Lionel Messi admitted in 2014 that it happened to him "all the time" after vomiting while playing an international friendly with Argentina.

"I ate badly for many years: chocolates, fizzy drinks, and everything," Messi told La Cornisa TV. "That is what made me throw up during games. Now I look after myself better. I eat fish, meat, salads. Everything is organized and taken care of."

There had been concerns Messi was suffering from an illness or stress.

"I've learned to live the way I do, to be myself because at the end of the day it's easier to do it that way," Messi added. "I don't think too much about how I have to act because of constantly being watched. I'm aware that whenever I speak there are many people that listen, that there are repercussions. I always try to think about what I say in order not to generate controversies."