Energy balance
Elite football players should consume 6-8g of carbohydrates per kg of body weight on match days and 48-72 hours between matches to maximize muscle and liver glycogen stores and prevent performance-depleting fatigue.
On match days, aim for 6-8 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of your body weight. If you have matches close together (every few days), maintain this high intake for 48-72 hours between games. To avoid stomach issues, use sports drinks or gels rather than trying to force down huge amounts of solid food right before kickoff.
it is recommended that athletes increase their carbohydrate intake on the pre-match, match, and post-match days to 6-8g/kg body weight... When the schedule includes a large number of matches, carbohydrate intake should be maintained at 6-8g/kg body weight per day for 48-72h between matches to promote proper glycogen storage
Why this rating
Based on expert consensus statements (UEFA) and extrapolation from general sports science, as specific football trials are noted as limited.
Source
Nutrition and supplementation in football - practical guidelines based on current literature review
Wiktoria Staśkiewicz‐Bartecka · Journal of Education Health and Sport · 2022
DOI 10.12775/jehs.2022.12.10.012
More from this paper
- Post-match carbohydrate intake of ~1g/kg body weight per hour for 4 hours is required to maximize glycogen resynthesis and recovery speed.Moderate
- Dehydration of 2% body weight loss impairs football performance, and players should aim to prevent this loss by consuming 5-7ml/kg of fluid 2-4 hours before the match.Moderate
- Daily protein intake of 1.6-2.2g/kg body weight, distributed across 3-4 meals of ~0.4g/kg, optimizes muscle protein synthesis and training adaptation in football players.Moderate
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