Revealed: The secret 'magic potion' England stars are taking at the Euros, which sparked false claims about mid-match DOPING from eagle-eyed fans

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Pickle juice is the secret magic potion England are using to help ward off cramp
The unpleasant-sounding drink helped Kieran Trippier's recovery against Serbia
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Published: 08:53 EDT, 18 June 2024 | Updated: 07:08 EDT, 19 June 2024

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England's players are being given pickle juice to help prevent cramp at the European Championship.

Three Lions full-back Kieran Trippier was falsely accused of doping by fans on social media after he was seen consuming a secret 'magic potion' during his side's 1-0 win over Serbia on Sunday.

Trippier, whom Gareth Southgate is trusting at left-back while Luke Shaw continues to recover from injury, had fans fearing the worst during the closing stages of England's Euro 2024 opener, falling to the floor with an apparent injury.

Fortunately for England and the Newcastle star, he was only suffering from cramp and swiftly got back to his feet to stretch his right leg out on the advertising board, before ingesting two peculiar sachets handed to him by a team doctor.

Trippier stayed on the pitch to see out the game and earn England an important clean sheet, with Southgate's side sitting top of Group C heading into their second match against Denmark on Thursday.

Fans are questioning what England full-back Kieran Trippier drank against Serbia on Sunday

Trippier was drinking pickle juice, which helps athletes ward off cramp. Above, tennis player Daniil Medvedev places a bottle of the drink on his table during the 2022 Australian Open

Jude Bellingham and Trippier go to the doctors to pick up a sachet during the win over Serbia

The manner in which Trippier swiftly recovered prompted investigative fans to question the secret potion and its contents, with some going so far as to falsely accuse the full-back of 'doping live on television'.

WHAT GOOD DOES PICKLE JUICE DO?

Pickle juice has been a secret weapon of athletes for years, but recent exposure in the Premier League and Australian Open has brought it into the limelight.

The briny liquid has many health benefits, according to wellbeing website Healthline.

These include: soothing muscle cramps, hydration, controlling blood sugar, preventing gut problems, and replacing electrolytes lost during exercise.

However drinking too much is a very bad idea - it is extremely salty, after all - with Healthline recommending just 1/3 of a cup to treat cramp; hence the tiny bottle Lucas Torreira drank from.

'Eh, what's going on here? Trippier giving himself an injection mod game,' one fan posted on social media.

Another said: 'When Trippier gets caught doping on live TV. England should be disqualified.'

Despite the bizarre claims, Trippier was actually given one sachet of pickle juice and another containing a high-carb drink known as 'fuel bomb'.

The Three Lions camp has stocked up on pickle juice for the Euro 2024 campaign because the drink has properties to help combat cramp. It has found to stop cramping up to '40 per cent faster than drinking water'.

But there's nothing particularly new about England's secret weapon for Euro 2024.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira was handed a bottle of the drink during the Gunners' 2-0 victory over Chelsea in 2019.

Tennis players such as Carlos Alcaraz have been seen on court drinking the rather unpleasant-sounding beverage, with the most notable occasion coming during the Spaniard's five-set triumph over Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon last summer.

Back in 2019, American athlete Frances Tiafoe revealed that pickle juice had helped him reach the Australian Open quarter-finals.

Pickle juice, which is made up of vinegar, sodium and potassium, triggers a reflex in the mouth which directs a signal to stop muscles from flexing.

Fans falsely claimed Trippier was 'doping' on social media after he made such a quick recovery

Ex-Arsenal star Lucas Torreira drinks pickle juice during his side's win over Chelsea in 2019

Frances Tiafoe said pickle juice had helped him reach the quarter-finals of the Australian Open

Trippier's fitness is of paramount importance to England as he is deputising at left-back, with Luke Shaw (above) currently fighting to make a full recovery from injury at Euro 2024

The drink improves gut health with anti-oxidants, helps control blood sugar levels, and is even good for fresh-smelling breath, killing nasty bacteria that reproduces inside the mouth.

And if England win the Euros, they may continue to drink it even after the final.

It has been reported that pickle juice helps cure alcohol-induced hangovers too, so Southgate's players may find themselves reaching for a bottle the morning after what would surely be a boozy celebration party in Germany.

Luke Shaw Gareth Southgate