La Liga Soccer Players Are Showing Some Serious Vegan Love

Even Spanish "fútbol" players are joining the plant-based movement. As we recently heard from VegWorld Magazine, several players from celebrated Spanish and Catalan soccer teams have turned toward eating vegan. The magazine reports that these soccer stars include FC Barcelona’s goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, Atlético Madrid’s Saúl Ñíguez, Málaga CF’s Aarón Ñíguez, and Girona FC’s Gerard Gumbau and Jordi Calavera. 

So what’s their vegan grub of choice? Heura Foods, the Barcelona-based plant-based meat company, as the athletes have shown in their social media posts.

Their lineup includes a variety of chicken and beef alternatives including Mediterranean “chicken” chunks, “chicken” strips, and an imitation beef burger patty. Based on the crave-worthy snaps the brand has been sharing of their eats on Instagram, it’s safe to say we want to dig in too.

The soy-based products also include a variety of flavor boosters in various products such as spices like paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. They’re also forfeited with B12, a nutrient that vegans should be sure they’re getting enough of in their diet. (Read all about what you need to know about getting enough B12 as a vegan here.

When it comes to eating vegan, one of soccer’s brightest stars, Lionel Messi, who plays on both FC Barcelona and Argentina’s national team, has adopted a plant-based regime to fuel his success. Per Medium, while the 33-year-old soccer great isn’t a full-fledged vegan, he adheres to a vegan diet during the soccer season to help boost his performance. Considering a recent study found that vegans outperform meat-eaters in endurance and strength tests, we can’t say we’re surprised this works for Messi and countless other vegan sportsmen and women.