Raheem Sterling says he has changed his diet after weight gain caused him to suffer with hamstring problems in his first season at Chelsea.
The 28-year-old was said to have been ‘not happy’ with his fitness before England’s Euro 2024 qualifying matches against Malta and North Macedonia in June.
Gareth Southgate opted to leave the Chelsea winger at home after he suffered muscle injuries in both January and March.
Speaking in Philadelphia ahead of a pre-season match against Brighton, Sterling explained how he is now eating less.
He said: “In the season I changed a bit of my diet and went to do something a little bit different that I had not done before.
“And I had a little bit more kilograms on me that I have not had before. I think probably carrying a little bit of extra weight I had a few hamstring problems and that was it.
“Towards the end of the season the hamstring was playing up again. Me and the manager made a decision together that the best thing for me to do was to get the hamstring right.”
When asked about what he is now doing different, he simply added: “Just eating a little bit less.”
It is understood that Sterling didn’t gain a significant amount of weight but Pochettino then joked about needing to do so.
The former Liverpool and Manchester City forward adjusted his diet during the season to try and correct muscle niggles and increase energy levels. While he adpoted a new approach, Sterling was building more muscle and felt heavier and later engaged a nutritionist to help.
Sterling continued to explain how Pochettino’s training sessions have been punishing but praised his new manager, adding: “It is probably the most I have run in a long time, but it is good.
“When I first heard that he was going to be the manager I think it was an exciting one because of the many years I have played against his teams and I know how difficult it is to play against his teams.
“They are always resilient. They are always tough to play against. I knew he would be a coach who would bring what we needed.
“To have someone like him to lead us in certain difficult situations last season would have been good. So [when I heard he was going to be appointed] I was really optimistic of what he would bring.”
