Here’s some simple nutritional tips and advice for health and performance:

Pre-football match 3-4 hours before: 90g (the size of the palm of your hand) grilled chicken breast or fish, 1 ½ small Arabic bread or 1 cup (240 ml) rice or pasta. 1 hour before: 1 banana or 2 apples or 2 oranges.

Post-football match 1 small Arabic bread with low-fat cheese or 1 6-inch sandwich with turkey or 1 bowl of cereal with low-fat milk.

Carbohydrates provide good fuel during high intensity physical activity, such as football.
Examples of carbohydrates are rice, bread, pasta, potatoes, cereals and fruit.

Protein taken in regular, small portions are essential for the regeneration of muscles and tissue.
Examples include milk, chicken, eggs, fish and yoghurt.

Fluids help keep you hydrated and it’s important to drink water frequently in small portions - even when you don’t feel like it – and especially during exercise!

Avoid foods that are high in fat, sugar, or fibre before any form of exercise as these take longer to digest, may cause stomach discomfort or even cause your blood sugar to drop quickly.

Tip: Good carbohydrate intake can be achieved by snacking throughout the day, rather than three regular meals, and it is particularly beneficial to refuel just after a match to replenish the energy stored in the muscles.
Bananas, muesli bars, crumpets, bagels, low fat rice pudding, yogurts, milkshakes and fruit are just some of the snacks that are high in carbohydrate but low in fat.