Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated football for over a decade, earning recognition as two of the greatest players of their generation. Despite advancing in age, both continue to perform at elite levels—Messi, 35, recently secured his long-awaited World Cup title, while Ronaldo, nearing his 40s, remains a force on the pitch.
While their natural talent is undeniable, their longevity is equally due to their relentless focus on maintaining peak physical condition. A key aspect of their fitness regimen is the attention they place on sleep, a crucial but often overlooked factor for elite athletes.
In recent years, many top clubs and players, including Ronaldo, have started hiring sleep coaches to optimize recovery and ensure they are well-rested. Dr. Eduard Estivill, a specialist in sleep medicine, shed light on the importance of sleep in a podcast for Endor, revealing how both Messi and Ronaldo use sleep as a tool for performance enhancement.
“Messi, for example, sleeps 11 hours a day, including naps,” explained Dr. Estivill. “Ronaldo follows a similar routine and even employs a sleep coach to guide him on how many hours of sleep he needs.”
According to Dr. Estivill, sleep is critical for recovery due to the immense physical exertion required in football. “Although people may believe footballers don’t work that much, training is exhausting. Studies show that inadequate sleep can be a leading cause of muscle injuries,” he said.
While having a sleep coach is a luxury reserved for top-tier athletes, Dr. Estivill believes that the sleep strategies employed by Messi and Ronaldo can benefit everyone. His foundation has worked closely with sports teams and individual athletes to improve sleep patterns, including players like Alex Granell, a former La Liga midfielder now playing in Bolivia.
Granell, who sought help from Dr. Estivill during his time at Girona, experienced a remarkable improvement in his performance after adjusting his sleep schedule. “Alex Granell is an intelligent player who realized his biological rhythms were affecting his game,” said Dr. Estivill. “He told us that if he played a match at 9 pm and took a penalty at 10, he was far more likely to miss. However, if he played earlier in the day, his success rate skyrocketed.”
After conducting a study on Granell’s biological rhythms, Dr. Estivill discovered that the player was naturally a “morning person,” with peak performance occurring early in the day. To adapt to late-night games, they devised a strategy to temporarily shift his biological clock. Granell would take a long nap after lunch and use light exposure therapy to mimic daylight, helping him stay alert for evening matches. This tailored approach significantly improved his performance.
Inspired by Granell’s success, the rest of the Girona squad soon became interested in sleep optimization, under the guidance of their forward-thinking medical team.
Messi and Ronaldo’s commitment to sleep optimization highlights how vital recovery is for athletes at the highest level. Their meticulous attention to rest has undoubtedly played a crucial role in their sustained dominance, offering valuable insights for both athletes and the general public on the importance of quality sleep.
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