Macro partitioning
Daily carbohydrate intake for professional soccer players should be periodized according to weekly training and match loads, specifically reducing intake to <4-5 g/kg on low-load training days to avoid attenuating training adaptations, while maintaining high availability (6-10 g/kg) on match days and days immediately preceding/following matches.
If you are an elite soccer player, do not eat the same amount of carbohydrates every day. On days when you have multiple games or high-intensity matches, aim for 6-10 grams of carbs per kg of body weight. On days with only light or tactical training (where you cover less distance), reduce your intake to 4-5 grams per kg. This helps your body adapt to training without compromising your performance on match days.
Considering that high CHO availability improves physical match performance but high CHO availability attenuates molecular pathways regulating training adaptation (especially considering the low daily customary loads reported here e.g. 3-5 km per day), we suggest daily CHO intake should be periodized according to weekly training and match schedules.
Why this rating
The study quantifies training load but does not test the nutritional intervention itself; the recommendation is based on observed load data and cited literature on CHO effects.
Source
Quantification of training load during one-, two- and three-game week schedules in professional soccer players from the English Premier League: implications for carbohydrate periodisation
Liam Anderson et al. · Journal of Sports Sciences · 2015
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →