Lionel Messi’s Argentina U-20 World Cup team had a rare habit, reveals Spain icon Fernando Llorente
Lionel Messi has been an example of professionalism since he started representing Barcelona 20 years ago. He was even the main star of a star-studded Argentina U-20 that won the World Cup in the Netherlands. But according to Fernando Llorente, their preparation wasn’t ideal.
Llorente joined a roundtable to talk about the importance of hydration that included the likes of Luis Figo. The former striker, who finished right behind Messi in the top scoring list at the 2005 U-20 World Cup with five goals before Spain were taken out in the quarterfinals, revealed a rare habit that Argentina players were said to have.
When talking about his past experiences, he said: “To tell a story, I remember when he played against Messi’s Argentina in the U-20. It was said that they were allowed to drink Coca-Cola with the meals, but we couldn’t. They eliminated us, they sent us home, and they moved on. In the teams I’ve been on, we weren’t allowed to drink things like that.”
Figo also talked about hydration
Figo was probably the main name among the participants at the roundtable. The former Barcelona and Real Madrid star also won a Ballon d’Or, capping a career marked by talent and a controversial move between the giants. Just like Llorente did, he spoke about the topic from his experience.
The Portuguese spoke in general terms about elite teams and performance, linking physical preparation to consistency on the pitch. His comments were framed within the broader discussion about hydration and recovery in modern soccer.
For him the change needed is easy to see: “Real Madrid need to hydrate more to play better. It gives you mental health, performance, and better recovery, because they have talent.”
Figo on his preparation as a player
It’s clear that what Figo did as a player worked for him, because his performance was higher than most. But the Portuguese recalled that during his time there was reluctance to change a routine that already seemed to work.
Figo said: “In a world of high competition I’ve only had a nutritionist since 2004. With the habits of hydration and nutrition I had, when you contact a nutritionist you are one step behind because if you had some habits that worked for you, altering that routine makes you wonder if it’s the best for you.”