Even Sunday Leaguers are trying to get the edge on their competitors and are using diets and ditching the booze to get ahead
Amateur footballers are upping their game when it comes to nutrition – ditching burgers, kebabs and post-match pints in favour of performance-boosting foods.
A poll of 1,000 adults who play football found 67% are trying to get the edge on their competitors through diet. Four in 10 avoid alcohol, 24% rarely eat burgers, while 23% steer clear of kebabs, fuelled by a desire to perform at their best on matchday.
Instead, 56% of Gen Z players now follow a diet specifically designed to maintain energy levels during matches. Taking inspiration from YouTube channels, social media chefs and health sites.
But of all players polled, 81% said in their teens and early 20s, they felt they could get away with eating a lot more junk food than they can now.
With 34% wanting to eat more healthily to boost their stamina levels, and 33% hoping to perform better for their team.
But Millennial footballers’ primary goal was for personal health and body goals. Despite this, a third of Gen X still insist a full English breakfast is a perfectly fine matchday meal.
The research was commissioned by Specsavers, which has teamed up with football pundit and former footballer Micah Richards and private chef to footballers Jonny Marsh, to help turn around the fortunes of Britain’s worst football team.
Brentwood-based side Warley FC endured a torrid run of form last season, losing 18 of their 20 games and conceding 81 goals along the way.
Now, the team’s journey to redemption continues off the pitch, with a new diet designed to get the most out of the beleaguered squad.
Marsh has ensured the football-favourite chicken pie can still feature on the menu, by giving it a superfood upgrade.
The Warley players tried their hand at a mini bake-off in the latest series episode with comedic results.
Jonny Marsh said: “My advice to the Warley lads and any other amateur sports person is simple – fuel like you want to play. Small consistent changes like the right carbs to guarantee steady energy can transform how long you last on the pitch, how sharp you can feel in those final crucial minutes and importantly, how fast you recover.”