The importance of a soccer player’s diet cannot be underestimated when planning the path to success on the field. It was speculated and well rumoured that after the 1987 under 17 world cup that a certain Philip Osondu who won the tournament's MVP award and subsequently signed for Anderlecht of Belgium failed to live up to his tournament rating. reason: the Oyinbo diet that he was being fed with did not help his growth the way the club anticpated. rather that growing taller or in a certain pattern, the young man added much wait and soon faded into oblivion. last time we checked the supposed crown prince has since turned into a cleaner cleaning airport floors in Brussels and doing other menial jobs to make ends meet( no disrespect to his person). The big dream to become a world football star after the quick striker bagged a long-term contract at Anderlecht is now a long distant memory. A star is dimmed forever. All due to good diet in the wrong body!!. What should a footballer eat especially the guys in the age grade cadre?
quoting thefa.com....
Essential nutrients
Here are some of the essential nutrients young footballers need to be eating, and which foods they’re found in:
- Simple carbohydrates: found in sweets, cakes, soft drinks, jam
- Complex carbohydrates: found in rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals, fruit
- Saturated fats: found in butter, margarine, cheese, pasties
- Unsaturated fats: found in sunflower oil, salmon, nuts
- Protein: found in milk, chicken, eggs, fish, yoghurt
- Vitamins and minerals: found in fruit, vegetables, dairy products
- Fibre: found in seeds, peas, beans
- Water: found in foods, drinks, formulated sports drinks
- Meat and meat alternatives - meat, fish, eggs, beans and nuts
- Vegetables and fruit - root and leafy vegetables, salads, apples, oranges, bananas
- Dairy products - milk, cheese, yoghurt
- Starchy foods - bread and rolls, pasta, rice, cereals, potatoes
Of course, players need other nutrients too and it’s not easy to get the perfect intake of carbohydrate from eating a regular three meals a day. The way to do it is by snacking - snacks play a crucial role in a footy player’s diet, especially if eaten immediately after training or a match. That’s when the energy stores in the muscles which have just been working are best refuelled.
Snack attack! These snacks are high in Carbohydrate but low in fat:
- Banana, jam or honey sandwiches
- Muesli bars
- Fruit cake, currant buns, scones, American muffins
- Crumpets, bagels, English muffins, scotch pancakes rusks and cereal
- Jelly cubes
- Jaffa cakes
- Low fat rice pudding, bread pudding
- Yoghurts and milkshakes
- Fruit and dried fruit
The water lost from the body during sweating needs to be replaced to stop you getting tired quickly, and also speed up the recovery process – that means feeling fitter and sharper afterwards a lot sooner.
These checks will help players:
- Weight: 1kg of weight lost during a training session is equal to 1 litre of fluid lost.
- The 'pee test': If your urine is dark coloured, it means you need to have a drink. Lots of trips to the toilet, producing lots of clear coloured urine, shows you’ve taken on enough fluid.
- Thirst: Being thirsty is an unreliable indicator of when you need to have a drink. If you're thirsty, you’re actually already partly dehydrated so if you finish a training session and you’re gasping it’s a giveaway you haven’t taken enough fluid on board.
For footballers, the best fluid to drink is a diluted carbohydrate/electrolyte solution. In plain English, that’s the kind of stuff you’ll find in stuff in energy drinks like Gatorade.
When should I drink?
Ideally, it’s best to drink before, during and after a training session, as well as drinking frequently during a match.
How much should I drink?
Only a little – but often. If you drink too much too quickly, you run the risk of getting a stomach upset.
Question: do clubs in Nigeria have nutritionists to help plan their players diet?
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