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Whether you’re Sunday league or in the local five-a-side, kick off your nutritional needs with our ultimate guide to football nutrition with expert insights from a sports nutritionist
Summary
1Nutrition for the day before
Also known as ‘match day minus one’, this is where Emily says your pitch performance actually kicks off. It’s also where any 'carb loading’ begins...
2Nutrition for match day
When you get to match day itself, Emily and other football nutrition experts recommend having your pre-match meal 3-4 hours ahead of...
3Nutrition for after the match
Post-match is the time to optimise recovery. The aim is to reduce this period so that you can go to your next training session feeling...
It’s a game of two halves – and you need to give your best in both of them. But when it comes to powering up your pitch performance, your nutritional needs start way before that first whistle.
From the day before kick-off right through to post-game recovery, we asked H&B sports nutritionist – and former performance nutritionist to Oxford United – Emily Foster to coach us through the ultimate nutrition for football players.
What's the greatest goal (no pun intended) of a footballing diet?
“The aim is to ensure that the body is fuelled to be able to perform at an optimal level. Professional footballers can cover between nine and 13 kilometres in a 90-minute match and burn between 1,300 and 1,600 calories,”1 begins Emily (a West Ham season ticket holder, if you must know).
“Nutrition can play a big role in strength, speed, power, endurance and decision making,” she continues. “For example, one study showed that when footballers drank a carbohydrate, electrolytes solution versus the placebo, the distance covered during a drill was 33% greater.” 2
"A larger breakfast of about 500 calories versus a smaller one of 250 increased dribbling speed in professional youth players"
“There was also a study3 in professional youth football players, which found that a larger breakfast consisting of about 500 calories versus a smaller one of 250 calories, actually increased dribbling speed in professional youth players as well. So that highlights the importance of nutrition, and the importance of fuelling yourself optimally to really enhance your performance,” she says.
Emily explains that you should not only be consuming enough carbohydrates to fuel your performance, but also ensuring that the calorie intake is enough for the amount your body is burning.
“We store carbohydrates within our muscles and liver in a fuel source known as ‘glycogen’,” says Emily. “During an exercise like football, we use up a lot of our glycogen fuel stores. If we haven't consumed enough carbohydrates, it means we won't have enough fuel stored and can lead to early onset fatigue.” She notes that low fuel stores can account for players covering less distance or playing at a lower speed, particularly in the second half where a lot of their energy has been used already.
So, how can we ensure we’re ready to play? Here’s your guide to football nutrition for every moment before, during and after your game.
Nutrition for the day before your football match
Also known as ‘match day minus one’, this is where Emily says your pitch performance actually kicks off. It’s also where any carb-loading begins.
“Low-energy and low-carbohydrate intake in that 24 hours post-match can compromise the ability of football players to train for up to 72 hours after,” shares Emily, who points out that good recovery is essential to reducing time between training sessions and allowing you to get back out there and perform again.
To avoid this lack of energy, prevention is the best strategy. “We can start by maximising those stores by consuming high carbohydrates like grains, pastas, rice, potatoes and breads. You want to be prioritising these and eating those alongside lean proteins, fruit, vegetables and healthy fats,” says Emily.
"Some of my favourite plant-based complete proteins are quinoa, soy products, hemp seeds and chia seeds”
For match day prep, aim for half a plate of carbohydrates, a quarter of great quality, lean protein and a quarter of fruit and vegetables: “You need a good combination of protein and carbohydrates. Carbs are our bodies’ primary energy source, so we need them to ensure we can maintain our level of intensity – but we also need protein for recovery and repair,” she says.
“A few of my favourite proteins are called “complete proteins”, which contain all essential amino acids. We have ones which the body can produce themselves. But then we have ones which we have to consume from diet and to be able to promote muscle repair, recovery and growth,” continues Emily.
“Some foods will contain all essential amino acids, whereas other foods you'll have to pair with foods that contain different types of essential amino acids to be able to achieve a complete protein,” she explains. “So a lot of people go for animal protein or whey protein because it is already a complete protein. Some of my favourite plant-based complete proteins would be quinoa, soy products, hemp seeds and chia seeds.”
Nutrition for match day in football
When you get to match day itself, Emily and other football nutrition experts recommend having your pre-match meal 3-4 hours ahead of the game.
“This can be more challenging depending on when the match is. For example, if you've got a morning match, your pre-match meal theoretically might be very, very early in the morning. That's when you have to balance sleep versus nutrition because sleep is so important.” says Emily.
“With that pre-match meal, you want to focus on consuming foods that are rich in carbohydrates again because we're trying to maximise those fuel stores within the muscles to delay fatigue during play,” she says. So whatever you do, don’t skip breakfast or lunch and be sure to include a carb source, such as bread or porridge. You could add some protein too, so that you’re already prepping for the repair that will be needed afterwards (more on this later).
Nutrition for just before the first whistle
According to Emily, post warm-up and pre-match is a great opportunity to grab a carb boost, ideally around 30-60g.
“We're talking things like sports drinks, sports gels, dried fruit or fruit, like a banana,” Emily says. “These can increase the sugars circulating within the blood and the muscles can take these sugars up straight away and use them for their fuel, before dipping into their stores within the muscles,” she explains.
Nutrition for half-time in football
“Half time is an opportunity to replenish lost fluids and also to get in some carbohydrates to restock some of those fuel stores from the first half,” says Emily, who suggests a few ways to maximise your mid-match snack.
“An energy gel alongside some water with electrolytes is a good choice”
“One of my recommendations would be a sports drink because you've got your fluids, electrolytes and sugars,” she says. “If you didn't want a sports drink, something like an energy gel alongside some water with electrolytes is a good choice.”
She continues: “I even worked with an athlete who used to squeeze their energy gel into their water bottle and mix it up – basically creating your own sports drink. Or something like a banana, fruit or dried fruit alongside some water and electrolytes.” So that half-time orange slice from your school matches really was a good idea...
Nutrition for after a football match
Post-match is the time to optimise recovery. The aim is to reduce this period so that you can go to your next training session feeling refuelled, without any muscle aches.
“You want to begin recovery by replenishing those fuel stores that you’ve depleted, by consuming carbohydrates such as sports drinks, fruit, oats and small sandwiches,” says Emily.
“Throughout the rest of the day, about every hour post-match, you're looking to consume a small amount of carbohydrates,” she adds. “It could be a banana, an energy bar or some toast and jam.”
She continues: “Then, about three hours post-match, you're looking for a post-match meal made up of carbohydrates, a moderate amount of high-quality protein as well as some healthy fats. So things that contain omega-3 – such as nut seeds, oily fish, avocados, olive oil and especially foods that are rich in antioxidants, like berries and broccoli – to aid in your recovery.”
On top of this, Emily recommends kickstarting muscle recovery by consuming protein.
“Protein is really important to repair muscles, rebuild them stronger and promote muscle adaptation. We're looking to have a combination of carbohydrates and protein post exercise, alongside fluids to recover hydration. A good post workout drink would be a protein shake because you've got carbohydrates and natural electrolytes in the milk, combined with whey protein. It's a complete recovery sports drink,” she says.
Iron for women and non-binary footballers with periods
“Menstruating people have higher iron requirements, especially during their period. Symptoms of iron deficiency can include weakness, fatigue, loss of concentration – so you can just imagine how that will impact performance as well. Some really good sources of iron rich foods would be poultry, fish, lean red meat. Plant sources would be things like beans, lentils, spinach and dried apricots,” shares Emily.
If you are experiencing symptoms like weakness, fatigue, loss of concentration seek advice from a healthcare professional to get an iron test. This will determine if you are iron deficient and whether a dietary changes – possibly supported by a supplement – might be helpful.
Emily says that throughout the day, you want to be consuming a lot of fluid to ensure that you’re hydrated before the match, which could include food as well as drink.
A study within elite football1 suggests dehydration can lead to cardiovascular strain, reduced cognitive function, heat exhaustion and increased perception of effort – so you might feel that the exercise is harder than it actually is. “This study also suggests that dehydration can reduce technical skills, such as dribbling or skilling past players on the pitch,” she explains.
It can all depend on your weight and body size. But for a general guide to good football hydration4,5, aim for:
- 400-600 ml of water, 2-3 hours before the match
- 150-300 ml of water, 10-20 minutes before kick off
- 200ml every 10-20 minutes of exercise to maintain hydration from sweat loss
“It’s really important leading up to the match that you are having regular sips of water so that you’re hydrated before exercise, starting from the moment you wake up,” shares Emily, knowing the struggles of keeping up with fluids when you’re darting around the field.
“I recommend a water bottle or sports drink available on the side of the pitch,” she says. “For example, if someone's injured and play is paused, you can nip over and quickly have a drink. When we play sport, we have to think ahead with hydration strategies. And then at half time as well, try to get some of those fluids replenished too.” But remember, don’t go past your limit and end up feeling bloated: “We want enough water to make you feel better, but not so much that you’re uncomfortable and can't do the exercise,” she adds.
After the match, drink as much as you feel you need - listen to your body to ensure you don't over hydrate. If you've been sweating a lot, you may also want to consider an electrolyte supplement to go alongside all that fluid.
Over to you: real-life players share their nutrition routines
Many of our H&B colleagues wellness qualification so we thought we’d ask them for their own energy-boosting ideas. Here’s what they eat (and drink) to be match fit...
“My fuelling process begins with my diet the day before football. I prioritise eating foods rich in carbohydrates, like rice and bread, as well as lots of protein and water. Around one hour before, I will have a quick snack focused on foods rich in carbohydrates, such as fruit, and electrolyte supplements. During training and matches I will aim to consume a sports drink and one or two sports gels to ensure my energy levels are topped up and to further reduce my risk of muscle cramping.” – Jahan, Ilford
“To start off with, I would usually have Weetabix with semi skimmed milk a few hours before kick-off. This usually fuels me and gives me enough energy to last a 90-minute game. Sometimes I also have a natural energy drink to give me a further boost 30 minutes beforehand. Towards half time, depending how the game is going, I may have an additional boost – normally it’s a sports gel to help me keep focused, alongside hydrating with some water. Once home from the match, I tend to have a protein shake and perhaps a protein bar too to help with recovery.” – Jake, Dover
“H&B Flapjacks on Sunday mornings, then sports gels and effervescent electrolyte tablets for during the match. I also have occasional cans of sports drink when I'm feeling a little bit tired...” – Jake, Nottingham
The final say
Your football nutrition will depend on who you are and when you're playing, but a winning tip is to combine carbohydrates, protein and hydration. This will make sure a range of your body's needs are met.
Hungry for more footballing tips? Check out 24 hours with Jill Scott, our interview with the former Lioness.
- Collins J, Maughan RJ, Gleeson M, Bilsborough J, Jeukendrup A, Morton JP, et al. UEFA expert group statement on nutrition in elite football. Current evidence to inform practical recommendations and guide future research. British Journal of Sports Medicine [Internet]. 2020 Oct 23;55(8):bjsports-2019-101961. Available from: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/55/8/416
- (PDF) Nutrition on match day [Internet]. ResearchGate. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7015995_Nutrition_on_match_day
- Briggs MA, Harper LD, McNamee G, Cockburn E, Rumbold PLS, Stevenson EJ, et al. The effects of an increased calorie breakfast consumed prior to simulated match-play in Academy soccer players. European Journal of Sport Science. 2017 Mar 21;17(7):858–66.
- Latzka WA, Montain SJ. WATER AND ELECTROLYTE REQUIREMENTS FOR EXERCISE. Clinics in Sports Medicine. 1999 Jul;18(3):513–24.
- Judge LW, Bellar DM, Popp JK, Craig BW, Schoeff MA, Hoover DL, et al. Hydration to Maximize Performance and Recovery: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors among Collegiate Track and Field Throwers. Journal of Human Kinetics [Internet]. 2021 Jul 10;79(1):111–22. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8336541/
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