CBS News tries Erling Haaland's 6,000-calorie World Cup diet

Erling Haaland’s World Cup fuel looks less like a diet than a full-time feeding program: 6,000 calories a day, including raw milk and bone marrow, enough to push Leigh Kiniry into trying it for a day. The stunt put the Manchester City striker’s routine under a brighter light at a moment when Haaland was back in the tournament spotlight, with Norway advancing and Haaland scoring.

Haaland’s profile helps explain why the menu draws so much attention. He joined Manchester City in July 2022, and the club says his new deal keeps him at Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034. That kind of staying power is tied to elite performance, recovery and an energy budget most readers do not have. A world-class striker can burn through far more fuel than the average adult; for ordinary readers, a 6,000-calorie plan is a glimpse into professional sport, not a sensible daily template.

The raw-milk part of the regimen is where the glamour breaks down. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says pasteurization is crucial for milk safety because it kills harmful germs that can cause illness. The Food and Drug Administration warns that raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms, and it cites CDC data showing 202 raw-milk-linked outbreaks from 1998 through 2018, with 2,645 illnesses and 228 hospitalizations. For most people, that turns a performance talking point into a food-safety risk.

The meat-heavy side of the plan carries its own health baggage. The World Cancer Research Fund says eating too much red meat and any amount of processed meat can increase bowel-cancer risk. Norway’s food-safety system is strict from production to retail, and the Norwegian Food Safety Authority has warned that raw milk is not recommended, especially for children, pregnant women, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. Haaland’s routine may make sense for a player built for repeated sprints, contact and recovery at the top level of football, but it is not a consumer wellness strategy.