Ramadan is also practiced in Real Sociedad’s locker room

In the last 35 years, where the presence of young players has been accompanied by footballers from other areas signed to strengthen the team, the Muslim religion has almost always been present in the locker room of the Real team, since Meho Kodrowhich came in 1991, until Come on Traoré and Sadiq umar, who is practicing it now. Professing one faith or another does not usually change the daily life of football professionals, except during specific periods, such as the current one, Ramadan, which began this past Monday and will run until April 9.

A month of fasting

The theory states that, while Ramadan is in effect, Muslims are prohibited from consuming food and liquids, as well as smoking or having sex from sunrise to sunset, that is, from 7:20 am to 7:15 pm at this point. of the year in Donostia. That’s the broad outline, but it’s not just a month of fasting, but of the highest spirituality, meditation and prayer where the sacrifice of stopping eating, drinking and building some daily pleasures is the way to change the faith and get closer to the wing. .

In the case of footballers, there are times when Ramadan can harm and at least interfere with the sports practice of professionals. And the nutritionists, and it’s in La Real Virginia Santestaban, prepare their players for long hours of fasting without betraying tradition. These players need to be monitored and evaluated to find out how not eating food and, in principle, not drinking affects them.

Match at 9 pm, problem

For example, looking forward to next Friday, the fact that the meeting is at 9 pm may represent a problem for Traorewho announced on his Instagram account the beginning of this period of sacred nature, and Sadiq. Before dawn, they can eat a hearty breakfast, which they call ‘suhoor’, but until they reach the stadium, around 7:15 pm, they are theoretically deprived of food and drink.

Tight or loose

Footballers, coaches and nutritionists are always looking for ways to adapt tradition to a player’s needs and at Real there are cases of footballers like Arif Erdemthe Turk who lasted almost half a year, who took his training to the last consequences, or like that of his countryman Nihat Kahveci, which was more loose and flexible in its compliance and made his needs as a soccer professional take precedence. There are restrictions when it comes to food intake, but not so strict when it comes to hydration, especially during training.