Why England footballers are ‘banned’ from eating two foods before matches
England footballers are apparently unlikely to consume two things ahead of their semi-final bout against reigning FIFA Men’s World Cup champions Argentina at the Atlanta Stadium, according to an expert.
Tomorrow (15 July), Thomas Tuchel’s squad heads to the Atlanta Stadium, the home of the Falcons, Atlanta United, and a new NWSL expansion team.
Set to kick off at 8pm, the game will see the likes of Lionel Messi, Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández, and former Manchester City star Julián Alvarez lining up against leading England World Cup scorer Jude Bellingham, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, and skipper Harry Kane.
The Bayern Munich footballer, who sits fifth in the adidas Golden Boot race, is known to fuel up with a pre-match breakfast of scrambled eggs, while his teammates go for beans on wholemeal toast like Gordon Ramsay.
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But two things the players won’t be having with their cooked breakfast are condiments, according to Jonny Marsh, a chef who has served up food for around 100 Premier League players, including England GK Jordan Pickford
Marsh, known as the ‘Football Feeder’, told Betway that it’s unlikely the Three Lions will be able to smother their eggs in ketchup or mayonnaise, as nutrition experts have previously ‘banned’ them from diets.
“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,” the expert stated.
“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.”
According to the Football Feeder, the athletes are also likely to avoid certain foods on their own accord.
Due to the hot conditions across the FIFA World Cup, the Three Lions will probably steer clear of fried foods and choose to eat ‘fresh, simple meals’ like grilled salmon, chicken, or steak with ‘plain’ carbohydrates on the side.
“It is all about clean eating and hydration. I would expect structured hydration scheduled to be in place as well,” Marsh continued.
“My wife is a footballer and they follow this regularly, with players given targets for how much water they need to have consumed at different points in the day.”
It’s understood that the sportsmen will eat these items during a ‘designated eating window’ as they adhere to a strict tournament regime.
“It is very structured. Players have set wake-up times, designated eating windows for meals prepared by the team chef, training sessions and recovery protocols. Sleep becomes one of the most important parts of performance,” the nutrition expert added.
If England win the World Cup, do we get a bank holiday?
Now that the Three Lions have made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, thoughts have turned to the possibility that football really could be coming home - and what better way to celebrate England’s success than a day off work?
Outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously hinted at the prospect of a bank holiday if Thomas Tuchel’s side win the tournament.
“On the question of a bank holiday, I think I don't want to jinx it, but ask me again if we get to the final,” he told reporters at a Nato conference on 8 July.
With the final taking place on Sunday (19 July), it’s believed that the celebratory bank holiday would likely fall on the following Friday (24 July).
World Cup 2026 fixture schedule and UK kick off times
Tuesday, 14 July
Semi-final - Match 101: France vs Spain, kick-off 8pm - Arlington, US
Wednesday, 15 July
Semi-final - Match 102: England vs Argentina, kick-off 8pm - Atlanta, US
Saturday, 18 July
Third Place Playoff - Match 103: Match 101 losers vs Match 102 losers, kick-off 10pm - Miami, US
Sunday, 19 July
Final - Match 104: Match 101 winners vs Match 102 winners, kick-off 8pm - New Jersey, US
Ella Scott