"They use a lot of energy" – Medical specialist reveals secret behind Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo maintaining peak performance
Both Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are still going strong despite being in the twilight of their careers owing to their sleep schedules, according to medical expert Eduard Estivill.
While the Al-Nassr striker has shown no signs of stopping with his elite displays for his club this campaign, the Inter Miami attacker has been in great form of late. The former has recorded seven goal involvements in six overall games for his club this term, while the latter has contributed 28 goal contributions in just 18 club games in 2024.
Speaking recently on the Endor Podcast, Estivill shared his honest thoughts on the sleeping habits of reputed footballers like Messi and Ronaldo. He said (h/t Mirror):
"Messi, for example, sleeps 11 hours including naps. 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."
Ronaldo, who dismissed rumors about retiring from the sport earlier this month, will turn 40 next February. Messi, on the other hand, will turn 38 next June and is likely to feature in his final FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Pundit claims superstar's comparisons with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are apt
Speaking at Star Sports Press Room, former Chelsea and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips showered huge praise on Erling Haaland. He said (h/t Times Now News):
"It's funny that people are only now comparing him to Messi and Ronaldo, but if you look at his goal-scoring record before joining City, it's always been there. The difference is, now he's doing it while winning the Premier League and the Champions League."
Wright-Phillips, who is Arsenal legend Ian Wright's son, continued:
"He's always been consistent, whether for his club or country. As long as you keep giving him chances, wherever he is – fingers crossed it's at City – it's hard to imagine him not breaking records."
Haaland, 24, has netted 100 goals in 105 games in all competitions for Manchester City since arriving for an initial sum of £51 million in 2022.
Before joining City, the towering left-footed Norwegian scored 86 goals in 89 total matches for Borussia Dortmund between 2020 and 2022.