A Young Player to an International Player: Health and Fitness Essentials

It’s one thing to know what you should eat; another entirely to present it on a plate. Soccer players need to eat well-balanced, colorful, and properly timed meals. You don’t want to eat a heavy steak an hour before kickoff, nor do you want to eat only a salad after playing 90 minutes of soccer.

Here’s how you can plan your meals to set yourself up for success.

Breakfast: Kickstart Your Metabolism

You haven’t eaten all night while you’ve been sleeping. Your glycogen stores are low. A great breakfast fuels you for the day ahead.

Option 1:

Oatmeal with milk or almond milk and sliced bananas, walnuts (add a touch of honey on top).

Option 2:

Whole-grain toast with scrambled eggs, spinach, and tomatoes.

Option 3:

Parfait-style Greek yogurt with granola and mixed berries.

Lunch: Refuel and Sustain

Lunch should serve as a connection between your morning workout and afternoon training. It should be hearty but not so dense that it weighs you down.

Option 1:

Grilled chicken breast, quinoa, and steamed broccoli.

Option 2:

A wrap with turkey breast and avocado, green leaves, and tomato on a whole-grain tortilla.

Option 3:

Tuna salad made with olive oil (rather than heavy mayo), accompanied by whole-grain crackers and an apple.

Dinner: Repair and Recover

After a day of hard training, these are protein-rich meals designed to support muscle repair and replenish nutrients expended.

Option 1:

Baked salmon, roasted sweet potatoes , and asparagus.

Choice 2:

Stir-fried slices of lean beef with mixed bell peppers, snap peas, and brown rice.

Option 3:

Vegetarian chili featuring kidney beans, black beans, and corn, served with cornbread.

Soccer players, not Play-Doh, are fueled by food! Choose foods that cater to a soccer player’s diet, and your energy is sure to last long past the final whistle. When you eat right for soccer players, it prevents the crash-and-burn pattern of sugary or processed fuel.