Soccer nutrition -What to Eat and When??

Soccer nutrition is often discussed in too much detail. My website is designed for coaches and players involved in amateur/intermediate youth soccer. This page will talk about what foods are good and bad for you and how this relates to a players' performance on the soccer field.







There are several different food groups which will be looked at before recommendations on what a young soccer player should eat with a big match coming up.

There are 7 important food groups needed for optimum soccer nutrition. They are:


1. Carbohydrates

2. Protein

3. Fat

4. Vitamins

5. Minerals

6. Fibre

7. Water


Carbohydrates are very important and provide up to 50% of the energy requirement the body needs during a soccer game.

Without going into too much science the carbs are broken up, turned into glucose (stored by the body) and used during exercise.

Foods that are considered complex carbohydrates can be found in spaghetti, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice and crackers.


Protein is another important food group for the body. It provides energy to the body and helps repair muscle damage... both of which are vital for good youth soccer nutrition. Examples of protein include meat, fish, eggs, nuts and dairy products such as milk and cheese.


Fat is always looked upon as a wasted component that just makes you... well, fat! But when used in the right quantity and types fat becomes very important to a soccer players body. Good fats include oily fish, nuts and seeds and vegetable oil. Fat can provide more energy for the body than carbohydrates and protein!

Try to stay away from the bad fat foods such as butter, cakes and biscuits as this will not help the body and only raise blood levels.  Some foods don't provide a large amount of energy but instead keep your body healthy and working correctly.... vital to anybodies soccer nutrition.


Vitamins come from foods such as fruit and vegetables and do many important jobs for the body.

Vitamin A (carrots and fish liver oil) allows for better eye-sight.

Vitamin B (dairy products and meat) allows for a better nervous system and internal organs.

Vitamin C (citrus fruit and tomatoes) aids in protection from viruses and building a strong immune system.


When you think of minerals you might think of the things in the Earth. But some small amounts of minerals can help the body function. Similar to vitamins, minerals allow the body to grow, develop and generally stay healthy. Red meats are a good source of iron for example. Iron is very important to soccer nutrition. Iron is needed to help deliver red blood cells deliver oxygen to the rest of the body.

Want healthy bones? You need calcium... another important mineral for your body! Calcium comes from dairy products such as milk and cheese.

There are other minerals but you should naturally digest those into your body by generally eating a wide range of healthy foods.


Fibre is an important component of a healthy balanced diet. Fibre helps the digestive system and lowers blood cholesterol. Foods that contain fibre include beans, fruits, a selection of cereals, lentils and brown rice.



The final food group to discuss is the most important and its not even an item of food. Water is essential to soccer nutrition and general well-being. Your body cannot last long without it. Water stops our bodies from becoming dehydrated and fatigued.

A lack of water for a soccer player can produce cramps and dizziness. Because we lose water through various means such as sweating and breathing it is important to constantly stock up on water. Plenty of water should be drunk prior to playing soccer.

We have now looked at what food groups there are and how they affect our bodies in different ways. If your still a bit unsure as to what a good pre-game meal could be... just take a look below.

Pre-game meals

It is important to think ahead as a soccer player. You cannot eat unhealthily all week and then have a banana 5 minutes before the game and expect top-quality results from your body. Your body, when treated right, is an extra weapon against the opposition.

Your body needs a build up of carbohydrates and fat about 3 days before the game. Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables with meals and include protein into your diet. 3 hours before your game you should consider eating a complex carbohydrate meal such as pasta and bread which will release energy into the body whilst you are playing.

The most important thing to do prior to any sporting activity is to drink plenty of water. Before, during and after a soccer game you need to replenish your fluids.

For quick energy thats good for soccer nutrition why not try a banana. Tennis players eat a banana half way through a match to give them added energy as well as the nourishments that come with eating fruit.


DURING  THE  GAME 

1. If possible drink 1-cup every 15 minutes. The idea is to get the fluid to the stomach
and then to the body. The best way to do this is to not sip the fluid but to chug the
fluid.

2. Some possible foods to help would be fruit, cereal bars.

3. Don’t wait till your thirsty to drink.

4. I recommend you drink water up to halftime then at and after halftime drink Gatorade
as your replenishment


AFTER  THE  GAME


1. If you have a game later in the day, eat a sports bar like the Gatorade, powerbar or clif
bar and drink a 12-16 ounce bottle of gatorade to replenish your carbohydrate stores
and to provide a little protein.

2. If possible stay a little active after the game to remove the lactate built up. Do easy
activity if possible. If you cant don’t worry about it.

3. If you don’t have a game later in the day then before you shower consume a meal of
200-400 kcal that are high in carbs and then 200-400 again after you have showered
and gotten dressed. This would be a great way to eat if you have a game the following
day. Try to eat those first 200-400 within the first 60-90 after the game if you can. If
an organized meal is hard then have the energy bar with the Gatorade. Then after
everyone showers and gets dressed go eat another meal later that is high in
carbohydrates.

4. If possible do a weigh in before and after the game to see how much fluid you need to
replenish. For every pound you lost you need to drink 16 oz of fluid. ( not soda)

5. A general recommendation would be to lightly salt you food you eat in order to
replenish the salt lost during the competition


Foods to stay away from 

Candy, Soda pop. These are common foods or drinks that will hinder performance.
Athletes have higher metabolisms than non-athletes. If you eat candy or drink soft drinks

prior to a game, blood sugar may go down which can result in light-headedness, fatigue
or loss of performance. Avoid drinking fluids that contain caffeine because they may
stimulate excess urine production, or decrease voluntary fluid intake. Avoid high fat
foods.