Diet is something more than meeting the nutritional requirements, as it is also a sensory experience. Nutritionists must take into account the taste of the foods especially in a World Cup involving several weeks of living in different facilities away from home.
It is common that teams ship food and drinks to their quarters during the tournament in order to make food more appealing to the common dietary pattern of footballers.
For instance, England has shipped a load of food and ingredients to Russia including Jaffa Cakes, teabags, mustard, chocolate, tomato sauce, herbal teas, oatcakes and hundreds of baked bean tins.
This is not only important to make the diet more player-friendly, it may also help to avoid gastrointestinal problems.