How much does diet affect footballers?

Is diet that important? I've heard they have to eat alot of carbohydrates like spaghetti and stuff, how much does a good diet affect their performance and what type of stuff do they have to eat and stay away from?

Fatty foods lol

Braad wrote:Fatty foods lol

What? We're talking about whether diet helps footballers, not what Rooney eats.

They would generally eat lots of carbs and lean meats. I don't think you would catch them eating chocolate cake much.

No doubt most of them take a multi vitamin and cod liver oil aswell.

Of course diet is very important.

Liverpool wrote:

Braad wrote:Fatty foods lol

What? We're talking about whether diet helps footballers, not what Rooney eats.

Very good my friend.

Braad wrote:

Liverpool wrote:

Braad wrote:Fatty foods lol

What? We're talking about whether diet helps footballers, not what Rooney eats.

Very good my friend.

They are on strict diets, set by the club.

We'll I know someone who used to play for the same team as me when I was younger and he got scouted like me and then got released for eating a easter egg (Yes a easter egg) and he was only 10, but me playing for a youth team of a pro club that I can tell you that I haven't drunk fizzy drinks for more than 5 months now.

Kicked for eating an easter egg? Oh my

I think that was just his excuse for being released. No way they'd get rid because he ate an Easter Egg.

Ben wrote:I think that was just his excuse for being released. No way they'd get rid because he ate an Easter Egg.

Maybe it was this size?

He was eating it on the way home in his car from a training session and the coach of the u10's team Apparently saw him eating it and said that Chocolate was prohibited. So the coach he had word with his dad and was released. There seems to be more to that than what was said IMO.

You wouldn't get thrown out for eating chocolate...

Diets are one of the most important parts of elite athletes

Didn't seem to do Matt Le Tiss any harm.

I think it depends, but overall is not that important.

In terms of eating carbs before a game, probably, but in terms of eating well to stay fit, maybe not. I think a lot of footballers are natural athletes, provided they stay under the recommended calories they'll be alright.

Tevez can pretty much eat whatever he wants, have the physique of an above average height dwarf and still be one of the most consistent high performers in the league.

Think it plays a major role; did a six-week diet and exercise plan as part of a GCSE course and the results were telling even in usch a short period.

Zzonked wrote:I think it depends, but overall is not that important.

In terms of eating carbs before a game, probably, but in terms of eating well to stay fit, maybe not. I think a lot of footballers are natural athletes, provided they stay under the recommended calories they'll be alright.

Tevez can pretty much eat whatever he wants, have the physique of an above average height dwarf and still be one of the most consistent high performers in the league.

Diet is vital. Especially in the game now. What you put into your body is fuel, don't put enough in and your performance will decline, put too much in and you'll gain weight, affecting your performance.

Dan wrote:

Zzonked wrote:I think it depends, but overall is not that important.

In terms of eating carbs before a game, probably, but in terms of eating well to stay fit, maybe not. I think a lot of footballers are natural athletes, provided they stay under the recommended calories they'll be alright.

Tevez can pretty much eat whatever he wants, have the physique of an above average height dwarf and still be one of the most consistent high performers in the league.

Diet is vital. Especially in the game now. What you put into your body is fuel, don't put enough in and your performance will decline, put too much in and you'll gain weight, affecting your performance.

I was never arguing quantity, I said that they should stay under the recommended calories (although they should probably stay on or slightly over in reality) I was just saying the quality doesn't matter in terms of staying fit. I reckon a lot of footballers could (some probably do) eat junk food a few times a week and still play at the same level.

Match day and the night before it probably matters.

Hydration is just as important as having a good diet aswell

Zzonked wrote:

Dan wrote:

Zzonked wrote:I think it depends, but overall is not that important.

In terms of eating carbs before a game, probably, but in terms of eating well to stay fit, maybe not. I think a lot of footballers are natural athletes, provided they stay under the recommended calories they'll be alright.

Tevez can pretty much eat whatever he wants, have the physique of an above average height dwarf and still be one of the most consistent high performers in the league.

Diet is vital. Especially in the game now. What you put into your body is fuel, don't put enough in and your performance will decline, put too much in and you'll gain weight, affecting your performance.

I was never arguing quantity, I said that they should stay under the recommended calories (although they should probably stay on or slightly over in reality) I was just saying the quality doesn't matter in terms of staying fit. I reckon a lot of footballers could (some probably do) eat junk food a few times a week and still play at the same level.

Match day and the night before it probably matters.

But the players at the top don't. Because it will affect your system. Once or twice a week is fine, anymore and it'll affect your body. Like Filippo said, diet includes hydration, if you don't hydrate properly, you've got no chance.

Put it this way, a healthy diet will prepare your body to it's possible best for the game ahead of you. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you've not eaten right before the match, you'll struggle.

Obviously it's important, protein, carbs, electrolytes, all that jazz. I remember during a NFL reality show type thing Chad Johnson was eating a TON of McDonald's and said if you eat what you want to eat and train how you have to train you'll be fine, I guess that'd be true for a lot of elite athletes but it's still important what you put in.

I wasn't arguing that before match food isn't important, just that most footballers can probably afford to eat junk food and still stay fit due to metabolism.

Before I play rugby if I have a big fuck off bacon and egg sarnie or something I struggle loads, leaves a weird taste in the mouth and makes me feel really heavy. If I have weetabix then I still feel fucked cause I'm an unfit bastard but not as much as if I'd had fried food.

Zzonked wrote:I wasn't arguing that before match food isn't important, just that most footballers can probably afford to eat junk food and still stay fit due to metabolism.

They can probable eat the odd biscuit or sweet, but they normally follow strict nutrition guides.

The US FA has a blog following the NT, about a week and a half ago they went into detail for the team's pre-match meal, if you're interested...

http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/MNT-Blog.aspx?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&UID=1a697a53-a181-4302-aa61-f454d97c88fd&plckPostId=Blog%3a1a697a53-a181-4302-aa61-f454d97c88fdPost%3ad2fec214-8720-49cb-a9b5-a2d688fa98ba&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

Zzonked wrote:I wasn't arguing that before match food isn't important, just that most footballers can probably afford to eat junk food and still stay fit due to metabolism.

Probably, but they won't be as fit as if they don't.

dena wrote:The US FA has a blog following the NT, about a week and a half ago they went into detail for the team's pre-match meal, if you're interested...

http://www.ussoccer.com/Social/MNT-Blog.aspx?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&UID=1a697a53-a181-4302-aa61-f454d97c88fd&plckPostId=Blog%3a1a697a53-a181-4302-aa61-f454d97c88fdPost%3ad2fec214-8720-49cb-a9b5-a2d688fa98ba&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

Pre game food is boring, it's always the same old stuff.

If you read Roy Keane's autobiography, he complains about how Ireland were always eating cheese sandwiches and Pizzas in the run-ups to games while their higher ranked opponents were eating pasta and things like that. Funnily enough Ireland actually beat some pretty big nations around that time.

Usually a diet consisting of

20% Fat
20% Protein
60% Carbohydrate