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During a match, a football player will typically burn about 1600 calories and cover a distance of about 10 kilometers per game. Not only are calories used up as fuels are burnt by the active muscles, but players will lose several pounds of body mass in the form of fluid, mostly in sweat. 

These statistics show how important proper nutrition (including hydration) and supplementation are for footballers. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to best supplement pre-match, mid-match, and post-match to maintain performance and enhance recovery. 

Pre-Match

Nutrition and supplementation are vital pre-match. 

If you don’t have the energy to perform at your peak, you will likely suffer throughout the entire match. 

Ensuring you have enough carbohydrates and electrolytes in your system will ensure your performance levels are where they need to be. 

Even if you have all the necessary essential nutrients your body needs, your energy levels can still be low. 

This is where a pre-workout supplement like Kick Off comes into play. 

Taking Kick Off before a match will provide you the surge of energy necessary to play at a high level. 

Kick Off includes caffeine which acts as a stimulant to the brain which delays fatigue, reduces tiredness and enhances your alertness so it can give you the necessary edge to outperform your competition. Kick Off also contains nootropics which can boost your mental performance.

With increased awareness and concentration and less feelings of fatigue, Kick Off is an excellent supplement for pre-match energy. We recommend that it is taken no later than 30-minutes before your match!

Half-Time and Mid-Match

Practical issues and the rules of the game limit opportunities for hydration, electrolyte and carbohydrate intake within a match, so opportunities before the match and during half-time are more important than in many other team sports.

Players can rehydrate according to thirst or their anticipated body weight loss at half-time and should be encouraged to drink at least 250 mL of water or a suitable sports drink. A carbohydrate–electrolyte sports drink containing 6 to 8 grams of carbohydrate per 100 mL is probably the most appropriate choice. In the second half breaks in play due an injury stoppage can be used to refuel and rehydrate.

A perfect mid-match electrolyte drink is Isotonic, an isotonic formula designed to replenish fluid, carbohydrates and electrolytes without slowing players down. Isotonic provides 7 grams of rapidly absorbable carbohydrate per 100 mL.

The unique formula contains enough carbohydrates and essential electrolytes to help you perform throughout the rest of the game without becoming dehydrated which can negatively affect your performance

We also have a mid-match carbohydrate energy gel, Extra Time, designed for rapid absorption by football players. 

Extra Time uses multiple transportable carbohydrates that get the energy to your cells fast! 

For the best effect you can rinse Extra Time around your mouth for 5-10 seconds before swallowing. Receptors in your mouth detect the sugars and give your brain a boost by letting you know some fuel is on its way!

Post-Match

Your post-match nutrition and supplementation are vital for proper recovery. 

Without a proper recovery from losses of electrolytes, water, carbohydrates, and protein, your recovery will take double the time. 

As soon as you’re finished with your match, supplement with a sports drink like Isotonic to replace electrolytes and carbohydrates. 

You should also supplement with our Recovery formula, a whey protein shake. 

Recovery allows you to immediately get more protein and carbohydrates to prevent further muscle breakdown, begin muscle repair, restore your body’s fuel stores and improve recovery. 

After this, you can get in a suitably large meal full of protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables to replenish vitamins, minerals, glycogen (your muscles’ carbohydrate store that will have been mostly used up during a game) and protein to help with muscle recovery.

Closing Thoughts

The difference between amateur and professional players is between pre-match, mid-match, and post-match supplementation. 

Professionals understand that how they treat their bodies after a match will affect how they will perform in their next match. 

If they simply leave a match and get fast food or don’t eat at all, their bodies will not have the nutrients to return stronger the next day. 

If instead, you take the time to understand what your body needs in the form of supplements, you can start to leave your competition behind. 

Performance isn’t just what you can do on the pitch anymore. Performance is also everything you do outside of your training and playing. 

Good nutrition is essential but proper supplementation can be the difference maker!

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