Harry Kane and World Cup stars will have to alter diet – and it might mean Erling Haaland cheat meal is out

The weather at this summer’s World Cup will have an impact on the food eaten by the players involved.

This was highlighted by private chef Jonny Marsh, who has worked with a host of Premier League stars.

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Marsh has cooked for the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Jordan Pickford and Kyle Walker in the past.

His experience has helped him understand both the foods players want in their diets as well as what is ideal to eat prior to a match.

This summer’s World Cup will take place between June and July in Canada, Mexico and the USA and players can expect to have to deal with soaring temperatures and humidity at times whilst in North America.

It follows the Club World Cup in the USA last year, where big concerns were raised over the temperatures.

As a result, water breaks will be enforced during the tournament to keep players hydrated.

World Cup diets

Marsh has revealed hydration will also be a key part of the players’ diets throughout the tournament.

He made the revelation during an appearance on the latest episode of talkSPORT’s How To Win The World Cup podcast.

Speaking to Matt Forde and Maisie Adam, Marsh was asked if the weather this summer will affect the food players eat.

The footballers’ chef explained: “I think so because it will be a lot more hydration-based food as well, like your melons.”

He added that what each player wants to eat before a match differs from person to person, though.

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Using the example of De Bruyne and Gundogan, Marsh said: “You need a balance of everything, but everybody’s also different as well.

“Every player was different even, say, between Kevin and Ilkay, Ilkay liked to eat light the day before, he wanted to feel like.

“Whereas Kevin would have like two or three bowls of pasta. So every player was different.”

Erling Haaland’s cheat meal

Erling Haaland is set to make his World Cup debut with Norway this summer after helping them qualify for the first time since 1998.

Although Marsh has not worked as the Manchester City striker’s personal chef, he has taken note of his diet.

Haaland has previously shared an insight into what he eats on his YouTube channel.

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The 25-year-old is also a coffee lover, describing the drink as a ‘super food’ whilst adding raw milk and maple syrup to each serving.

However, Marsh has not had any involvement in cooking Haaland’s rumoured cheat meal of kebab meat pizza.

When asked if he cooks for Haaland, he said: “No, I didn’t. He cooks for himself.

“When he came over, all he ate was meat, eggs, raw milk and things like that. It’s on his YouTube channel now I think.

“He was very on it with his stuff and he just eats very, very simply every night. I’m pretty sure he barbecues every night as well, from what I’ve been told.”

Haaland’s diet has helped him score a staggering 159 goals in 194 appearances for City since joining the club in 2022.

The forward has also found the net 55 times in just 49 caps for Norway.