Sleep advice used by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi is secret to their peak health

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLORIDA - SEPTEMBER 20: Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami watches the ball during the first half during a match between Toronto FC and Inter Miami CF at DRV PNK Stadium on September 20, 2023 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Getty Images)


There is more to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s football greatness than pure ability.

The icons of football – regarded as the best of their generation and two of the best of all time – are still going strong in their late-30s. Messi, now 37, finally won the World Cup at 35 while Ronaldo turns 40s early next year and has no intention of calling it quits.

That longevity is no accident. The pair have stayed in top shape thanks to immense dedication and preparation, which includes carefully managing their sleep, now regarded as a vital part of a top athlete’s life away from the playing arena.

Many clubs and players even use sleep coaches to ensure they get enough quality rest. Dr Eduard Estivill, a specialist in sleep medicine with a degree in medicine and surgery, has revealed how the likes of Messi and Ronaldo use a snooze to aid performance.

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“Messi, for example, sleeps 11 hours including naps,” Dr Estivill told the Endor Podcast. “Ronaldo does the same, he even has a sleep coach who tells him how many hours he needs to sleep.

“They use a lot of energy and they need to recover. Although people think footballers work little, it's not true because training consumes a lot. It was discovered that one of the causes of muscle injuries was precisely the few hours of sleep.”

While hiring a sleep coach isn’t possible for the majority of us, Dr Estivill says many of the techniques used by the football legends can be copied.‌ His foundation has worked closely with sports teams and individuals, including young basketball players and former La Liga star Alex Granell, who now plays in Bolivia

The midfielder, now 36, worked with Dr Estivill during his time with Girona and saw his sleep and performance benefit as a result, with his teammates also enlisting the help of the specialist. Dr Estivill explained: “Alex Granell, a super-intelligent guy, had heard us talk a bit about biological rhythms.

“Then he came and told us: 'Look, I'm a good player, but I have a major problem, if I play at 9pm and I have to take a penalty at 10, I have a much greater chance of missing.

Ronaldo and his son Cristiano Jr pose for a picture
Ronaldo and his son Cristiano Jr pose for a picture -Credit:instagram.com/cristiano

“On the other hand, if I play at five in the afternoon and take the penalty, the success rate is 99%. So we did a study of the chronotype of his biological rhythms and Alex Granell turned out to be a morning person.

“At six in the morning, he was up and running and could do anything, but at seven in the evening he couldn't do anything, he was dead tired. What we did with him was to change his biological rhythm temporarily because you can't change this forever.

“It is important to understand it because it is genetically determined by the genes that control the biological clock. So temporarily we can delay this rhythm.

“On the day that he played at night we made him take a long nap after lunch and when he got up he would put glasses on as if simulating a nice morning, a new day. And then, when night came he played very well. He improved, so he was delighted.

“And from there on, the rest of the team got interested and especially through the medical director they have in Girona, who is super good in terms of sports medicine, and all the staff they have.”