What to do before a Soccer Game

Kids Soccer Goal

Soccer is a well-known game, and its popularity is increasing with time. Today, let us learn what to do before a Soccer Game.

The key to playing an extremely good game and giving a show to your fans and viewers is that players must prepare for a soccer game.

Players spend hours and hours on soccer training and improving their moves to perform their best when they step into the ground. 

However, more than enhancing the performance and way of playing the game, optimizing your gameplay on the day of the soccer game is highly important.

How to prepare for a Soccer game?

Let us find out before a soccer game tips. A player should prepare for the game because it is the stress that makes you attain perfection in every area.

After all, any area left missed out can lessen the chance of your perfect performance by impeding it wholly while you are on the pitch.

Preparing your body

Preparing your body before the game is the key because soccer requires a lot of stamina. The player will have to run at enough speed to cover the maximum distance in the required time to reach the ball. The body will require the essential inputs and components to tackle the pressure in the ground.

Supercompensation Cycle 

There is a term that is used in sports science, the Supercompensation Cycle. Supercompensation Cycle is required when, after the training is done, the body of the player has reached the fatigued point. To get his or her old potential and level of energy back, instant recovery is required. 

While the player is recovering from the fatigue, there is a chance of improving his performance as well, which helps in no decline of performance but rather an enhancement of it. The supercompensation cycle helps the player to recover himself or herself between one match and the other.

How to train the days before a Soccer Game?

A player should prepare three to four days before the soccer game. The preparation includes different aspects like having proper nutrition, hydration, and physically training yourself for the match day.

Nutritional preparation is the most debatable topic because nutrition depends upon each of the players. No one plan fits all the players.

Nutritional preparation

The first question that comes to our mind is ‘What to eat the day before a soccer game?’

The main aim of satisfactory nutrition is to feed yourself with an adequate amount of some type of fats and carbohydrates before the game event has started because these are the primary energy systems.

Try to avoid eating foods that can cause you gastrointestinal discomfort like cramps, toilet breaks, bloating, and acidic build-up. Lastly, keep yourself well hydrated, so you don’t feel parched and low on energy.

Food requirement

The food that people eat to achieve the above goals is all dependent upon the age of the player, his or her experience, their preference of food, and even the culture and tradition of the player.

However, attention is given to the match and its basic requirements. Usually, the guideline of the food requirements are

  • That the players should have an intake of carbs two or three days before the game
  • The players should keep his or hers body hydrated by drinking enough after
  • He or she should have an intake of lean protein with every meal of the day

Likewise, there should be an intake of four to five smaller meals daily, so the player’s glucose level stays stable.

Physical training

In addition to nourishment and hydration, physical training and preparation also hold great regard. It is possible that in the matches, you are caused by mere injuries like niggles or knocks.

That is why it is important that physical training is given importance for maintenance. The player can do yoga, aerobic exercise of low level, and stretching.

All of this training helps the player to prepare before a soccer match. A player should have a recovery period of 48 hours before his big game event ideally.

Hydration of the player

A player should check his urine with the hydration urine chart and see how much he or she is hydrated and how much water intake is required to boost performance in soccer.

Match day preparation

The match day preparation is entirely dependent upon the player’s individual choice and preference. On match day, the player prepares himself or herself physically or psychologically, and that too is entirely dependent upon the player.

That is why the player should choose his or her plan. On match day morning, the player should stroll, have a walk around or cycle to keep himself relaxed.

  • The pre-match meal should be three to four hours before the match so the body can digest the food the player has eaten, and the energy can be utilized in the match. 
  • Along with the meal, rather than having sports drinks, the player should have water and juice. Sports drinks are good to some extent, but it is better to be avoided before the match.
  • If the player takes sports drinks or energy drinks before the match, his or her carbohydrates will turn to energy in no time, and then you will start feeling tired during the match. 

It is good to have a sports drink immediately before the match starts or during the match.

Recovery

Post-match, the cycle will repeat itself. The first aspect of this game is that you recover from the previous game. There are different ways of optimizing the player’s recovery.

The Players should get 10 points in the supercompensation cycle table, which includes different activities before they have started another training for their next match. The chart includes

  • Eight to nine hours of sleep
  • 15 minutes of stretching exercise 
  • 15 minutes of foam rolling
  • Have a good meal that includes proteins and carbs
  • Stay hydrated and drink water
  • Go home after the match in lower limb compression clothes 

Last thoughts 

A player can boost soccer performance by following the above cycle of what to do before a soccer game because going unprepared to the field is going to decline your whole professional career in the soccer game

Join us at Barcelona Premier Soccer Club! Our expert coaches are committed to helping players of all ages and skill levels reach their full potential and experience the thrill of soccer.