Meet our expert Meet our expert
Pitched was co-developed with Emma Scheerlinck, professional football nutritionist, where she works closely with players on a daily basis to support their performance.
Her role focuses on preparing the players for training and matches, optimizing energy availability, hydration, and recovery, and translating sports science into practical routines the players can consistently follow.
Emma holds multiple degrees, including a master’s in sports nutrition at the International Olympic Committee, another master's at the University of Stirling, and a postgraduate in football nutrition at the FC Barcelona Innovation Hub. She is currently pursuing a PhD researching carbohydrate fueling and recovery.
The science behind a 90-minute match The science behind a 90-minute match
Football is one of the most physically demanding sports. It is a sequence of sprints, accelerations, and decisions under fatigue, which puts the body under a lot of stress.
During 90 minutes, three major physiological challenges dominate: fluid loss, energy depletion and muscle fatigue. What defines performance in these circumstances is not just physical capacity, but also how well the body is fueled to keep responding.
Understanding these three challenges forms the foundation of effective performance nutrition in football.
Fluid loss is inevitable. Performance lost doesn’t have to be
Fluid loss is inevitable. Performance loss doesn’t have to be. Sweating is a natural response of your body, helping to regulate its temperature during repeated high-intensity efforts. At the same time, it leads to the loss of fluids and key electrolytes such as sodium, chloride, potassium, and magnesium, which are essential for hydration, muscle function, and nerve signaling.
For the performance geeks like us: sodium is the primary electrolyte lost through sweat and plays a key role in fluid balance and retention. Chloride works alongside it to support proper fluid distribution. Potassium supports nerve signaling and muscle contraction, while magnesium contributes to normal muscle function.
As the match progresses, these losses gradually accumulate. Coordination becomes less precise, concentration harder to maintain, and muscles fatigue more quickly. This is not a sudden drop, but a steady decline over time.
Water alone is not enough
Water replaces fluids, but not all the electrolytes lost through sweat. Electrolytes support fluid distribution throughout the body. Without them the body struggles to retain and properly use what you drink. Effective hydration is therefore about maintaining balance.
Starting hydrated at kick-off, supporting fluid and electrolyte levels during the match, and restoring them afterwards each play an important role in sustaining performance for the full 90 minutes.
Hydration is a process and it starts in the morning of your matchday.
Football runs on carbohydrates
Football is built on repeated high-intensity actions: accelerating, sprinting, changing direction. All of these rely on one primary fuel source: carbohydrates.
In the body, carbohydrates are stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. These stores provide the energy needed to sustain performance throughout a match. At kick-off, they should be well filled. But as the game progresses, every sprint and every action draws from the same limited reserve.
Unlike hydration, this decline is often less noticeable. But over time, performance begins to shift.
Fatigue is often an energy problem
As glycogen levels drop, the ability to sustain intensity decreases. Sprint speed declines, recovery between efforts takes longer, and decision-making becomes less sharp, especially in the later stages of the match.
This is not just about fitness. It is a reflection of reduced energy availability. And it can be easily solved by refueling your carbohydrate stores.
Timing is everything
Timing matters as much as quantity. It’s not just about having energy available, but about when it becomes available. Football is unpredictable. The body needs to be ready to respond in those moments, not just at the start.
That’s why fueling is about maintaining availability. Supporting energy levels before kick-off and topping them up at the right moments. That’s how it’s done right.
Performance doesn’t end at the final whistle
Every sprint, jump, and change of direction places stress on the muscles. Over the course of a match, this leads to small amounts of muscle damage. This is a normal part of high-intensity performance, but also the reason why legs feel heavy and sore afterwards.
What happens next matters. The speed at which the body repairs and restores itself directly impacts how ready you are for the next session.
Drink your shake. We’re serious.
Recovery starts immediately after the game. In fact, the first 30 minutes after the match are key. During this window, the body is primed to start recovery.
Supporting the body with the right nutrition significantly speeds up the process of repairing muscle tissue, restoring energy and preparing for what comes next.
So, drink that shake. Your legs will thank you later.
