Barcelona ace Lionel Messi blames poor dietary habits for his health problems earlier in his career.

Giuliano Poser, an Italian doctor, claimed in 2015 to have treated and cured Messi of the problem but the player himself believes cutting out unhealthy drinks and snacks was the real key.

"I really noticed the change when it came to vomiting"

"I don't know what I ate but I ate badly for many years," he admitted to America TV's La Cornisa.

"At 22, 23... [it was] chocolate, alfajores [South American filled biscuits], fizzy drinks. Now I eat well: fish, meat, vegetables, salads. Everything is organised and taken care of. Sometimes a bit of wine, but that's not a problem.

"I really noticed the change when it came to vomiting. They said it could be a lot of things, eventually I changed and it didn't happen any more."