And his celebration after such a superhuman effort? The kind of recovery we can all get behind. ‘I’m going home, shower, put my feet on the couch, order the biggest kebab ever with hot sauce, Pepsi Max, candy, and then I’m not going to move for two days,’ he said immediately after the run.

In his seven years at Liverpool, the now 44-year-old played 348 times and won seven trophies – including the 2005 Champions League. He was perhaps best known, however, for kicking the ball really, really hard. (The latter summed up by the top comment on this free-kick video: ‘John Arne Riise’s left foot was essentially a nuclear deterrent.’) Just ask the unfortunate Alan Smith, who – in attempting to block a trademark Riise rocket in 2006 – was left with a broken leg and dislocated ankle.

But after retiring from football in 2017 – after notable spells at Roma and Fulham – Riise, like many former pros, found it difficult to stay fit. Gradually, his weight crept up and motivation wained. Until Norwegian reality TV came to the rescue.

Last year, Riise took part in 16 Weeks of Hell: a show in which six celebrities take on a gruelling four-month bootcamp. ‘I want to become a machine again,’ he told Norwegian outlet Dagbladet. ‘It’s been a while since I stopped playing football, so it will be exciting to see how much of a machine I can become.’

Safe to say, mission accomplished:

‘Picture on the left is 15 weeks ago,’ Riise wrote in December last year. ‘The other one is few days ago. My journey on 16 weeks of hell has really paid off and I’m extremely happy with the effort I have put in to make my daily life better 🥰🔥 One week left before the tv show is done but my new lifestyle will continue ❤️ I have loads of missions ahead 🔥’

Isaac Williams is Multiplatform Editor for both Women’s Health UK and Men’s Health UK, guiding and supporting the content teams to create content across all platforms.

Isaac’s love of health and fitness began at Loughborough University, where he graduated with a History and English degree in 2014. His first job was at Men’s Running magazine, where he progressed from Staff Writer to Editor. Among his highlights of those four years include completing a 24-hour track race (never again), just about finishing a multi-day ultramarathon in the Azores, and chugging his way around a ‘beer mile’.

Isaac ventured into the world of freelance journalism in 2018, interviewing some of the biggest names in sport – like Anthony Joshua and Ben Stokes – and writing features for the likes of The Guardian, Red Bull, ShortList and BBC Countryfile. He was also a regular contributor to an adventure series called ‘The Man Who’: interviewing some of the world’s most extreme explorers from the wilds of Caffè Nero.

In late-2019, Isaac became Editor of Men’s Fitness UK. In his five years there, Isaac was responsible for editing the monthly magazine and managing website content, ultimately helping the brand transition to a ‘digital-first’ approach.

He joined Hearst UK as Multiplatform Editor in December 2024, where he manages day-to-day digital output, edits content and writes articles on all things health and fitness.

When he’s not hammering at his keyboard, Isaac enjoys exercise and trying –  unsuccessfully, so far – to teach his baby son to kick a football. You can follow Isaac on Instagram @isaacw1993.