When should you eat before a soccer game?

Each player is different, but most will often eat a pre-game meal around 3 to 4 hours before the start of the match . This meal should contain some carbohydrate for fuel as well as some fluids for hydration. A small amount of protein in the pre-game meal is also useful, as it can help to prevent hunger during the game.

What is the best food to eat the day of a soccer game?

Carbohydrates are essential to maintain a player's energy stores during a match. The best foods to eat before a soccer game will provide many nutrients. Some of the best foods for complex carbohydrates are whole grains, veggies like carrots or broccoli, and fruits like berries .

What should a footballer eat on match day?

Potatoes, pasta, rice, bread (ideally wholemeal unless just before a game), oatmeal, cereals, vegetables, and fruit are healthy carb options. Footballers should aim to consume at least 70 grams of carbohydrates as part of their pre-game meal and around 30 grams as part of a snack.

How many calories should a soccer player eat on game day?

Fueling Your Sport Adult male soccer players need 21.4 to 27.3 calories per pound of body weight per day (47 to 60 calories/kg/day). Adult female players need 20.5 to 22.7 calories per pound per day (45 to 50 calories/kg/day). A 160-pound male player needs 3,400 to 4,300 calories per day.

What does Ronaldo eat before a game?

Cristiano Ronaldo is believed to prefer a high-protein diet, with a minimal amount of sugars and fats . He also eats a good amount of carbohydrates in order to keep his energy high during training sessions and matches.

What not to eat before a soccer game?

The Night Before or 4+ Hours Before Eating the night before your event gives your body plenty of time to digest what you eat. However, you shouldn't try anything new or eat high-fat foods like milk or ice cream —those can still have a negative effect on your game, even if there's plenty of time in between.

How to get energy before a soccer game?

Until the hour before the match, if you want to have a snack are good options a few pieces of fruit, a yogurt, a cereal energy bar, before training, toasted bread with jam . These foods rich in carbohydrates will help us to fill up the “fuel” tanks.

What should I eat 30 minutes before a soccer game?

Before Game Food for Fuel: Oatmeal with fruit. Eggs, Fruit, Veggies. Low-sugar, whole grain cereal with fruit. Protein shake, yogurt, fruit. Bagel, toast or waffles, with PB, eggs, or fruit. Jan 29, 2020

Can I eat an hour before soccer?

Eat a snack about an hour before kick-off . Here's a general schedule you can follow for various game times to ensure you're fueling properly. Eat a carbohydrate-rich dinner the night before and drink extra water throughout the previous day. Eat dry cereal, a bagel with peanut butter or oatmeal before bed.

Should you play soccer on an empty stomach?

Because soccer is a stop-and-start activity, you can still digest pre-exercise food, but maybe at a slower pace . Consuming some food and fluid on your way to the soccer venue will enhance your workout—assuming you have trained your gut to tolerate the food and fluids.

How many minutes before a game should you eat?

On the day of the game, you should ideally finish eating 3-4 hours before it begins. To keep your energy up during the game, it is also a good idea to have an easily digestible light snack (such as a jelly drink) about 1-2 hours beforehand.

SOCCER PLAYERS: WHAT AND WHEN TO EAT ON GAME DAY • SoccerToday (2024)

Nutrition Advice for Youth Soccer Players — Have a Nutrition Plan in Place

Preparing for a soccer tournament and peak performance on the field requires fueling your body properly. Players, parents and even coaches can benefit from a nutrition plan for success.

Heather Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN — Author of FUELING YOUNG ATHLETES and Food, Fitness and Nutrition Consultant at Heather Mangieri Nutrition, provides great suggestions for the athletes preparing to perform their best in a soccer competition.

Related Article: Hydration & Nutrition Advice for Soccer Players

SOCCER PLAYERS: WHAT AND WHEN TO EAT ON GAME DAY • SoccerToday (1)

Soccer News: You’ve been training hard – now it’s time for the big day.

Do you have a nutrition plan in place? Do you know what to eat and when to eat before an important game?

Hopefully, you’ve been practicing how to fuel and hydrate during training.

Game day is not the time to try new foods.

What may be different is the timing of your meals. Eating and drinking at the right time will help you stay fueled and hydrated from the beginning to the end of the game.

Read: NUTRITION FOR SOCCER PLAYERS: TOP TEN FOODS TO EAT and NUTRITION FOR SOCCER PLAYERS: TOP TEN FOODS TO AVOID

Nutrition for Soccer Players: Countdown to Game Kick Off

Youth Soccer Players: 3-4 hours before competition

This is plenty of time for food to eat, digest, absorb and metabolize a healthy meal.

Youth Soccer Players: 1-2 hours before competition

As you get closer to game time, the amount of food that you eat should decrease, but the balance of the meal can be similar.

It’s still important to nourish your body and provide fuel to working muscles, you just want to make sure you choose foods that are easy to digest so that they have time to exit the stomach before the start.

Carbohydrates are critical to keeping you fueled from beginning to end and don’t forget hydration.

Keep the fat and fiber low as you get closer to game time.
Remember, the foods to avoid before game time are fat and fiber. Both can slow down digestion, making it more difficult for your body to access the carbohydrates needed to fuel you on the field.

Fried foods and high-fat meats are a few examples of foods to avoid.

Youth Soccer Players: Immediately before a soccer game

How close to competition time you eat will depend on how well-fueled that you are.

If you planned right, you are prepared with fueled muscles and are well-hydrated.

But, even if you timed your meals perfect, it might be necessary to top off the tank.

Liquid nutrition such as sports drinks, milk, smoothies or juice can meet that need. Or, salty snacks such as pretzels or crackers are highly tolerated too.

Read: SOCCER NUTRITION: THE SCOOP ON OREOS FOR SOCCER PLAYERS and FAST FOOD IS JUST THAT … CALORIE DENSE BUT LACKING IN PROPER NUTRITION

Dried or fresh fruit, rice cakes, graham crackers or fig bars also provide a quick-digesting fuel source.

Youth Soccer Players: In the Game

Whether or not you need to fuel during the game will depend on how much action you get on the field. It also depends on the intensity.

Sipping water is recommended for all athletes, but some may require more.

Athletes that are heavy sweaters, salty sweaters or just get a lot of playing time may benefit from additional carbohydrates and electrolytes during the game. Sports drinks are an easy solution.

SOCCER PLAYERS: WHAT AND WHEN TO EAT ON GAME DAY • SoccerToday (5)

Youth Soccer Players: After the Game

After an exhaustive activity, it’s important to begin the refueling process.

SOCCER PLAYERS: WHAT AND WHEN TO EAT ON GAME DAY • SoccerToday (6)

This is especially important if you have back to back games in the same day. I always suggest packing a mini cooler to carry your post-workout fuel.

Portable milk or flavored milk, yogurt with fruit, a sandwich, cereal with milk, or a balanced smoothie are all great options.

Then, once you get home, you can have a full balanced meal.

Remember, the foods that you eat game should be practiced during training. Stick to items that are tried and true to prevent gastrointestinal or stomach issues during the game.

SOCCER LOVERS BOOK REVIEW: FUELING YOUTH ATHLETES

SOCCER PLAYERS: WHAT AND WHEN TO EAT ON GAME DAY • SoccerToday (7)

“CHAMPIONS DECIDE THEIR HABITS, THEIR HABITS DECIDE THEIR FUTURE.”

Fueling Young Athletes by Heather R. Mangieriis aGREAT READ. Available at Amazon.

Note: This article was published earlier and updated due to its popularity.