New Delhi, July 16 -- Ever since Erling Haaland gave a breakdown of the 'ancestral' diet that fuels one of football's most lethal strikers, social media has been flooded with people wondering whether the secret to elite performance lies on his plate. At 41, Cristiano Ronaldo's eating habits are an inspiration to footballers and beyond. No cheat days and a daily diet of grilled chicken, fish, eggs, fresh vegetables, healthy fats such as avocado and disciplined meal timings. The diet of Sunil Chhetri - India's most decorated footballer - has evolved over two decades. Having switched to a vegetarian diet nearly eight years ago on medical advice to aid recovery, the 41-year-old believes there is no one-size-fits-all formula. "There are many ways for a footballer to meet his or her nutritional needs," Chhetri told HT. Making it individual specific instead of imitation is a philosophy increasingly shaping Indian football. For Chhetri, nutrition wasn't discovered through social media trends. His education began during spells in England and the United States, where he realised sports science was years ahead of India. "I realised that what we were eating here wasn't as conducive to football performance as what they were providing there," he said. "I kept making changes. eliminated things I shouldn't consume, started eating at fixed times every day and became much more disciplined." "I was probably one of the first to bring that information into the dressing room. I tried it on myself, shared it with everyone, and slowly things started falling into place." Goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, defender Sandesh Jhingan and midfielder Suresh Wangjam are now among those who treat recovery and nutrition as integral to performance. "For someone like Haaland, who's 6'5", eating 6,000 calories makes sense. But if you're someone like Suresh, who's 5'6", then that many calories won't make sense." Chhetri recalls trying to change perceptions in the dressing room long before nutrition became a buzzword. "We Punjabis don't get six-packs," young Sandesh Jhingan once told him. "I just looked at him and said, 'Kid, you have no idea what you're talking about. If you eat properly, you'll get the body composition you want.'" Years later, sitting by a swimming pool, Chhetri looked at a ripped Jhingan and joked about the early conversations. "Today, he has one of the best athletic physiques in the country. He's lean, agile and exactly how a footballer should look." Despite becoming a vegetarian, Chhetri doesn't subscribe to the idea that athletes need exotic superfoods. His own staples remain Indian. "I swear by ragi and ghee. Those are two things I genuinely love." Sports scientist Nikhil Latey agrees that traditional Indian staples deserve more recognition, provided athletes understand what they can and cannot do. "Ragi, jowar and bajra digest more slowly, giving steadier blood sugar levels. Ghee is an excellent fat source. Does it replace your protein requirement? No. "If your protein intake drops, your muscles don't recover on time. Then you either train below your potential or at 100% and open the door for injury." While vegetarian diets can absolutely work, they require planning. Milk, dairy, soy, legumes and protein supplements become critical protein sources, especially for athletes avoiding meat. At the elite level, Indian football has largely caught up on nutritional awareness. The national teams travel with carefully planned buffet menus featuring grilled chicken, fish, rice, dal, mashed potatoes, pasta and vegetarian alternatives, with players free to carry approved supplements, if required. "The buffet is designed to cater to everyone," said an AIFF member. "The rest also incorporate inputs from their trainers, coaches, and medical staff from their clubs." But the divide still exists for those coming from less affordable backgrounds....