Patrick Bamford reveals the hidden cost of being a professional footballer and nobody knew about it

Patrick Bamford has lifted the lid on one of the lesser-known financial realities of being a professional footballer — and it’s something that might catch many fans off guard. Despite earning substantial salaries, players still face everyday costs that people might not associate with the glamorous world of elite sport.

The 31-year-old Leeds United striker, who had a limited role in the team’s successful push for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season, recently spoke about one of the behind-the-scenes aspects of a footballer’s life that rarely gets discussed: paying for meals at the club.

Bamford, who started his career at Nottingham Forest before securing a move to Chelsea in 2012, has been around long enough to experience the inner workings of multiple clubs. After a series of loan spells, he eventually settled at Middlesbrough and then Leeds, where he has now made over 200 appearances for the Yorkshire club.

Although professional footballers are expected to maintain peak physical condition, which includes following strict dietary regimens, Bamford revealed that the cost of meals at the training ground isn’t always covered by the club — at least not at Leeds United.

Speaking on the BBC Sounds podcast My Mate’s a Footballer, hosted by comedian Joe Wilkinson, Bamford was asked about his daily eating habits during training. Wilkinson assumed that meals were part of the perks of the job, but Bamford was quick to set the record straight.

“No, we pay for them,” he said. “It gets deducted from your salary.”

Bamford estimated that the daily cost of meals at Leeds’ Thorp Arch training ground came to around £3.50 — though he admitted he wasn’t exactly sure of the figure. “This might be miles off,” he added with a laugh, highlighting that even footballers aren’t always fully aware of their payroll deductions.

While £3.50 may not seem like a significant amount, it’s a surprising revelation considering the assumption that Premier League-level clubs would cover all nutrition-related costs for their players. It sheds light on the day-to-day expenses that still apply, even in the highly paid world of professional football.

Many elite players go far beyond club-provided meals to ensure they’re getting top-tier nutrition. For example, Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne once hired private chef Jonny Marsh to cook for his family during the Christmas period. “I cooked for like 18 people a day for two weeks — it was wild numbers,” Marsh told talkSPORT, highlighting the lengths top players go to in managing their diets during the demanding season.

But not every player has been impressed with the quality of food at English clubs. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes made headlines last year when he cheekily criticised British cuisine while on international duty with Portugal, saying, “I’m in my country, I speak my language, and I have better food.”

His former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo also voiced his displeasure during his explosive 2022 interview with Piers Morgan. Discussing his return to Manchester United, Ronaldo said: “Nothing changed [since leaving in 2009], surprisingly. Not only the pool, the jacuzzi, even the gym. Even the kitchen, the chefs — whom I appreciate — lovely people. They stopped in time. It surprised me a lot.”

Bamford’s admission might seem trivial on the surface, but it offers a fascinating peek behind the curtain at the life of a professional footballer — where even the most basic things, like lunch at work, aren’t always as straightforward as fans might believe.