Baller AIWhat to eat on match day
Match day nutrition is mostly about timing rather than about any particular food. Eating the right thing at the wrong time will still leave you heavy in the first half or empty in the last twenty minutes. The plan below is built around the clock, and the single most important rule is the one about not trying anything new.
The timings
Work backwards from kick off rather than eating when you happen to be hungry.
- Three hours before: a proper meal, carbohydrates and protein
- One hour before: something light, a banana or toast
- At half time: water and something sweet
- Within 30 minutes after: protein and carbohydrates
The rules
Hydrate across the whole day rather than drinking a litre at kick off, which just leaves you uncomfortable. Avoid heavy fat within three hours, because it slows digestion and sits with you.
If you already use caffeine, keep your normal routine. If you do not, match day is not the day to start.
- Hydrate all day, not at kick off
- Nothing new on match day, ever
- No heavy fat within three hours
- Caffeine only if you already use it
The rule that matters most
Nothing new on match day. Not a new supplement, not a new pre match meal, not a gel someone handed you in the changing room.
The cost of an unfamiliar food going badly is far higher than any marginal benefit it might have given you.
A note on this guide
This is general information for healthy players, not nutrition advice for an individual. If you are under 18, have allergies, or have any history of disordered eating, speak to a qualified professional before changing what you eat.
Get this built into your week
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