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How exotic fruits helped power Antoine Semenyo to Man City move
Martin Macdonald
- Updated: 20 Jan 2026 07:25 CST
- 6 min read
News
In January 2026, Antoine Semenyo completed the biggest move of his career so far, transferring from Bournemouth to Manchester City for a fee of €73.7 million.
At 26 years old, the time was right for the Ghana international to play for one of the big guns, having been one of the most impressive wingers in the Premier League for the last couple of seasons.
He was enjoying another excellent campaign with the Cherries in 2025/26 before Pep Guardiola snatched him up to add to his star-studded Man City outfit.
It's a credit to the player's talent and how he looks after himself that Guardiola was so keen on triggering his release clause. After all, Pep infamously took to weighing his players around Christmas dinner late last year.
Semenyo's conditioning is arguably one of his most impressive attributes - during his ascent to becoming a superstar winger, he has barely missed a game. There were niggling complications after knee surgery in 2021, but he appears to have put that behind him.
Indeed, prior to his big-money move to Man City, he featured in all 20 of Bournemouth's league games in 2025/26.
Key to his conditioning is his diet and, apparently, a love for exotic fruits that provide "natural" electrolytes.
Last season, Semenyo was the subject of Dreamfruit's 'How to Eat Like a Pro Footballer' series on YouTube.
"It's a power-up day today, a match day," says host 'The Prof, as he cuts a Costa Rican Jelly Nut coconut.
"A slightly different approach than usual. Powered by nature, best way to be powered. It's important that you're eating the right nutrients and that you're getting the right fuel for your body. These days, there are a lot of supplements, but supplements are based on what nature provides.
"You see a lot of electrolyte drinks - this is the best form of electrolyte right here [the coconut]
"So, we're making sure Antz [Semenyo] has got all the nutrients he needs to fuel his performance."
Semenyo explains that he isn't like most players, some of whom rely on breakfast, lunch and dinner for energy.
"There's some days where I can go without eating breakfast," he says.
"Then, there's some days I do have breakfast, I'm really picky. I just don't like being too full, when it comes to games. If I feel too full, it puts me off my game. I try to eat very small during the day on the lead-up to a game.
"I think it's important [eating breakfast] but some days I don't.
"There's been times during a game I've felt so heavy I'm like 'I need to go to the toilet' and I don't want to be feeling like that!
"If I feel heavy in a game, I feel like a truck moving and when I feel light I feel perfect."
The Prof returns and explains to Semenyo what's on the menu next - an array of more exotic fruits.
"So, running you through what we've got going now, chef's just chopping you up a platter," he explains.
"You've got stuff in there that's going to replace your glycogen stores. You've got stuff that's good for hydration. You've got stuff that's good for moving the oxygen to your muscles to make sure that you're feeling good on the pitch.
"And, you've got a couple of juices here. This is the red watermelon, beetroot, red dragon fruit and key lime - that's pre-game.
"The orange one is for anti-inflammatory so that's good for post-game. It's going to revitalise you and bring your sugars back up."
As for hydration and energy, Semenyo drinks one 500ml bottle of water during his warm-up and around half of a electrolyte drink at half-time, as well as energy gels.
He is preparing for a match against Chelsea and jokes to the chefs that throwing on dragon fruits and sugar canes may actually be more effective, if a bit less functional, than the energy gels.
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