PREMIER LEAGUE legends have served up fireworks on the pitch – and choose some real bangers when it comes to odd pre-match meals.
You might think Jamie Vardy going from skittles and Vodka to Red Bulls, double espresso and omelette would take some beating…
And you’d be right!
But Gareth Bale, Paul Scholes, Pascal Gross and Andy Carroll are juicy contenders for top honours in our list of munching madness.
It also appears many of football’s stylists believe a good old-fashioned British favourite gets them blazing out of the blocks early doors.
To amend a childhood proverb, their motto seems to be: “Baked beans are good for your art – the more you eat the better you start.”
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JAMIE VARDY
The late-developing Leicester striker, 37, who went on to win 26 England caps, is undoubtedly the one to beat at the top of the dining table.
And it’s hard to say it better than Vardy himself when describing how his pre-match routine graduated from Skittles, Vodka and a penchant for drinking Port from a Lucozade bottle.
He said: “Three Red Bulls, a double espresso and a cheese and ham omelette is what makes me run around like a nut-job on a match day.”
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And if you are not quite convinced that combination would meet the approval of a sports nutritionist, then how about Vardy’s meticulous timetable for consuming it all on match-day….
The 2016 Prem winner explained: “I wake up in the morning and then [have a] Red Bull.
“Literally I get out of bed, get the kids up and downstairs, get their breakfast sorted and then I’m straight into the Red Bull.
“After that we meet at the stadium for pre-match and while I’m getting changed I’ll have a coffee – it’s better than taking ProPlus.
“Red Bull, coffee and then when we get over to the pre-match lounge, I’ll have my cheese and ham omelette with another can of Red Bull.”
GARETH BALE
The Wales legend raised eyebrows at Tottenham with his eating habits ahead of kick-off.
The now-retired winger is one of the few players Real Madrid stars have compared favourably to Cristiano Ronaldo for pure athleticism.
So perhaps his choice of “cuisine” is not to be scoffed at.
Former Spurs team-mate Jermaine Jenas revealed the golf-crazy star’s ample eating.
Jenas told TNT Sports: “The only meal I remember looking at and thinking why and how was Gareth Bale.
“He used to have like five slices of toast and a mountain of baked beans.”
PAUL SCHOLES
The Manchester United legend added a strange twist to traditional nosh.
The ex-England midfielder, now a pundit, went from box to box with his all-round skills.
But before kick-off he’d go from chocs to chocs in a curious mix of sweet and savoury food.
Appearing on the Back of the Net podcast, Scholes told presenter Gabby Logan: “Beans on toast, always, try to have it all the time.
“I always had a Turkish Delight as well, the night before the game.
“It was a bit of a superstition, weird that. Two Turkish Delights and a cup of tea, but I’d always buy a packet of three and leave one.”
ANDY CARROLL
The giant frontman, 35, has been accused of having no nutritional nous at Newcastle – when he tucked into Yorkshire puddings and gravy before matches.
The ex-Liverpool and England ace who is now with Amiens, admitted horrifying a Toon fans’ favourite with his heavyweight pre-loading.
Carroll said: “This one time Kevin Nolan rang me up and said, ‘Will you pick me up cos my car’s not working… where are you?’
“I said I’m just having a Sunday roast and he went mental, screamed at me on the phone, ‘Are you joking?’ and I told him I’d done that forever.”
PASCAL GROSS
Brighton’s ex-Tottenham full-back Pascal Gross is one of those players who in one sense eats quite normally… until you discover how he puts all the ingredients together.
The four-cap German, 32, limbers up conventionally with rice, chicken and olive oil – only to turn bizarre by topping off the combo with Weetabix”
WAYNE ROONEY
The Man Utd and England icon is chewing over his managerial future after being sacked by Birmingham.
So perhaps he might return to the high-carb comfort food he used to down before playing matches.
The Everton all-time great, 38, once told FourFourTwo his pre-match ritual included Coco Pops and a banana.
GARY NEVILLE
The pundit has become a successful pundit and entrepreneur since his days at right-back for the Red Devils and the Three Lions.
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But despite his sophisticated credentials, Nev gives Rooney a run for his money in terms of his simple intake before matches.
The recent Dragons’ Den debutant made “spaghetti with sauce, yoghurt and Ribena” his pre-match cuisine.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
