The Premier League is a very physically demanding competition. The English top flight is renowned for its high-octane, end-to-end and unpredictable footballing action. It goes without saying that performing well in the Premier League requires players to maintain an optimum level of fitness.
When it comes to footballers at the highest level, there are plenty who treat their bodies like a temple. They follow strict dietary regimes and put hours of training in the gym to get into a shape that will help them perform at their best.
Footballers are some of the fittest athletes on the planet. Most footballers maintain shredded physiques, but even then, there are quite a few players who stand out for their ripped musculature.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of the fittest players in the Premier League at the moment.
#5 James Milner (Liverpool)
James Milner is a Premier League legend in his own right. The 36-year-old has enjoyed a great deal of success with Liverpool in recent years and his longevity has not surprised us at all. That's purely because of how fit he looks.
Milner rocks a shredded physique and it's clear to see that he puts in a lot of hours in the gym. He has very little body fat and his muscles are well defined. That's perhaps why despite being on the wrong side of the 30s, he continues to be one of the most hardworking players in the Premier League.
#4 Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
New Liverpool signing Darwin Nunez stands out with his towering frame on the football field. Not only is he quite tall at 187 cms, but he also has an almost unbelievable physique. Nunez looks like he could take on some of the toughest defenders in the league and maybe even bully them on the pitch.
He posted a few photos on his Instagram in late July where he looked absolutely shredded. Nunez clearly takes his diet and fitness regimen very seriously.
Fans also got a glimpse of his ripped physique when he took off his shirt to celebrate his first official goal for Liverpool as they beat Manchester City 3-1 in the FA Community Shield last weekend.
#3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah is one of the best attackers in the world right now. The Egypt international is a nightmare to deal with for defenders thanks to his excellent close control, agility and burst of pace. Over the last five seasons, he has scored 157 goals and provided 64 assists in 255 matches for Liverpool.
Salah's extraordinary consistency is aided by his incredible physique. He is one of the most ripped footballers on the planet and has very little fat in his body. The 30-year-old recently posted some of his summer holiday photos where he is showing off his shredded physique.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is an absolute human specimen. He is still performing at the highest level despite being 37-years-old. The legendary Portuguese forward is widely considered to be one of the greatest footballers of all time.
Much of his achievements and accomplishments have been attributed to the sheer hard work and commitment he has shown in his career. He maintains his body like a machine and has always followed a strict diet and regimen in the gym.
Ronaldo has been shredded for years now, and even at the age of 37, his body is in optimal condition. He is inarguably one of the fittest athletes in the world.
#1 Adama Traore (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Adama Traore walks among his Premier League contemporaries like a monster among men. The Spaniard is arguably the strongest attacker in the league and it's extremely rare to see him get bullied off the ball. On the other hand, you can watch defenders bouncing off him on a regular basis.
His musculature is as impressive as it gets and he could easily pass for a bodybuilder. But the most surprising thing about it is that Traore doesn't lift weights. In an interview in 2020 with AS (via The Sun), he revealed that the secret behind his incredible physique is genetics.
Traore said:
"My gym work is guided by the personal trainer who takes me.
"But I don't do weights. My genetics are like that and it makes my muscles grow very fast.
"I do other exercises. Each person has to adapt what suits him best.
"I do a lot of core. The secret is to know your body and adapt the training to your physical condition."