of staying hydrated: 'I expect hydrating ingredients like watercress and cucumber to feature in salads they are eating. Players will also be taking hydration sachets throughout the day, along with fresh juices made from melon, beetroot, oranges and lemons to help maintain fluid balance.'
Post-Match Recovery
Marsh, speaking to Betway, also highlighted the importance of post-match meals: 'Post-match it’s all about hydration and refueling. Players will usually eat fairly quickly after the game to top up on energy stores, especially in hot conditions. You might still see the occasional cheat meal like pizza or fried chicken in the dressing room, although during tournaments, most players tend to keep things a bit more controlled until the later stages.'
Recovery drinks with ingredients like ginger and turmeric are also commonly used for their anti-inflammatory properties to support recovery.
