Cappuccino loopy Kane and footballer’s oddest diets – ice cream to nan’s eggs
Thomas Tuchel raised eyebrows by suggesting the secret ingredient behind Harry Kane‘s goalscoring heroics for Bayern Munich is an addiction to foamy espresso.
The England captain has fired the Bundesliga giants to a Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid with eight goals in 11 games in Europe, taking his total for the season so far to an incredible 44 strikes in 44 fixtures. When asked if he had been surprised by any aspect of Kane’s debut season in Munich, the German manager noted how much steamy coffee the former Tottenham striker slurps down.
Tuchel laughed: “How many cappuccinos he drinks a day! Every time I go into the kitchen, he is there. It must be so good, I have started doing it. He looks healthy and in good shape.”
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What do you think about Harry Kane’s love of coffee? Let us know in the comments section below
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Kane, who scored a penalty against Real in a 2-2 draw at the Allianz Arena setting up a mouthwatering second leg in Madrid, isn’t the only footballer with unusual culinary tastes. Here Daily Star Sport looks at other stars whose favourite food or beverage surprised fans.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City goal machine Erling Haaland scoffs six meals a day to stay in peak condition.
The 6ft 4in Norwegian hotshot has been described by team-mates as eating “like a bear” and wolfs down swordfish, sea bass and sea bream all cooked with veg. He also demolishes plates of chicken and pasta cooked without salt or oil.
The Treble winner mainly drinks water and avoids sugary snacks and frozen food, opting to eat fresh produce only. His dad and ex-City star Alf-Inge Haaland says this all started after Patrice Evra told him about Manchester United legend Cristiano Ronaldo‘s diet.
The ex-midfielder said: “He was told a story by Patrice Evra about a lunch he had with Ronaldo and Cristiano had fish, nothing else. Erling now tries to do the same things because Ronaldo is still at the top of the game, so it shows the value of doing the right things.”
Haaland is said to employ a personal chef who serves him up 4,000 calories daily. Cheat days are a rarity, but he loves Indian cuisine, duck and sweet and sour chicken Chinese takeaways, and above all else his “favourite food” – kebabs.
Dino Zoff
Legendary Italian goalkeeper Zoff is widely renowned as being one of the great shotstoppers of all time. But the cultured custodian may never have made it if it wasn’t thanks to a dietary tip from his nan.
The oldest ever winner of the World Cup, which he lifted as his nation’s captain in the 1982 tournament at the age of 40, was snubbed by Inter Milan and Juventus when he was 14 because he was too small. And his grandma was not having that.
She made young Dino eat eight eggs a day to help his growth, which seemed to work, as he shot up to 6ft and became a pro, before joining Juventus in 1972. Zoff went on to win six Serie A titles with the Old Lady during an 11-year stint and even became their manager. Eggsellent.
Anderson
Former Manchester United midfielder Anderson would impulsively yell “McDonald’s, McDonald’s” when passing the restaurant on the motorway because he couldn’t get enough of the fast food giant’s tasty treats.
At least that’s what former team-mate Rafael da Silva claimed in his joint autobiography with twin brother Fabio, who hinted at why his fellow Brazilian failed to reach his potential for club and country.
The Premier League winner said: “We could be on the team coach and pass the services on the motorway and Anderson would jump up impulsively and yell ‘McDonald’s, McDonald’s’. The guy was crazy, but I love him. Give him a football and he would just play with freedom and sometimes, if he got a good run of games, he could play as well as any player in the league.
“He picked up a lot of big injuries and then his problems with eating the way he did started to affect him. It was no coincidence that his best form came when he had a lot of games because that was when he couldn’t eat so much.
“I will say something about Anderson – if he had been a professional football player, he could have been the best in the world.”
Masahiko Inoha
Centre-back Masahiko Inoha isn’t perhaps that well known on these shores, despite lifting the Asia Cup with Japan in 2011 and a couple of J Leagues during his time at the Kashima Antlers. But he did make headlines thanks to his obsession with ice cream.
The Japanese international, now 38, would eat three ice creams a day, “two at the clubhouse, one after bath time,” according to the Guardian. Perhaps not the healthiest option for a professional athlete.
However, according to the Journal of Applied Physiology, scientists discovered that sugary, high-glycaemic index carbohydrates – like those found in ice cream – were better for refuelling the muscles after “prolonged exercise” than healthier, low-glycaemic index carbohydrates like oats for example. So there.