Cremonese manager Davide Nicola has disclosed that ‘role model’ Jamie Vardy is sticking with his unconventional diet, which the Englishman says includes pizza, port wine and a can of Red Bull.
This comes alongside Vardy’s remarkable beginning to life in Serie A, where he has scored four times in nine outings for the newly promoted side.
Nicola noted that the 38-year-old, who bagged a brace in Cremonese’s impressive 3-1 victory over Bologna on Monday night, prepares his own breakfast at the training complex, adding that the club now customises meals for each player rather than enforcing a single menu.
He explained that cultural and nutritional demands vary across the dressing room, emphasising that the striker’s routines are accepted because they contribute to his output on the pitch.
‘He makes his own breakfast,’ Nicola told Portuguese outlet Record. ‘We have individualized meals for everyone, whether it’s breakfast or dinner.
‘There’s no longer a fixed menu for everyone. Cultures are different, needs too, even because of allergies. Everyone has their own personal menu. I don’t control that kind of thing, as it’s part of the players’ lives. They usually eat here two or three times, sometimes even for dinner.’
The coach then underlined Vardy’s impact within the squad, pointing out that top-level players combine ability with a humble attitude.
He said: ‘He’s a role model for everyone. As a coach, I can only say that great champions are incredibly down-to-earth. They know what they have to do and how to do it. They don’t have negative attitudes towards a team like ours.
‘A champion stands out from the average player because they have qualities on the pitch, but also because of their spirit and understanding of what they represent. A champion never makes mistakes.
‘Jamie is very confident and playful, but he always trains to the maximum. He has his habits, but he came here with the mentality of being available to help.
‘A player like him needs to be understood in terms of his habits, integrated in the best possible way, and supported, putting himself in a position to make a good impression.’
Vardy’s long-standing routine continues to draw attention after he described his pre-match habits in a Sky Sports feature in 2022, including caffeine-heavy mornings and a cheese and ham omelette.
He said: ‘I wake up in the morning and then [have a] Red Bull. Literally I get out of bed, get the kids up and downstairs, get their breakfast sorted and then I’m straight into the Red Bull.’
He added that he follows it with coffee before having ‘my cheese and ham omelette with another can of Red Bull’.
The striker also revealed that he used to drink port before games, writing that ‘it helps me switch off and get to sleep a bit easier the night before a game’.
Vardy’s switch to Italy has unfolded alongside considerable off-field drama after burglars targeted the family’s Lake Garda villa last month.
The couple relocated in search of a quieter lifestyle following the Wagatha Christie case, although their adjustment will be featured in an upcoming ITV documentary.