August 5, 2026, 12:01 pm | Read time: 8 minutes
From 2010 to 2017, Holger Stromberg (54) was the nutrition coach for the German national soccer team. As part of the large team behind the soccer stars, he contributed to Bastian Schweinsteiger (42), Miroslav Klose (48), Philipp Lahm (42), and others winning the World Cup twelve years ago. The chef, author, and entrepreneur spoke with FITBOOK about how he managed to convince the national players of good nutrition back then. Creativity was required for this.
FITBOOK: Mr. Stromberg, you were the nutrition coach for the German national soccer team from 2010 to 2017. How did that come about?
Holger Stromberg: “For me, the national team was never primarily about soccer or fame. Over many years, I built up knowledge about nutrition and performance–also from my own experience with the consequences of overexertion and self-neglect. Then, through Oliver Bierhoff, I made contact with the national team. For me, it was the perfect opportunity to test my knowledge in a real-world lab: with young, healthy athletes. Soccer was, especially back then, the biggest sports stage in Germany. We had–and still have–probably 80 million soccer enthusiasts. I knew that everything we did there could have a huge impact. That’s exactly why I wanted to use this platform to tell a different story about nutrition.”
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What specifically did you want to change for the German players?
“It was never just about providing food. If they were looking for someone to heat up pasta and manage existing routines, I would have been the wrong person. I told Oliver Bierhoff that back then. I was the right person to rethink nutrition, to change things, and to question habits.”
Many people believe professional athletes are given precise nutrition plans. Was that not the case back then?
“That surprises many. Of course, nutrition played a role, but not everyone recognized its importance back then. I remember a doctor from the team’s environment who once said that the topic of nutrition was overrated. At the same time, American athletic trainers stood by and could hardly believe what they heard. In the U.S., performance sports and nutrition were already much more closely intertwined than in Germany. For me, nutrition was one of the biggest performance levers. After all, nutrition is our most important energy source after oxygen. Of course, nutrition doesn’t score goals. But it influences everything that is physically and mentally possible. That’s why it’s so crucial. There was no existing nutritional approach that I simply adopted. I developed nutrition as a performance component step by step and integrated it into the team’s daily routine.”
“No One Wins a World Cup Just by Eating Well”
In what way can nutrition make a difference on the field in professional sports?
“No one wins a World Cup just by eating well. Soccer remains a game decided by technique, tactics, mentality, and individual quality. But when all these factors are nearly equal at the highest level, nuances often decide. That’s where nutrition plays its biggest role. It doesn’t ensure that a player suddenly makes the perfect pass. But it influences how well-rested he is, how focused he remains, how quickly he makes decisions, and how his body performs over 90 minutes or an entire tournament.”
What role does nutrition play in athletic success?
“I’ve often said: about 30 percent. That’s not a scientifically exact number, but a good guideline. Of course, technique, tactics, and mental factors decide victory or defeat. But without an optimal physical foundation, no one can reach their full potential. Those who optimize nutrition can significantly improve energy, recovery, and performance.”
“The Interest Wasn’t Very High at First”
How did you approach the topic of nutrition with the team?
“First, I had to create desire. I used my entire culinary repertoire to make the players curious. Their interest wasn’t very high at first. That’s completely normal. You have to remember: Many players were in their early twenties. Fine dining or international cuisine was not part of everyday life for most of them back then. So I had to find a different approach.”
What tricks worked?
“I emphasized enjoyment first and then the nutrients. At the buffet, I offered many small dishes, regional specialties from the respective game locations, and new products alongside the usual foods–all beautifully presented. Because we eat with our eyes! Most players simply didn’t know many ingredients or dishes back then. So it was initially about discovering new flavors and overcoming apprehensions. When you see something repeatedly, you lose skepticism. That’s how you start conversations about food–and that’s where nutrition education begins.”
Per Mertesacker and the Sourdough Bread
Do you have a specific example?
“Sourdough bread. Back then, many hotels mainly offered white bread or baguette. Nutritionally, that wasn’t ideal. So I brought sourdough bread. If you just put it on the buffet, no one takes it. So I made it an experience: decorated on a cart, told stories about it, freshly sliced, and served only to the coaches at the table. My hope was: Then the players would want it too. Per Mertesacker was the first to want a loaf. I initially told him: ‘You don’t like that, you always want your gas station baguette.’ That, of course, intrigued him. Later, he tried it, we talked about it–and the other players followed. Eventually, the bread became established. But it was never just about the bread itself. I wanted the players to feel the impact certain foods have on digestion, well-being, and performance.”
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Did you sometimes have to rein in the players?
“Yes, definitely. There were always nutrition trends that didn’t stop at soccer. During the World Cup in South Africa, for example, there were players who suddenly wanted to eat too much meat because meat is supposedly strong and South Africa is known for good meat. I had to rein them in and explain that performance sports don’t rely on individual foods but on balance.”
Because nutrition can enhance performance but also hinder it?
“Of course. If nutrition unnecessarily burdens the body, it has to constantly deal with digestion, metabolism, and balancing processes. It’s not about eating as little as possible or the often-hyped superfoods. It’s about eating intelligently and in feedback with your own body.”
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“There Were Players Who Liked to Eat Chips”
Can professional soccer players still eat chips sometimes?
“Of course. The dose makes the poison. Our bodies can compensate for a lot. There were players who liked to eat chips. Others suddenly wanted to eat a lot of meat. Others avoided carbohydrates before games because they felt better that way or snacked on gummy bears. The key is always balance. No single food fundamentally determines health or performance.”
Did you still ban certain snacks from the national team?
“Yes, because it’s often about habits. If certain sweets or snacks are constantly present, some automatically reach for them. That’s why I removed many from the immediate environment. At the same time, I created attractive alternatives. People change their behavior permanently when they experience a better alternative rather than just hearing prohibitions.”
What can amateur athletes learn from this?
“Above all, to listen to their own bodies again. I never wanted to simply dictate to the players what they should eat. Instead, I encouraged them to notice changes. Do I feel better? Is my digestion better? Do I sleep better? Do I recover faster? Everyone reacts a little differently. That’s why you should listen to experts, but ultimately take your own body seriously.”
What did you take away from the ten years of working with the national team?
“The realization that nutrition is never just science. Nutrition is psychology, culture, habit, and enjoyment all at once. People don’t change their eating habits because they read a study. They change it when they experience that something tastes good and does them good. With the national team, I was able to prove that change is possible.”
100 Days a Year on the Road with the National Team
Why was it time for you to move on after ten years?
“After so many years, you have to make room for new impulses. I was on the road with the national team about 100 days a year and in action about 350 days a year. At some point, I realized I was reaching my limits. I also wanted to further develop my knowledge. I became increasingly concerned with why healthy eating often fails in everyday life. With the national team, I could control many things. In normal life, that doesn’t work.”
When you look back on that time today, what are you most proud of?
“Not on titles or medals. But on the fact that we started to think differently about nutrition. Away from prohibitions, towards enjoyment and real performance. If something of that remains today, then I’m very pleased. Because that’s exactly why I joined the national team back then.”