What Football Stars Eat That Actually Works (And One Weird Habit That Stays)

Illustration of Football players eating habits around the world

Kebiasaan Makan Pemain Bola Dunia — Jeroan Sampai Pola Makan Kayak Robot

Ditulis oleh tim redaksi — 8 September 2026

Gw baru aja baca-baca artikel dari Detik soal kebiasaan makan pesepak bola dunia. Tadinya gw pikir, ya pasti cuma makan sehat kayak ayam rebus, brokoli, nasi merah, telor, dan suplemen. Itu sih udah kaya makanan standar atlet. Tapi ternyata, ada yang beneran unik banget. Bahkan ada yang tiap hari makan jeroan.

Jeroan. Hati. Ginjal. Jantung. Itu tuh makanan yang di Indonesia sering banget kita jumpai di warung soto atau sop kaki sapi. Tapi kalau di dunia sepak bola, ternyata ini bukan cuma makanan "orang susah" atau "cita rasa lokal" doang. Ini adalah bagian dari strategi performa. Beneran.

Gw langsung kepikiran. Wadaw, selama ini gw makan jeroan cuma karena emang enak doang. Siapa sangka ini juga yang dimakan pemain bola level dunia.

Apa Sih Yang Dimakan Pesepak Bola?

Oke mari kita bahas satu-satu.

Cristiano Ronaldo — Makanan Bersih + Ikan + 6 Kali Sehari

Kita mulai dari yang paling terkenal dulu: Cristiano Ronaldo. Lo tau gak, CR7 itu makan 6 kali sehari? ENAM KALI. Dengan porsi kecil, tapi teratur. Kayak orang diet ketat gitu. Tapi bedanya, ini dia lakuin setiap hari, bertahun-tahun. Bukan buat turun berat badan, tapi buat maksimalin performa otot.

Menu hariannya: ikan, ayam, telur, alpukat, roti gandum, buah-buahan, dan banyak air putih. Gak ada gorengan. Gak ada minuman manis. Gak ada minuman beralkohol. Pernah dengar dia ngecewain public gara-gara minum Coca-Cola di konferensi pers? Iya, dia benar-benar hindari gula.

Gw mikir, ini orang emang beda level. Bukan cuma soal latihan, tapi soal disiplin di luar lapangan juga. Makan itu bukan sekadar kenyang. Makan itu bahan bakar.

"Ronaldo bukan cuma atlet. Dia mesin yang tau persis apa yang harus masuk ke tubuhnya."

Lionel Messi — Lebih Fleksibel Tapi Tetap Terukur

Kalau Ronaldo terlihat kayak robot yang terkontrol, Messi lebih santai. Messi dulu suka makan pizza dan minuman manis. Tapi setelah bekerja sama dengan nutrisionis, dia mulai ubah pola makannya. Sekarang dia fokus ke makanan utuh, banyak sayur, ikan, dan mengurangi daging merah.

Yang bikin gw tertarik: Messi tetap makan makanan favoritnya, tapi dengan porsi dan waktu yang tepat. Dia gak menyiksa diri. Tapi dia juga gak main-main. Kebiasaan makan yang baik itu gak harus selalu ekstrem. Yang penting konsisten dan tau batas.

Buat gw, ini lebih relatable daripada Ronaldo yang kayak tentara. Messi membuktikan bahwa fleksibilitas pun bisa membawa lo ke level terbaik dunia — asal lo tau kapan harus serius.

Harry Kane — Makan Jeroan Tiap Hari?

Nah ini yang paling bikin gw ngakak sekaligus kagum. Harry Kane, striker timnas Inggris, ternyata punya kebiasaan makan jeroan — khususnya hati dan ginjal — setiap hari. Dia percaya makanan itu kaya zat besi, vitamin B12, dan nutrisi penting buat pemulihan otot.

Gw bayangin, di luar negeri jeroan tuh dianggap makanan "aneh". Tapi Kane malah menjadikannya rutinitas. Dia bilang itu membantunya tetap fit dan pulih lebih cepat setelah pertandingan berat.

Di Indonesia, kita udah biasa makan jeroan. Tapi kita sering menganggapnya makanan murah atau sampingan. Padahal, secara nutrisi, jeroan itu salah satu makanan paling padat gizi di dunia. Yang membedakan cuma cara kita mengolahnya.

Kane makan hati dan ginjal yang dimasak sederhana, tanpa banyak bumbu. Bukan sambal goreng ati atau sop buntut yang penuh santan. Dia makan sebagai makanan fungsional, bukan cuma karena enak.

Gw jadi mikir, mungkin kita perlu mengubah cara pandang soal makanan tradisional. Kadang yang kita anggap "makanan biasa" itu sebenarnya luar biasa, kalau kita tau cara mengonsumsinya dengan benar.

Kenapa Kebiasaan Makan Ini Penting?

Bukan cuma soal jadi pemain bola sih. Tapi soal disiplin dan kesadaran tentang apa yang kita masukkan ke tubuh.

Atlet top dunia gak cuma ngandelin bakat. Mereka punya tim nutrisionis, pelatih, psikolog, dan semua yang bantu mereka optimize performa. Tapi pada akhirnya, mereka sendiri yang memutuskan apakah mau mengikuti rencana atau tidak.

Dan inilah yang membedakan. Banyak pemain berbakat yang gak jadi legenda karena mereka gak serius di luar lapangan. Makan sembarangan. Kurang tidur. Minum alkohol. Tubuh mereka cuma satu. Dan mereka pilih untuk merawatnya, atau menghancurkannya.

Pelajaran yang Bisa Kita Ambil

Gw bukan pemain bola. Lo juga mungkin bukan. Tapi kita semua punya tubuh yang harus diisi energi setiap hari.

Kita gak harus makan kayak Ronaldo yang 6 kali sehari. Tapi kita bisa belajar tentang konsistensi. Tentang memilih makanan yang bikin badan terasa ringan, bukan yang bikin kita lemas setelah makan.

Kita gak harus makan jeroan tiap hari kayak Harry Kane. Tapi kita bisa mulai memperhatikan makanan yang selama ini kita anggap remeh. Mungkin ada zat gizi di situ yang selama ini kurang.

Atau yang lebih sederhana: kurangi gula. Itu doang. Tapi banyak yang gagal karena gula itu adiktif. Ronaldo aja gak sentuh minuman manis. Kalau dia bisa, kenapa kita gak coba?

"Atlet top dunia gak cuma ngandelin bakat. Mereka punya disiplin yang terbentuk dari kebiasaan sehari-hari — termasuk apa yang mereka makan."

Yang Bikin Gw Merenung

Gw jadi ingat, berapa kali gw makan sembarangan cuma karena males masak? Berapa kali gw beli junk food karena lagi capek? Berapa kali gw minum kopi manis tiga kali sehari dan mikir itu wajar?

Ternyata, yang membedakan orang yang mencapai level tinggi itu bukan cuma bakat atau kerja keras. Tapi perhatian terhadap hal-hal kecil yang orang lain anggap remeh.

Makanan itu salah satunya.

Gw bukan tipe orang yang bisa disiplin 100% kayak Ronaldo. Tapi gw mulai mikir, mungkin gw bisa mulai dari satu perubahan kecil. Misalnya, sarapan yang lebih bernutrisi. Atau ngurangin minuman manis satu gelas sehari. Atau memasak sendiri daripada pesan makanan yang gak jelas bahan dan gizinya.

Perubahan kecil yang dilakukan terus-menerus itu yang bikin beda.

Jadi Menurut Gw...

Kebiasaan makan pesepak bola dunia itu bukan cuma berita aneh-aneh. Itu adalah cerminan dari mindset performa. Mereka sadar bahwa tubuh adalah alat utama. Dan alat yang bagus harus dirawat dengan bahan bakar yang tepat.

Makan jeroan? Kenapa tidak, kalau memang bergizi.

Makan 6 kali sehari? Bisa dicoba, asal porsinya diatur.

Gak minum gula? Mungkin itu tantangan paling berat buat kita semua.

Tapi yang paling penting: kita gak harus langsung jadi sempurna. Kita cuma perlu mulai. Satu langkah kecil. Setiap hari. Dan lihat apa yang berubah dalam beberapa bulan ke depan.

Entahlah, mungkin gw yang terlalu banyak mikirin makanan. Tapi coba deh, perhatiin apa yang lo makan hari ini. Kira-kira, apakah itu bikin lo lebih baik atau lebih lemes?

Jawabannya mungkin lebih sederhana dari yang lo kira.

— Tulisan ini terinspirasi dari kebiasaan para atlet yang mengingatkan kita bahwa performa dimulai dari piring makan.

What Football Stars Eat That Actually Works (And One Weird Habit That Stays)

Written by editorial team — September 8, 2026

So I was scrolling through Detik and stumbled upon an article about the eating habits of world-class footballers. I thought it'd be the usual stuff — boiled chicken, broccoli, brown rice, eggs, supplements. Standard athlete fuel. But man, some of them are genuinely weird. One guy even eats organs every single day.

Organs. Liver. Kidneys. Heart. The kind of stuff we Indonesians see every day in local soup stalls. But in the world of elite football, this isn't just "poor people's food" or "local delicacy." It's a performance strategy. For real.

And I couldn't help but think — I've been eating organs just because they taste good. Never knew world-class athletes were doing it too.

What Do Footballers Actually Eat?

Let's break it down, one by one.

Cristiano Ronaldo — Clean Food + Fish + 6 Meals a Day

Let's start with the most famous one: Cristiano Ronaldo. Did you know CR7 eats 6 meals a day? SIX. Small portions, but regular. Almost like a strict diet plan. But the thing is, he's been doing this for years — not to lose weight, but to maximize muscle performance.

Daily menu: fish, chicken, eggs, avocado, whole-grain bread, fruits, and tons of water. No fried food. No sugary drinks. No alcohol. Remember when he publicly disappointed Coca-Cola at a press conference? Yeah, he really avoids sugar.

This guy operates on a whole different level. It's not just about training — it's about discipline off the pitch too. Eating isn't just about being full. It's fuel.

"Ronaldo isn't just an athlete. He's a machine that knows exactly what goes into his body."

Lionel Messi — More Flexible, But Still Measured

If Ronaldo looks like a controlled robot, Messi is more relaxed. Messi used to enjoy pizza and sugary drinks. But after working with a nutritionist, he started changing his eating habits. Now he focuses on whole foods, lots of veggies, fish, and reducing red meat.

What caught my attention: Messi still eats his favorite foods, but at the right time and portion. He doesn't torture himself. But he doesn't mess around either. Good eating habits don't always have to be extreme. What matters is consistency and knowing your limits.

To me, this is more relatable than Ronaldo's military-style discipline. Messi proves that flexibility can still take you to the top — as long as you know when to be serious.

Harry Kane — Eats Organs Every Day?

Now this is the one that made me laugh and respect at the same time. Harry Kane, England's star striker, apparently eats organs — particularly liver and kidneys — every single day. He believes they're rich in iron, vitamin B12, and nutrients essential for muscle recovery.

Imagine that. In many Western countries, organs are considered "strange" food. But Kane makes it a daily routine. He says it helps him stay fit and recover faster after tough matches.

Here in Indonesia, we're already used to eating organs. But we often see them as cheap or side dishes. Nutrition-wise, organs are actually among the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. The difference is just how we prepare them.

Kane eats liver and kidneys cooked simply, without heavy seasonings. Not spicy sambal or rich coconut-milk soups. He eats them as functional food, not just because they taste good.

This made me think — maybe we need to change how we view traditional food. Sometimes what we consider "ordinary" is actually extraordinary, when consumed the right way.

Why Do These Eating Habits Matter?

It's not just about being a footballer. It's about discipline and awareness of what we put into our bodies.

Top athletes don't just rely on talent. They have nutritionists, coaches, psychologists — a whole team helping them optimize performance. But at the end of the day, they themselves choose whether to follow the plan or not.

And that's what makes the difference. Many talented players never become legends because they don't take off-field routines seriously. Eating recklessly. Lack of sleep. Drinking alcohol. They only have one body. And they choose to either take care of it or destroy it.

Lessons We Can Apply

I'm not a footballer. Neither are you, probably. But we all have bodies that need energy every day.

We don't have to eat like Ronaldo, 6 meals a day. But we can learn about consistency. About choosing food that makes us feel light, not sluggish after meals.

We don't have to eat organs daily like Harry Kane. But we can start paying attention to foods we've overlooked. Maybe there's nutrition there we've been missing.

Or simpler: cut down sugar. Just that. But many fail because sugar is addictive. Ronaldo doesn't touch sugary drinks. If he can, why can't we at least try?

"Top athletes don't just rely on talent. They have discipline built from daily habits — including what they eat."

What Made Me Reflect

I started remembering how many times I ate junk just because I was too lazy to cook. How many times I bought fast food because I was tired. How many times I had sweet coffee three times a day and thought it was normal.

Turns out, the difference between those who reach high levels and those who don't isn't just talent or hard work. It's attention to small things that others overlook.

Food is one of them.

I'm not the type to be 100% disciplined like Ronaldo. But I'm starting to think, maybe I can start with one small change. For instance, a more nutritious breakfast. Or reducing one sugary drink a day. Or cooking for myself instead of ordering food with questionable ingredients and nutrition.

Small changes done consistently make the real difference.

So Here's My Take...

The eating habits of world-class footballers aren't just weird news. They're a reflection of a performance mindset. They understand that the body is their primary tool. And a good tool must be maintained with the right fuel.

Eat organs? Why not, if it's nutritious.

Eat 6 meals a day? Could be worth a try, as long as portions are controlled.

No sugar? That's probably the biggest challenge for all of us.

But the key thing is: we don't have to be perfect overnight. We just need to start. One small step. Every day. And see what changes in a few months.

I don't know, maybe I'm overthinking food. But try paying attention to what you eat today. Does it make you feel better or more sluggish?

The answer might be simpler than you think.

— This piece was inspired by the habits of athletes who remind us that performance starts from the plate.

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