The legs are heavy, the acid is coming, the clock is ticking slower and slower towards 90 minutes. Kieran Trippier suffered cramp after 80 minutes against Serbia. He receives treatment, before he is served more things by the support apparatus. Among other things, a small bottle of drink. The Englishman then completes the match. The drink that took the fight against Trippier’s cramp is “pickle juice”, or pickle juice in Norwegian. In recent days, it has received a lot of attention in English newspapers. TREATMENT: Kieran Trippier received treatment after injury, and some pickle juice soon afterwards on Sunday. Photo: AFP Walker answers the mystery news asked the English defender Kyle Walker about the somewhat unusual drink. He laughs before answering: – I think it has existed for a while, but it has been highlighted with the picture of Trippier here, he says at a press conference on Wednesday. – I don’t drink it myself, I stay well hydrated. I have been lucky that I have not had cramps. But football has developed, and this is something sports research has found can be beneficial late in matches, he explains. HIV DOWN: In the USA, they have an annual pickle festival, where, among other things, there is a competition to eat and drink up pickles the fastest. Photo: AP According to Molde FK’s nutritionist, Walker is absolutely right. The pickle juice has something to do with it. – It is the sodium content that is high in “pickle juice” and decisive for avoiding cramps. It’s the same thing we use in electrolyte mixtures, which are taken before matches and during the break here in Molde, says Heidi Holmlund, who has also previously been associated with the Olympiatoppen. She receives support from former national team doctor Thor Einar Gjerstad Andersen, who researches sports injuries at the Norwegian Sports Academy (NIH). PROFESSOR OF SPORTS MEDICINE: Thor Einar Gjerstad Andersen at NIH. Photo: Norges Idrettshøgskole – This is not just a gimmick. The English national team has experts in nutrition in the support apparatus. They know what is optimal for the players, says Andresen and continued: – Using “pickle juice” can be sensible before matches, but then together with filling up the fluid and carbohydrate stores. It is especially important when it is hot and the players sweat a lot. During the match, the supply of liquid and carbohydrate is the most important, believes Andersen. Had a fan year for the Olympics – Why do you need it? – Some players are big losers of sweat and salt (sodium) and get extra advice on salty food and drinks such as cured ham, fennel loin and Farris in the days before training and matches in the heat. Fenalår also took part in the Olympics in Tokyo, Holmlund reveals. Andersen adds that pickle juice is also rich in potassium. – Does it sound really disgusting to drink pickle juice? – Totally agree! But I can imagine that they have some additive to make it taste better. Pickles are very good, but not the juice they contain. But if you want to achieve a lot, you may have to sacrifice a little, jokes the NIH researcher. Compared to cured ham and Farris, pickle juice can seem a little tempting. So why do the English choose this particular option? #NUTRITIONAL PHYSIOLOGY: Heidi Holmlund. Photo: Morten Heckmann – There are slightly different cultures, and we have different ways of solving it. Pickle juice is quite classic British and that’s the way they solve it, Holmlund believes. Andersen agrees: – My advice is to fill up your fluid, carbohydrate and sodium stores before a match, but the most important thing is to be properly trained for what is required to play matches at this level. The researcher points out that the most important thing you can do to avoid muscle cramps is to be properly trained. – The fact that players are “tired” in the leg muscles is the main cause of muscle cramps towards the end of matches, explains Andersen. Nutritionist Holmlund recommends that you use methods with food and drink that are easy to take in: – It sounds like you have to like pickle juice from before for it to work. Don’t start with something that is unfamiliar in a competitive context before you have tested it out, she says. JUICE: Former Arsenal player Lucas Torreira has also used pickle juice. Here from a match in 2019. Photo: Reuters Hareide: – Is there so much advice Pickle juice is not unique in football. Several tennis players, such as Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz, have previously brought drinks with them to tennis matches, but not all of them bought into the trend. One who has already announced that he is skeptical is England’s midfield jewel Kobbie Mainoo. The 19-year-old was asked about the drink at a press conference earlier this week, and answered bluntly: – I haven’t tried pickle juice. I didn’t know it helped with cramps. I’m not going to take it! STAY AWAY: Star shot Kobbie Mainoo said at a press conference earlier this week that he does not want to drink “pickle juice” Photo: AFP news’s football expert Åge Hareide is not convinced either. – It sounds very strange. I’ve never even heard of it, he says, and continued: – There are so many old wives’ tales and advice for all sorts of strange things. I don’t think it helps that much, says Hareide. Published 21.06.2024, at 07.12
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Here, England’s mysterious EC weapon, pickle juice, is revealed – Football EC 2024
