Ketchup and mayo banned as England's nutritionist reveals World Cup match-day diet plan

England’s players will be loading up on beetroot shots and carbohydrate-heavy meals in the days before their World Cup fixture against Norway, according to Jonny Marsh, a private chef who has prepared food for roughly 100 Premier League players.

Marsh, known in football circles as ‘The Football Feeder’, says the nutritional build-up for a match begins well before kick-off. “For a Saturday kick-off, nutrition actually starts a couple of days earlier on Thursday, when you begin gradually increasing carbohydrate intake,” he explained. “The day before the match, both lunch and dinner are more carb-focused, often with foods like pasta or rice to help top up energy stores.”

On matchday morning, the approach shifts. “Players typically have a lighter meal with some protein and a small amount of veg, but fibre is kept low,” Marsh said. “The focus shifts back towards easily digestible carbohydrates so they are fuelled without feeling too heavy going into the game.”

Beetroot features prominently in the plan, with Marsh noting its well-documented ability to support exercise performance naturally. Players may also consume beetroot shots directly before kick-off.

Two common condiments are conspicuously absent from the menu. Marsh revealed that ketchup and mayonnaise have been effectively banned across many professional setups for several years. “A few years ago things like ketchup and mayonnaise were pretty much cut out in a lot of setups, not just with England but across the Premier League too,” he said. “It wasn’t really a single manager’s rule, more a general shift in how clubs approached nutrition. It was mainly down to them being high in sugar and fats, so players were encouraged to avoid them with meals.”

With soaring temperatures a recurring theme throughout the tournament, hydration is another central pillar of England’s preparation. Marsh expects hydrating ingredients such as watercress and cucumber to appear in salads, alongside hydration sachets and fresh juices made from melon, beetroot, oranges, and lemons.

Recovery nutrition is treated with equal seriousness. Marsh says players eat quickly after the final whistle to replenish energy stores, particularly in hot conditions, though he acknowledges that the occasional pizza or fried chicken does make a dressing-room appearance — albeit less frequently during tournaments, when most players maintain stricter standards.