SOCCER
A Palmeiras player who tried to follow Cristiano’s diet said “I’m going to die”
In an interview with ‘Palmeiras Cast’, Gabriel Menino stated that he had tried to follow the Portuguese star’s diet with very negative results.
The formula for the eternal youth of Cristiano Ronaldo’s physique has a major factor at play: his diet. The Portuguese player is known for taking amazing care of his body, well aware that it is his main tool of work. Throughout his career, the man from Madeira has kept in fine shape, even at the age of 28-years-old. As such, Gabriel Menino, a full-back who plays for Palmeiras, tried to follow the Al-Nassr player’s diet with a result he did not expect.
In an interview for ‘Palmeiras Cast’, a podcast dedicated to current affairs about the Brazilian club, the player admitted to having tried to emulate Ronaldo’s diet, in an attempt to achieve a physique “equal” to that of the ex-Real Madrid forward. In the 20/21 season, Menino had been dropped to the third option for Abel Ferreira in the squad after being one of the great prospects in the side.
As a result of being dropped in the squad hierarchy, the full-back started the diet with all the enthusiasm in the world, seeking to return to the best version of himself as a player. The regime was simple: an egg and supplements for breakfast with supplements again before training, in the afternoon and before going to sleep before grilled fish or meat and salad for lunch and dinner.
However, the result was the complete opposite of what Menino was looking for, and it didn’t take long for him to feel the consequences. The day after starting the plan, the player was called up for a match with the team, later playing as a starter. “I was warming up and all I was thinking was, ‘I’m going to die.’ Five minutes into the game, I could no longer run, I needed to be substituted”, stated Menino.
Fortunately for the player, play was stopped after one of his teammates suffered a injury a few minutes into the start of his nutritional crash, having to be attended by the team’s medical staff. Menino was not mischievous, taking advantage of the brief break to drink an isotonic drink. But football has, thankfully, once again smiled upon the player, who is now settled on the right wing Abel Ferreira’s side.