Herbalife is the sports nutrition and presenting partner for the LA Galaxy. Herbalife Dietitians work closely with the LA Galaxy technical staff to make sure we are maximizing their nutrition to support performance goals.

You have just played 45 minutes, and are possibly feeling the beginning stages of fatigue. Feeling low in energy leaves you with less focus and a decreased ability to perform with maximal effort, decision-making, and technical skill. Reductions in these essential capabilities can easily cost you a game.

For these reasons, fatigue during matchplay often results in a player being subbed off the field due to decreased performance or cramping, and increases the likelihood of injury.

Replenishing depleted energy stores with proper nutrition is one of the tactics the pros use during matchplay. This can ensure they last the full 90+ minutes with as few performance decrements as possible, giving them an edge over the opposition.

Nutrition Strategies During Soccer Games

One of the most essential things you can do to ensure you are able to perform at your best for the majority (if not all) of a game is to refuel with sports drinks throughout a match whenever possible and to eat an easy to eat and easy to digest snack at halftime. Even if you’re coming off the bench, having a snack handy on the sideline can top off your energy levels before you are subbed in to make sure you are in top form.

Hydration

Keeping a sports drink handy on the sideline helps you maintain energy and hydration levels while on the pitch.

You should always begin a match well-hydrated, but that is not enough when it comes to adequate hydration for gameplay. Footballers often lose a liter or more of fluid containing electrolytes during a match through sweat, so it is important to replace both fluid and electrolytes throughout the duration of a game for optimal performance - both physical and mental.¹

Choosing a sport drink (containing sodium) instead of water or a low sugar electrolyte beverage adds in some needed quick-digesting carbs to help boost energy levels, skills, concentration, and mood.

Carbs

Your focus at halftime should be consuming a simple, carb-rich snack to help boost energy, attention, and focus, while also preserving muscle glycogen stores. Shoot for 30-60 grams of quick-digesting carbs per hour of activity.²

Not only should your snack be rich in carbs, you also want something low in fat and fiber, and low to moderate in protein to avoid digestive discomfort while on the pitch.

Further, you should stick to smaller volume items, as having a full stomach while running around on the field is not the most comfortable feeling, and can cause indigestion or nausea.

Snack Ideas for Halftime

In addition to your hydration protocol, some ideas for carb-rich halftime snacks include:

• Banana
• Orange, tangerine, or clementine slices
• Grapes
• Watermelon
• Applesauce pouch
• Dried fruit, fruit leathers, or fruit snacks
• Salted pretzels
• Salted crackers
• High-carb bars
• Fruit or fig bars
• Sports gels or chews (note: these can cause digestive distress for some individuals, especially if not taken with water)

Always choose a halftime snack that you have tested successfully previously. Leave any experimentation with new halftime foods for training, friendlies, or scrimmages to ensure you can tolerate the food well during activity, so you know how it will impact your performance on gameday.

Each player may have an entirely different halftime nutrition protocol that works best for them. Nutrition should always be personalized based on the field position, preferences, goals, and tolerances of the individual. Come prepared to each match with a plan that is tried and true - and refuel with food and hydration that works for you.

The bottom line is that you can use nutrition strategically during a game to gain an edge over the competition. What you consume leading up to a match is just as important when it comes to preparing you for gameplay, and what you consume afterwards can make or break your recovery. Try out these intra-match strategies during your next soccer match and take note of how you feel and perform. Stay tuned for more game day and recovery nutrition strategies.

References

1. Barnes KA, Anderson ML, Stofan JR, et al. Normative data for sweating rate, sweat sodium concentration, and sweat sodium loss in athletes: An update and analysis by sport. J Sports Sci. 2019;37(20):2356-2366. doi:10.1080/02640414.2019.1633159
2. International Olympic Committee. Nutrition for athletes: a practical guide to eating for health and performance. https://library.olympics.com/Default/doc/SYRACUSE/74010/nutrition-for-athletes-a-practical-guide-to-eating-for-health-and-performance-based-on-an-internatio?_lg=en-GB