According to Adebayo Akinfenwa, “Fat Eddie Murphy, your boobs are offside.” If you’re a FIFA sports sim fan, you probably know this guy. Akinfenwa has been considered the strongest player in the game for many years, and his card is among the most popular in the Ultimate Team online mode.

“I remember FIFA doing a poll among players which card they want to have more on the roster – me or Messi – I won. What else is needed for happiness?” Akinfenfa laughed.

Adebayo is the star of Twitter and Internet streams. She has her own clothing brand and nearly 1.5 million Instagram followers. Jurgen Klopp wrote him a special greeting, and Pep Guardiola once called him a legend of English football. But Akinfenwa is not a freak who has gained popularity due to his unusual appearance for a football player. He is a really great player who has scored more than 200 goals in different leagues of the Premier League. And even though he has never played in the Premier League, no one can take away his status as one of the most popular players in the country.

On May 21, 40-year-old Akinfenwa announced his retirement. Everything did not work out – in the decisive match to enter the Championship, they lost Wycombe Wanderers to Sunderland.

“I’m proud of this team, I’m proud of the kids,” Adebayo said after the game. — I am grateful to each and every one of them for being a part of this journey. If we had won, my departure would have been better. But I guess I was lucky – I hit the last ball at Wembley.

For most of his career, the forward has been teased for being overweight, clumsy, and clumsy. Akinfenwa left to play in the Lithuanian and Welsh championships, touring the lower English leagues, but not giving up on his dream of playing at the top level. He played at the Championship level for the first time at just 38 years old, and it was a real feat for a man whose play at the professional level was considered a sort of fantasy category.

Adebayo was born into a Nigerian Yoruba family and had a high starch diet since childhood. Genetics and nutrition have already become the reason why Akinfenwa at an early age is 1.5-2 times more than peers. He loved football and was considered a talented player, but due to his slow pace, few of the coaches believed he could turn pro. Then Adebayo decided to work on building even more muscle to effectively use his main trump card, physical strength.

Akinfenwa explained her diet and training program in an interview with the Daily Mail:

• Breakfast: Weetabix biscuits and honey snacks, at the base – chicken that the Wycombe chef cooked especially for him.
• Lunch: protein shake after workout.
• Dinner: again chicken, potatoes or rice and coleslaw.

“I like chicken curry. I’m probably the only football player who eats like that at 11am. I eat five wings, corn on the cob, chips, jolof rice for dinner. At the same time, my fitness trainer thinks I’m eating less and is constantly trying to get me to eat more,” he admits. says Adebayo.

Of course, with such a diet, without constant physical exertion, Akinfenwa would quickly swim in oil. Therefore, visiting the gym after training is a mandatory item in his schedule.

“I can’t forget that I’m a football player. Therefore, I just can’t pump iron, I still have to run somehow. So I spend 40-60 minutes in a rocking chair doing only cardio, 5 days a week trying to burn 850 calories before training. I avoid the treadmill, put too much strain on my knees.” rides – I prefer exercise bikes and other exercises. Only then I move on to what I really like – the scale. Depending on the program, I swing my arms, shoulders, back, chest. I can squeeze 190 pounds from my chest. Nobody is forcing me to go to the gym – I sincerely love it.

Adebayo’s weight is 102-108 kilograms, and his height is 180 centimeters. Naturally, with such data for sprint races and a large amount of running work, no one expects from him. In the lower English divisions, the game is still mostly built through hangars and long passes towards the attacker.

Adebayo used his physique to pass defenders, learning how to properly position the body and open the box properly. It was these skills that allowed him to become a prolific striker and play for up to 40 years.

“I remember some commentators saying, ‘You know, he has a good technique for such a big guy.’ I use my body. I have pumped these techniques throughout my career,” says Akinfenwa.

But for a football player, excess weight still affects. In recent years, Adebayo has been suffering from knee pain.

“After every game I heal my knees and think if it’s time to retire the next day,” Adebayo said in 2020. – But I want to play until I’m 40. I was on a stationary bike the other day and thought, “This is killing me”. But you know, everyone has their own purpose in life.”

Akinfenwa’s history is truly unique – we are unlikely to see a player with such a complexion who will succeed in professional football in the near future. Because Adebayo sees a strong mindset as the most important component of his career.

“Some people have said, ‘It’s built like a rugby player, it’s built like a wrestler, I don’t understand all the hype around it’. It’s normal, we all have the right to our own opinion. But let people know that the strongest thing we have is our minds and we can achieve anything if we believe in ourselves. “The mind is a powerful thing. I was told I was too big to play football, but now I’ve been playing for 22 years. I don’t need to listen to others to tell myself, “You know B, you did everything right. I wasn’t a typical football player and I accept that.”

Akinfenwa ended his career, but failed to earn a fantastic amount in football. But Adebayo does not hide that life for him has just begun at the age of 40.

“There is a view that after a few years in professional football you will be financially stable,” he explains. – Actually not. Subdivision players live from contract to contract.

What will I do in retirement? I have a few projects with Netflix and Amazon and I also enjoy coaching. Or maybe I’ll go to the movies. Vinnie Jones, if you’re reading this, let’s make a movie! Just without clichés – I don’t want to play security guard, bouncer or hitman. Maybe the plot where I stole the girl from Winnie will work. It could be a blockbuster.”