Jamie Carragher and other former Premier League stars shed light on the difficulties they faced as footballers on Christmas Day, including training and being away from their families
Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville of Sky Sports wearing Christmas jumpers prior to the Premier League match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool
Jamie Carragher only drank water on Christmas Day
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Image: Sam Bagnall - AMA/Getty Images)
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Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has revealed the gruelling Christmas Day regiment Premier League stars have to stick to each year.
While many of us across the UK will spend December 25 opening presents, drinking mulled wine and tucking into a tantalising turkey, it is business as usual for Premier League footballers. Due to Boxing Day fixtures, top-flight players have historically spent the day training, working on tactics and preparing for just another fixture.
Depending on travel arrangements the following day, most players are allowed to have Christmas lunch at home. But even if they are lucky enough to spend a few hours with their families before or after training, their celebrations are restricted by strict diets and a lack of alcohol.
Carragher, who spent 17 years as a Liverpool defender before retiring in 2013, recalled having to stick to water on Christmas Day, despite his family’s best efforts to get him to drink something slightly stronger - which he admits wouldn't have harmed his performances.
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The Sky Sports pundit previously said: "They’d be like ‘have a drink!’ And we’d be like ‘got a game’. But it didn’t bother me too much. One drink or something isn’t going to do absolutely anything but I’d never drink at Christmas. I don’t understand having one or two – go out and have a good drink or what is the point? I’ve never drank in the house, ever.”
Meanwhile, Arsenal legend Ian Wright told The Sun: “It’s weird. When you drive on Christmas morning there’s no one there – it’s beautiful. Everyone’s really nice, people wave to you in the cars because it’s Christmas morning. Even Spurs fans!
Premier League players historically train on Christmas Day
Premier League players historically train on Christmas Day
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Image:
Arsenal FC via Getty)
“But when you get to training it’s all the same – all the guys have just left their families and it’s just one of those things that you get used to as the years go by.”
Former Newcastle United goalkeeper Shay Given was another player who stuck to drinking water on Christmas day. He explained to the Irish Independent that players whose teams were playing away the following day would have to leave their families to stay in a hotel for pre-match preparations.
"When you look at the fixtures as a player you’re looking at Boxing Day and New Years’ Day, to see ‘are we home or away,’" he said. “There was a period where Newcastle had about seven or eight consecutive away games on Boxing Day. It felt like we’d been totally jinxed!”
Sixteen of the 20 Premier League sides play on Boxing Day this year. The only teams not in action are Brighton, who host Brentford on the 27th, while Arsenal welcome Ipswich Town on the same evening.
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