Turmeric, Infrared Light, and Sleep: Inside World Cup Teams' Recovery Secrets
The England football team has incorporated turmeric, commonly known as haldi in India, into their recovery regimen after their match against Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. According to The New York Times, the team is consuming turmeric concoctions to reduce muscle inflammation. Ginger and Omega-3 fish oil are also being used as the team prepares for the transition from Mexico City's chilly climate to Miami, where they will face Norway in the World Cup semifinals.
This tournament has featured quick turnarounds and high-intensity matches, with many games remaining uncertain until late. Recovery periods often stretch to a full day. Alongside dietary intake of carbohydrates and proteins to replenish energy, players like Harry Kane undergo standard recovery procedures, including ice baths and infrared therapy. Ice baths, traditionally used with Epsom salts, are now routine. Teams travel with laser equipment for infrared therapy.
Norway's Erling Haaland also uses a 90-degree sauna and has a £50,000 cryotherapy chamber at his home in Cheshire. Infrared rooms, which increase body temperature and promote muscle relaxation, are common. Haaland reportedly invested in a £15,000 red-light bed two years ago, using it for five minutes before workouts and 20 minutes after to prevent injury and aid recovery. His diet includes raw milk with spinach, tomahawk steaks, beef heart, and liver.
Spain has adopted advanced therapies like Extracorporeal Magneto Transduction Therapy (EMTT) and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NESA). EMTT uses quick magnetic wave signals to block pain and accelerate tissue repair, while NESA employs electric micro-current impulses to reduce inflammation. The Swiss team focuses on rehydration with berry juice and tart cherries, which are high in melatonin, and uses compression garments to regulate blood flow.
Haaland emphasizes the importance of sleep, stating on Logan Paul's Impaulsive podcast: "Sleep is the most important thing in the world. To sleep good, simple things like blue blocking glasses and shutting out signals in the bedroom." Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni noted that fixture congestion has become a challenge, especially for his team, which is the ninth-oldest in the tournament. Backroom staff monitor the recovery of Lionel Messi and his teammates closely.
