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The intra-history of a daily footballer’s life

The Intercity player, Alessandro Burlamaqui, explains what he had to sacrifice to become a professional

Alessandro Burlamaqui in a promotion of his new boots
Alessandro Burlamaqui in a promotion of his new boots. INSTAGRAM
Avatar Jan Van Oostenryck

There are those today who live by their dreams and are happy doing what they are passionate about, and a good example of this are footballers. Many people are attracted by the amount of money a footballer can earn, the luxury cars they can have, the enviable brand sponsorships, as well as all those stellar appearances at important events. However, this is only what the media have wanted to show us, but behind it, there is another reality, a reality that is more demanding than what can be seen at first glance.
The truth is that there is a great lack of knowledge about the day-to-day life of a footballer and all the people around him. However, Alessandro Burlamaqui, a professional football player, has some of the keys to unraveling the intra-history of a footballer’s life.

Alessandro’s routine

Alessandro gets up every day at 07:15 in the morning. He eats a specific diet for breakfast, prescribed by his physical trainer, and works out in the gym to be ready for training. Afterwards, he showers and goes to train at the club’s sports centre, where he has to be before 09:45 in the morning.
Once at the sports centre, both Alessandro and his teammates do individual preventive work with their physios to prevent injuries. And it is not until 11:00 when the whole team gets together and starts training on the pitch. This training session ends at 12:30-13:00. Once training is over, the players shower and drink a protein shake to maximise muscle and lose fat.
From then on, the players have the day off, but always with dietary restrictions and a ban on certain sports that may carry a risk of injury. In Alessandro’s case, he goes home to eat with his family and then spends about two hours resting. And after a period of rest, he goes back to doing specific work at home to be as physically fit as possible and to try to impress the coach and medical staff in training the next day.
At around 21:00, always trying to arrive as early as possible, Alessandro has dinner at home, once again following a balanced and complete diet. Then, as he did at midday, he rests for a while watching television and playing video games. Finally, he goes to bed at 23:00 at the latest.

Alessandro's Routine
Alessandro’s Routine

Like him, Alessandro’s parents have also had to sacrifice a lot for their son to get to where he is today. In Alessandro’s own words, “my parents have been a fundamental pillar throughout their career, doing everything possible for me to achieve my dream of becoming a professional footballer, and this is something for which I will be eternally grateful”.

One of the biggest sacrifices that a professional footballer has to make, apart from losing a large part of his childhood and with it, the relationship with many friends, etc., is the fact that no matter how much he feels like it, he cannot go shopping or walk down the street. This is due to the fact that, as they are famous people who people admire, they are constantly asked for autographs and photos with them, and this makes it impossible for them to go out and take a walk to disconnect. On top of that, there is also the media, who follow the footballers everywhere they go.

The importance of the psychology

Also, another important aspect to deal with football players is the psychological aspect, which is fundamental. All football teams have a team of psychologists to help the players. They are under a lot of pressure in every training session, in every match, where a lot of people are watching them. However, the most important role on a psychological level is played by the coach, who, as well as knowing about tactics, must be a great group manager. He is the person in charge of deciding who plays and who doesn’t, and it is his job to keep all the players engaged.

Alessandro Burlamaqui in training with his teammates

The luck factor

In conclusion, it is undeniable that the life of a footballer is a dream for the vast majority of people. However, when you think that you want to be a footballer, it is also very important to keep in mind all that is involved in the profession, from the moment you get up to the moment you go to bed, all the sacrifices it entails, and to be aware that not everyone becomes a professional footballer. Luck plays a fundamental role.

Jan Van Oostenryck

Soy un estudiante en tercer grado de periodismo en la Universidad Abat Oliba CEU de Barcelona. Me apasiona el oficio de los periodistas en general, pero todavía más el de los periodistas deportivos. La de Aula News es mi primera oportunidad como periodista, y espero que las noticias que publique para este medio sean las primeras de un largo camino lleno de éxitos.