Take a cue from the diet and fitness regimes of the hottest FIFA stars this season. Dhvani Solani gets the dope on what they eat, what they won't and how they keep their metabolism in peak condition

WERQ it like a soccer star

Soccer's pin-up boy is only 25 and is already the most expensive player in the game's history. With a tendency to make as much news off the field as on it, the 2008 FIFA Player of the Year is hot property and from where we're perched, it looks like he has a long way to go.
Diet
Ronaldo follows a strict diet. To maintain his six-pack abs and a body fat percentage that's below 10%, the soccer star's diet comprises eating healthy carbohydrates and lots of protein. He restricts his intake of unhealthy fats and alcohol, while chicken, fish and pasta feature high on his list of diet dos. His favourite indulgence is Bacalhauu00a0a Braz (cod with scrambled eggs and fried potatoes), a traditional Portuguese dish. When he does eat out, he opts for a medium-rare steak with salad and fries. The 25 year-old also consumes energy drinks to replenish his glycogen levels. His nutritionist, Patricia Teixeria also recommends three wonder juices: one to de-Tox (navel oranges, green grapes, watermelon and mint leaves), another to boost immunity (orange, pineapple, red apple, ginger) and one to aid digestion (kiwi, green apple, grapes and pineapple). The natural juices boost immunity and also deflate a bloated tummy. Patricia's easy-to-follow tip? Have fruits first thing in the morning.
Exercise regimen
We spent five years drooling over Ronaldo in his wet Speedo, until his contract with Armani, which meant that we got to see even more of this lean and mean sex machine. Soccer training forms the basis of his workout regime, which includes between three to five hours a day of running, sprinting, HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) with some light steady state cardio thrown in as well. Low reps of heavy weights work in Ronaldo's favouru00a0 to avoid the puffy look of wrestlers.

Thierry Henry (France)
Height: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: 83.2 kg

One of the best-known strikers, Thierry is France's top goal scorer of all time. The Frenchman is known for tackling the racism that mars this beautiful game, though his "handball" incident has resulted in feelings of ambivalence for many French people towards their hero.
Diet
Thierry's 'hand of God' might not have been appreciated, but what has been is his recipe for obese English kids, which was published in the cookbook: Rice Cubana. Thierry is a fan of simple cooking and enjoys occasionally gorging on Caribbean favourites made with chicken, rice, peas and fish. His before-match diet however includes pasta, pasta and more pasta. He'd happily skip energy drinks and sip on vanilla milk instead. Isn't that cute!
Exercise regimen
When he isn't at soccer practice, Thierry plays basketball: a sport that he follows with a certain religious fervour that even most of his fans are unaware of. An avid fan of everything American, including the American lifestyle, Henry often gets his share of excitement through a game with friend and pro-basketball player Tony Parker. Thierry had also joined hands with five other star footballers for a leading soft drink manufacturer to fight childhood obesity, urging kids to get active, discover a sport and have fun while they're at it.

Is celibacy the way to victory?
Dr Rajiv Anand (Psychiatrist and Sex Consultant)
Players should refrain from having sex before a match. Their focus should be on their performance on the field, and not off it. Sex could ruin the possibility of good results. A few days prior to the match, players should focus their energies on just one thing: scoring on the football field.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Height: 5 ft 7 in
Weight: 67 kg

The modern messiah of football, Lionel Messi, has to his credit a Balon d'Or and a FIFA World Player award. Considered successor to the Diego Maradona and often compared to another young football star ufffd Cristiano Ronaldo the 22 year-old striker seems destined to go down in football history.
Diet
When it comes to diet, Messi goes the Buddha way in proclaiming that balance is the key to the good things in life. "Footballers must eat right to maintain fitness levels throughout a game," he believes. Messidona, as he is fondly called, might have a life-size chocolate mould made in his honour, but when it comes to favourite indulgences he'd much rather eat steak. He's known to snack on a handful of pistachios (they pack 30 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients), but it's usually a bowl of soup and Tapas before a match.
Exercise regimen
Messi loves a morning jog, which allows him time to do some thinking. He follows this up with stretching, and occasionally throws in weights or does a few laps around the pool. He is supposed to have followed a beach workout while recuperating from a football-related injury.

Wayne Rooney (England)
Height: 5 ft 10 in
Weight: 79.4 kg

The youngest-ever captain and scorer in the history of Premier League, topped the most popular player list for the World Cup Dream Team. Rooney has signed lucrative deals, making him the third-highest paid football player after Ronaldinho and David Beckham.
Diet
Rooney surprised a lot of his fans when details about his alleged diet were published in a UK-based tabloid. According to the report Rooney ate cheeseburgers, steak, kidney pie, chips and 12-inch pizzas. Though, Rooney's trainers are likely to ensure he follows a healthier diet that includes fish prior to his Champions League matches. Rooney also counts corn dogs, sausages, eggs, chips and baked beans among his favourite foods, and is said to favour a Chinese takeaway in Manchester before a big game.
Exercise regimen
Apart from following a grueling exercise regimen, which ensures that he burns off all the extra calories from eating his favourite foods, Rooney gets quite a workout during matches, walking an average of four km, jogging another five km, running a little over one kilometre, and sprinting another kilometre and a half.

Ronaldo is the chosen one
Leena Mogre, Director, Leena Mogre Fitness
Ronaldo follows a very scientific diet, which is important for professional sportsmen. Most footballers have a superb body, thanks to a mix of aerobic and anaerobic exercises. It's good that he is into weight-training since it develops muscle strength. HIIT increases strength and stamina, along with keeping body fat percentage down. The ideal fitness regime should include cardio exercises like kickboxing or power yoga. Kickboxing develops core strength and makes a person more aggressive, while Power Yoga helps develop active flexibility, which is more dynamic.

Cesc Fabregas (Spain)
Height: 5 ft 9 in
Weight: 78 kg

This 23 year-old central mid-fielder's rise to the top was swift, and happened before most guys his age could even grow a beard. The handsome dude is famous for his superb passing skills and is Spain's leading contender to bring home the title.
Diet
Even when Cesc was just eight or nine years old, the day before his football matches would see him dig into a healthy meal of fruit, soup and fish. He was often tempted by his folks to bite into a burger, but would flatly refuse. Still, there are days when he finds solace in creamy doughnuts, chocolate eggs and colas. "When we play at home after the game it's like a party, a doughnut party!" he is reported to have said.
Exercise regimen
Cesc is said to prefer the outdoors, working out either on an exercise ball or just kicking ball.

Ricardo Kaka (Brazil)
Height: 6 ft 1 in
Weight: 73 kg

He has emerged as one of the finest players of the 21st century, boasting a huge collection of individual honours. Apart from being a top-notch footballer, Kaka's God-fearing nature sets him apart from most other players. The devout Christian, known for his trademark goal-celebration gesture in which he points to the heavens, is loved by girls worldwide not only for his chocolate-boy looks but also his down-to-earth nature.
Diet
Kaka has a no-frills diet that consists mainly of grilled food and water. Sigh! We know it's fat-free, but how anyone could do without chocolate and cheese is beyond us.
Exercise regimen
Kaka loves mixing up his sports to stay fit. While he started his footballing career when he was just eight, he also played tennis and considered taking it up professionally. That is, till he moved to S ufffdo Paulo FC and signed his first professional contract at the age of 15. Kaka was also quite a swimmer, until he met with a freak swimming pool-related accident when he was just 18. While the mishap could've easily led to a paralysis-inducing spinal fracture, Kaka made a miraculous recovery and is likely to go on to becoming one of the greatest footballers of his time.

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