Nutritional Considerations to Optimize Performance, Health, and Recovery for Adolescent Soccer Players

Soccer is a physically demanding sport that requires players to perform intermittently at high intensities. Appropriate nutrition is required to meet the performance and recovery demands of professional soccer. The nutritional principles applicable to soccer can be summarized as maintenance of energy availability, periodization of carbohydrates around training and matches, sufficient carbohydrate and protein intake, and maintenance of hydration status while avoiding micronutrient deficiencies. Many professional soccer clubs operate academies designed to develop adolescent soccer players both holistically and technically into future elite-level players. Adolescent soccer players (aged 11–21 yr) need to optimize nutrition for growth and maturation, as well as performance. Adolescents go through significant periods of growth and maturation between the ages of 11 and 16 yr, experiencing increases in body mass (up to 30 kg) and height (up to 25 cm). Nutrition considerations for adolescent athletes need to meet physiological development and performance demands. The importance of adequate nutrition for athlete growth, maturation, professional development, and reduced injury risk is often undervalued in professional soccer academies. This review outlines key nutritional considerations to optimize performance and health for adolescent soccer players and provides clear research-informed guidance for soccer players, parents/guardians, and practitioners.