In contemporary elite soccer, the physical demands of match-play have increased alongside a larger number of matches per season. Aspects related to performance optimization are highly regarded by players and coaches, placing nutrition in a special role. Elite teams strive to provide an adequate diet to guarantee maximum performance while ensuring faster recovery from matches and training.
The Importance of Nutrition for Footballers
Athletes, such as football players, need to gain an intimate knowledge of how to care for their bodies. If athletes don’t work hard to stay in peak physical condition, it often won’t matter how skilled or knowledgeable they are. Nutrition is a cornerstone of athletic performance, influencing agility, endurance, recovery, and overall resilience. A well-structured footballer's diet supports every aspect of a player's physical condition, keeping them in top health and ready to excel on the field.
Individualized Nutrition Plans
Nutritional needs vary based not only on the individual but also on the position they play. Nutrition plans must be individualized for each player based on their weight, height, body fat percentage, and position on the field. One thing all plans have in common is consistency, says Jason Machowsky, RD, CSSD, ACSM-CEP, CSCS, a sports dietitian and exercise physiologist at HSS.
Macronutrient Essentials
A balanced ratio of complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats in each meal is key for a footballer's diet.
Carbohydrates: The Primary Fuel Source
Athletes need plenty of carbs. Football players rely heavily on glycogen stores for energy. Carbohydrates are the go-to source of energy for intermittent sports, like football, where glycogen stores are often depleted during long workouts and training, says Machowsky. Carbohydrates are considered of vital importance in sports in general and in soccer in particular, as muscle glycogen is the predominant substrate for energy production during a match. After this type of effort, nearly half of vastus lateralis muscle fibers have been classified as empty or near empty in relation to their glycogen content. As such, glycogen depletion is commonly cited as a contributing factor for the progressive fatigue observed towards the end of a match. Therefore, athletes should adopt specific nutritional strategies to maximize muscle glycogen content and exercise performance at critical moments such as match play, by manipulation of CHO daily needs and before, during and after exercise/match play. Athletes need a lot of carbohydrates, and most players aren’t getting enough.
Read also: Nutrition for Young Footballers
Recommendations:
- Daily Intake: Aim for 4-8 g/kg per day (320-640g for an 80 kg player). For sports where physical activity duration ranges between 1 h and 2 h, it is believed that athletes should consume 5 to 10 g/kg/day.
- Sources: Choose a variety of whole grain breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits, and vegetables. Simple carbohydrates, such as white rice or fruit, provide quick energy before workouts, while starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes and corn support endurance.
- Timing: Consume carbs 2-3 hours before training.
Choosing a variety of whole grain breads, pasta, rice, potatoes, fruits and vegetables ensures players are getting not only the carbs necessary to perform but also essential vitamins, minerals and fiber, which have a slew of important functions. In particular, these help to decrease inflammation and support recovery.
Protein: Muscle Building and Repair
Players need enough protein to stimulate muscle protein synthesis (build muscle), and also to repair muscle damage that occurs during training. It’s a common misconception that athletes need to consume extra protein through shakes, bars and powders. Research shows that consumption of excessive amounts of protein offers no benefit to stimulating muscle protein synthesis and will more often displace other important nutrients your body needs. "Most times, it’s possible to meet a football player’s protein needs through real food," he adds.
Recommendations:
- Daily Intake: Target 1.6-2.2 g/kg (130-175g per day). A general rule of thumb is that you should eat a gram of protein for every pound of body weight.
- Sources: Chicken or turkey, lean red meats, beans, dairy, eggs, and fish are all good options. Protein supplements can be useful if it becomes difficult to get in the amount of protein needed during the day, or for game day and practice fueling.
- Distribution: Spread protein intake evenly throughout the day, aiming for 30-40g each meal.
Fats: Energy and Hormone Support
Football players also need fat, but the nutritious kind. Too much fat (usually hydrogenated and saturated) can lead to increased risk of heart disease and excess calorie intake that can lead to undated weight gain, says Machowsky. Too little fat can affect nutrient absorption and ultimately impact performance as well, so moderation is the name of the game here. Not only is fat calorie dense, meaning a little goes a long way, but it’ll keep players satisfied meal to meal.
Recommendations:
- Daily Intake: Target 20-30% of total calories (80-100g per day).
- Sources: Nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, meats, and fish.
- Types: Focus on healthy fats, which work to produce hormones, ensure steady muscle growth, help you recover from injury and properly distribute nutrients throughout your body.
The Importance of Hydration
"Dehydration is a medical condition that football players should take seriously, especially during the preseason and beginning of the season, when temperatures are high and they're training hard while wearing lots of heavy pads and gear," says Machowsky. Beware of symptoms like unusual shortness of breath, loss of coordination, racing pulse (even during a break), significant cramping, headache, nausea or vomiting and dizziness.
Hydration Strategies:
- Drink at least one standard bottle of water within an hour or two prior to practice or competition.
- During practice or a game, aim for at least 16 to 20 ounces of fluid per hour, drinking something every 15 to 20 minutes.
- Consider added electrolytes for activities lasting more than 60 to 75 minutes, especially if you are a salty sweater.
- Players in research were using up to 5 litres of fluid a day. And most weren’t drinking enough to match that.
- It is very common for football players to lose up to 1 liter of sweat per hour and even more in hot and humid conditions. Staying hydrated is key, and requires a consistent focus.
- Drink early - 500 ml with breakfast + pre-training
- Top up during training - Sip 150-250 ml every 15-20 mins
- Weigh yourself before and after - For every 1 kg you lose, drink 1.5 L after
- Electrolytes matter, too, especially sodium. Add salt to meals or use an electrolyte tablet in your bottle to replace what you sweat out.
- When testing elite football players, sweat sodium losses of 1-3 g per hour so these salts need to be replaced to maximise recovery and your ability to work hard in subsequent sessions.
Pre-Season Nutrition: Setting the Foundation
Pre-season is all about getting fitter and getting back to peak performance. Maintaining a strict diet during a break can be difficult, but good nutrition will help you get back to your best. A footballer’s diet is an important aspect of their performance and fitness. During this period, the body will go through a lot during training. After a few weeks off, it’ll be under additional stress due to increased activity. So you need a diet that provides all of the necessary nutrients. One of your key objectives for pre-season is building stamina, so training might go on longer. To last the whole session, you’ll need more fuel and that means carbohydrates. Adding complex carbohydrates to your diet helps sustain your energy levels throughout the day. Over the break, your muscles might have lost some strength and you’ll want to get it back. You might need a larger protein intake than you’re used to. Healthy fats provide essential nutrients and aid your overall health. Make sure to include them in moderation for a balanced diet because they contribute to optimal brain function and help reduce inflammation. Make sure that you’re also getting plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A footballer’s diet should include a variety of fruits and vegetables. There’s no reason why a footballer can’t add healthy snacks to their diet. They help maintain energy levels and might prevent you from overeating at mealtimes. Pre-season is all about building your endurance so you’ll probably be going on medium to long runs as well as short sprints. That type of activity needs adequate fuel, which means carbs.
Read also: The Hoxsey Diet
Pre-Match Nutrition: Fueling Up for the Game
Preparation for matchday involves many things, but one common aspect that might be overlooked by some athletes is planning pre-game fuel. Your decisions regarding what and when to eat and drink prior to a game can truly make or break your ability to perform once you hit the pitch.
Key Strategies:
- Carbohydrate Loading: Carbohydrates are central to pre-match nutrition. Low fiber, easy-to-digest carbs will help fuel your muscles throughout your game, making it more likely you can last the full 90 minutes.
- Hydration: Hydration is also central to pre-match nutrition. Without adequate hydration, an athlete can become dehydrated quickly during a game, leading to less optimal performance on the pitch due to fatigue and cramping. Choose water and sports drinks (with carbs and electrolytes) to ensure sufficient hydration status prior to your game.
- Timing: If kickoff is in the morning, then plan on having a pre-match breakfast about 2 hours before the game.
- Balanced Meal: Although carbs are prioritized during your pre-match meal, you also need protein and colorful fruits and vegetables. Protein along with the antioxidants in fruits and vegetables are essential for muscle recovery. A moderate amount of protein helps provide your muscles with the building blocks (amino acids) needed for recovery and repair prior to the game. Be sure to choose lower fiber fruits and vegetables to ensure quicker digestion and absorption of the nutrients on your plate, and to avoid potential digestive discomfort before and during the match.
- Snacking: Your pre-match snack serves as your source of fuel to top off your energy stores about one hour before kickoff. Be sure to start with hydration via a sports drink containing both carbs and electrolytes (don’t forget sodium!). This provides both fuel (carbs/sugar) and fluids/electrolytes (hydration) to help you perform your best on the pitch. You also want to obtain 30-60 grams of simple, easy-to-digest carbohydrates to maximize your available energy prior to the game. Common choices are carb-rich chews, gels, bananas, salted crackers (has sodium for extra electrolytes!), and granola bars.
- Caffeine: Many athletes add a caffeine source to their pre-game ritual. Caffeine can be beneficial when taken 15-60 minutes prior to a soccer game to potentially increase vertical jump height, repeated sprint ability, running distance, and improve passing accuracy. It is important to know both how caffeine affects you and what your personal optimal dosage is before trialing caffeine on a gameday. Caffeine is best to trial gradually on training days so you know how much you can tolerate without experiencing any unwanted side effects.
- Foods to Avoid: Overall, you will want to avoid foods high in either fat or fiber prior to a match. This is because these foods take longer to digest. Spicy or acidic foods can also cause digestive issues, including heartburn or indigestion, if consumed too close to a game. As alluded to above, you also want to avoid new foods or new places to obtain your food from prior to a game.
Post-Workout Recovery: Replenishing and Repairing
After intense training, prioritise recovery to optimise muscle repair. Consume a post-workout snack or a meal within 30-60 minutes, consisting of carbohydrates and proteins. Good options include a grilled chicken or salmon salad with quinoa, a protein shake with fruits or Greek yoghurt with berries and granola. Although. if you want an easy option, drink a 500ml glass of low-fat milk.
Sample Meal Plan
Here’s how a top performer might eat on a heavy double training day:
- 9:00am Breakfast (Pre-Session #1): Pancakes + syrup + fruits + Greek yoghurt, Fruit smoothie or milkshake, Water + coffee (~100g carbs, 30g protein)
- 11:30am In-Session (#1): Banana or Lucozade sport + water (~30 g carbs)
- 12:30pm Post-Session Recovery Drink (Post-Session #1): Strawberry and banana milkshake with whey protein and honey (~60g carbs, 30g protein)
- 13:30pm Lunch (Post-Session #1): Chicken + rice + roasted veg - salts food for extra electrolytes, Freshly squeezed orange juice + water (~100g carbs, 30g protein)
- 3:30pm Snack (Pre-Session #2): Jam sandwich + water with electrolyte (~60g carbs)
- 16:30am In-Session (#2): Banana or Lucozade sport + water (~30 g carbs)
- 6:30pm Dinner (Post-Session #2): Spaghetti Bolognese + garlic bread, Vanilla rice pudding + caco nibs + berry compote, Water (~160g carbs, 40g protein)
- 9:00pm Evening Snack: Cereal + milk (~40g carbs, 20g protein)
Nutrition: 580 g carbs (7.2 g/kg) + 150 g pro (1.8 g/kg)
Hydration: 5-6 litres with salt/electrolytes
Read also: Walnut Keto Guide
Supps: Creatine, omega-3, probiotic, vitamin D
Foods for Footballers
- Spinach: Spinach has high levels of iron plus vitamins A and K. They help reduce inflammation, support bone health and reduce fatigue.
- Eggs: Eggs are a great source of protein and essential amino acids.
- Oily fish: Oily fish are full of protein and high in omega-3. This makes them ideal for recovery and fighting inflammation.
- Cruciferous vegetables: These are low-fat, low carb and high-fibre vegetables. We’re talking things like broccoli, kale, cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage. They’re full of great stuff like folate, vitamins A & C and antioxidants.
- Avocado: Avocados are full of healthy fats, vitamins and minerals.
- Beetroot: Beetroots are full of nitrates which can increase stamina, improve blood flow and help lower blood pressure.
Supplements for Footballers
Supplements won’t make up for a poor diet - but the right ones can boost recovery, performance, and resilience. Use batch-tested products (Informed Sport, like Nutrition X) and avoid fat burners, testosterone boosters, or anything promising "shredded in 7 days".
Common Nutrition Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping carbs before training - You’ll feel sluggish and underpowered
- Under-eating at lunch- Leaves you drained for later sessions
- Chronic low fuelling - Can affect recovery, hormones, and muscle adaption
- No structure - Random meals = sup-optimal results
- Overthinking supplements - Focus on food first
- Neglecting hydration - You’ll feel flat, heavy, or cramp
The Role of Body Composition
Athletes who are involved in team sports such as soccer, covering significant distances during a match, are generally aided by a lighter and leaner physique. A lean body, with a greater muscle-to-fat ratio, is often advantageous in sports where speed is involved, as the storage component of body fat may act as a dead weight to be lifted against gravity during jumping and sprinting.
Body Fat Percentage Ranges:
Overall, studies showed that the percentage of body fat ranged from 6% to 20% and that for elite soccer players from the English Premier League-one of the most representative/competitive soccer leagues-values of 10.6%, 11.2% and 10.0% were found.
Factors Influencing Body Composition:
Age, sex, genetics, and the requirements of the sport are factors that impact the individual athlete’s body composition. Thus, it may be useful for practitioners to provide individualized target zones for players.
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