Spain: why Iberian ham is essential and rice pudding is lucky in the World Cup
By OnzeActu · · 2 min read
To best prepare for the 2026 World Cup, the Spanish selection has favored a nutritional approach combining local quality and family flavors, with a particular emphasis on Iberian ham and a tradition around rice pudding before the matches.
Food plays an essential role for the Spanish national team during the 2026 World Cup hosted in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Faced with a busy schedule and a massive trip from Madrid to Chattanooga, Tennessee, where their base camp is located, the Spanish selection has chosen not to import its usual Spanish food products, unlike other nations such as Norway. However, those in charge of the Spanish federation (RFEF), as well as the team's chefs and nutritionists, insisted to The Athletic on the desire to keep certain essential products, notably Iberian ham, so appreciated by the players.
“We looked locally for suppliers capable of guaranteeing them the presence of ham, an essential element of their diet,” confided a source close to the group. Players, many of whom play abroad, have a strong nostalgia for Spanish products. Marc Cucurella, who recently joined Real Madrid, declared on this subject how much he wanted to rediscover this taste of home, even going so far as to ask his teammates to send him ham during the tournament.
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At base camp, players benefit from a varied buffet including salads, vegetables, protein sources and carbohydrates such as pasta, rice, pulses and potatoes, with meat and fish alternating each day. Desserts are also integrated into the diet, with a particular tradition: rice pudding, or arroz con leche, systematically served the day before the meetings. This sweet dish has established itself as a real good luck charm for the group.
The teams of nutritionists insist on the importance of “familiar” flavors to maintain the morale of the players during this long stay away from home. The diet aims to offer tasty and reassuring dishes to guarantee optimal well-being. More than a constraint, it is a real food education that is put in place, where the responsibility of the players is valued. We are not only talking about prohibitions but about creating healthy habits allowing a certain dietary flexibility.
With this approach, Spain aims to combine physical preparation, nutritional balance and emotional well-being to perform throughout the long journey that this 2026 World Cup represents.