Nutrition & Diet

Nowadays, nutrition is a hot topic in both sports and everyday life. It must be emphasized that the weight of a soccer player is not an important factor in his performance. Instead of concentrating on reaching an ideal weight, it is wiser to emphasize on adopting healthy eating habits.

Fat
Soccer players burn a lot of calories but fat should still be minimized in the athlete's diet, mainly because it is not an efficient provider of energy. Although there is a lot of energy stored in fat, in long duration sports, like football, the body fuels itself mainly from Glycogen (found in carbohydrates)

Carbohydrates
Complex carbohydrates fuel the body most efficiently in prolonged physical activities such as soccer. As with other aerobic sports, the ideal meal for a footballer should be rich in carbohydrates. Before matches or important events, it is recommended to increase carb intake and decrease proteins. Flour and starch-based foods are a good source of complex carbs.
Examples: bread, potatoes, pasta, cereal, low-fat dairy products

Proteins
Proteins are essential for the regeneration of muscles and tissue. It is important to regularly integrate Protein into meals, but the amount must be kept it in small portions. Not more than 10% of all calories in your diet should come from Protein. As mentioned above, carbs are the primary source of energy for the body in soccer whereas protein is used for cell replenishment. Pre-game meals should not contain much Protein.
Examples: meat, eggs, nuts

Water & Sports Drinks
During matches or practice, your body will lose a lot of water. To keep it hydrated it's important to drink water frequently in small portions (even when you don't feel like it) Many sports drinks have flooded the market in the past few years. They contain carbohydrates and claim to potentially improve your performance. In practice, sports drinks would have the same effect as water, if the player using them is following a good diet.

Soccer nutrition questions

Are sports drinks better than water