How Pro Footballers Actually Eat

Another week is almost through, my friends.

Have you been getting your work in?

Today’s letter is slightly longer read than normal, but we’re talking about what could be the most crucial key to consistent performance—diet.

Not something you’re going to want to miss, so let’s hop right into it!

Footytutor Upload of the Week

F50’s Are SO Back

In 2015, tragedy struck—adidas discontinued F50’s and released the X instead.

Okay, that might have been a bit of an exaggeration, but it felt like the end of a chapter. The F50 was Messi’s flagship boot and he was in his prime.

Not saying the X was a bad cleat, but it left a sour taste in a lot of mouthes when they cut F50’s.

Well, the time has come for the return.

After nine short years, we’re getting the F50 back just in time for the Euros and Copa America.

Putting Greece On The Map

This week marked history for Greece—Olympiacos beat out Fiorentina to take home the Europa Conference League title.

How is that history?

With their trophy, they’ve become the first Greek team to ever win any European competition.

Not only that, but they’re the first non top-4 league team to win a Euro competition since Porto’s Europa League title in 2011.

Big ups to Olympiacos.

How Pros Eat For Success

Every year, clubs spend millions of dollars on nutritionists and chefs to optimize their players’ diets down to the calorie.

Okay maybe not down to the calorie, but pretty darn close.

The last 20 years have brought a lot of breakthroughs in the sports nutrition space.

We now understand that what we eat directly impacts our performance on the pitch and can be the difference between consistently being on your game and feeling a bit off.

An extra slice of bread instead of a strip of chicken would be optimal for before a game, but probably wouldn’t fly after.

There’s a lot to understand, but here’s the boiled-down, easier-to-understand version.

Macros

Macros are the building blocks of an athlete’s diet—everything starts here. They include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

Pretty simple.

Protein, as you most likely know, is essential for recovery and muscle building/repair. After a grueling match or intense training session, getting some protein in is crucial to making sure you’re ready for next week.

That’s why you’ll see teams munching on things like pizza and chocolate milk after a match. Although they’re not the healthiest options, they are quick, bulky sources of carbs and protein.

Carbs are your body’s primary energy source during training and games. They provide the quick energy burst you need for sprints and sustained energy for the full 90 minutes.

If you ever wondered why mom brought orange slices at halftime, carbs are the answer.

You’ve probably noticed that you don’t see too many players eating food out of bags or boxes. This is because the nutrients we need are most commonly found in whole foods.

In other words, you get more nutritional value from eating cheese than from a Dorito that’s cheese-flavored.

To treat their bodies well, most players opt to skip processed foods.

Meal Timing and Choices

What you eat and when you eat it can make a huge difference in your performance. Pro footballers pay close attention to their meal timing, especially before matches.

As a general rule, most meals are eaten about 4 hours before kick-off. It gives the body enough time to digest, so you don’t feel heavy when you step on the pitch.

Most players avoid red meats on game day because they’re harder to digest and can upset the stomach. Instead, they opt for chicken or fish.

The most important macronutrient in a pre-game meal is carbohydrates.

Our bodies can only store 70–75 minutes’ worth of carbs, so making sure the tank is full is crucial.

Take Declan Rice, for example. His pre-game meal consists of four pancakes drenched in syrup or honey.

Sounds like a 7-year-old’s dream breakfast, but we promise it’s more functional than it sounds.

With a mix of quick and slow-digesting carbs, it’s the perfect combo for providing him with sustained energy to perform at his best.

Point 3: Cheat Meals

At the end of the day, pro players are still human.

Even with strict diets, they sometimes indulge in their favorite treats. Erling Haaland, for instance,

loves kebab pizza and will devour one when given the chance.

While maintaining a healthy diet is crucial, allowing yourself the occasional cheat meal can take some of the stress out of the discipline that a long career takes.

Like most things, it’s all about moderation and timing. Knowing when to indulge can lower the chances of going off the rails and keep your diet on track in the long run.

A few Premier League nutritionists recommend having your cheat meal as far from match day as possible, but you can trust yourself on that one.

For when you’re ready to improve

Build and track processes to level up your life

Until next time,

Footytutor