The England and Arsenal wide man enjoys a variety of dishes at breakfast to ensure he has all the vitamins, minerals, and energy that he needs
Bukayo Saka showed what he enjoys eating for breakfast
Bukayo Saka showed what he enjoys eating for breakfast(Image: Getty)
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England take on Argentina in a semi-final on Wednesday night as they bid to end a 60-year wait for another World Cup title. Plenty has been made of the hot and humid conditions Thomas Tuchel's men have faced in the US since the start of the tournament, with thermometers hitting 33C (91F) during their quarter-final win over Norway in Miami on Saturday night.
But what are the England players eating to make sure they are fuelled properly? Sports nutritionist Emily Foster says players can 'cover between nine and 13 kilometres in a 90-minute match and burn between 1,300 and 1,600 calories'. That means that, on a match day, they might need in the region of 4000 calories to ensure they have enough energy.
In a video for TrainEffective, Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka gave a glimpse into what he eats for breakfast to make sure he is fully fuelled for a gruelling day in an England shirt.
Porridge
The first thing the 24-year-old has on his plate is porridge with strawberries. A firm favourite with athletes across the globe, porridge is made from boiling ground or crushed grains - usually oats - in milk or water.
Served with strawberries and made with milk, a 50g bowl would have around 300 calories. This is not a huge number in itself, but there are lots of plus-points to having porridge for breakfast.
It is high in carbohydrates, which are a great source of energy for an athlete. Lily Chapman, performance coach and sport and exercise nutritionist at P3RFORM, said: "Carbohydrate is the main nutrient needed to fuel moderate to intense exercise bouts.
"Diets that are low in carbohydrate have been shown to reduce mental focus, productivity and exercise performance and increase the chance of mood swings. As porridge is a high source of carbohydrate, the inclusion of it within your diet could be helpful at periods when energy is needed – for example, before a run, gym session or everyday work tasks.
"As porridge contains a high amount of fibre, as well as a moderate amount of protein, its speed of digestion is quite slow. With this, you may feel fuller for longer following the consumption of porridge, which is great if you’re seeking to reduce food cravings throughout the day or lose some body fat, or if you have a full day of work ahead."
It is also popular with athletes including Jess Enniss-Hill and Eliud Kipchoge and is packed with nutrients like iron, B Vitamins, magnesium, and fibre. The strawberries will add more nutrients and energy, as well as flavour.
Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka in England camp
Ezri Konsa and Bukayo Saka in England camp(Image: SWNS)
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Omlette
One thing porridge does not have huge amounts of is protein, which is also a crucial part of an athlete's diet. That is why Saka also has a ham, spinach, and tomato omlette. Depending on how many eggs are in it, this could have around 350-400 calories.
Omlettes are packed with protein, which is another great source of energy and also vital for recovery. They are also packed with B12, iron, and choline, which is vital in the production of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which supports muscle contraction and plays a role in cognitive function, specifically memory and thinking.
It had been thought for years that eggs were high in cholesterol, but this has largely been debunked with modern research. The extra ham and vegetables add more carbs, protein, and nutrients. An average serving size of two large eggs will provide around 180 calories and 12.6g of protein.
Bukayo Saka in training
Bukayo Saka in training(Image: 2026 The FA)
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Avocado toast
The food does not end there, as the England man also has two slices of brown toast with avocado on top. This should come in at around 350 calories, bringing his total calorie count from food to about 1,000.
Avocado is a firm favorite with athletes due to the high levels of protein, fibre, folate, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins K and C contained inside. They are also low in sodium and sugar.
Many people worry that avocados have too much fat. But most of the 29.5g of fat (19.7 grams) is monounsaturated fat. Another 3.65 grams are polyunsaturated fat, both of which are considered healthy. Only 4.27 grams fall into the saturated fat category. Additionally, there are no trans fatty acids or cholesterol in avocado.
Also with his breakfast, Saka is seen with a bottle of water and another of fruit juice. Soccer Supplement suggests that footballers drink around 40ml of fluid per KG of body mass. And with the 5ft 10ins Saka reportedly weighing in at around 65KG, that would mean about 2.6 litres of fluid needed in a day, or just over 4.5 pints.
However, given the hot and humid conditions in the US right now, it could easily be more than that as players will sweat much more as their bodies try and keep them cool.