Hydration for Soccer Players: 11 Game-Changing Hacks
Hydration is one of the most important parts of soccer performance on the field and recovery off it, yet, unfortunately, a lot of the information most players have been taught about hydration is wrong. Gatorade isn’t helping you, plain water isn’t hydrating you, and that expensive sports drink deal with your favorite player? It’s just marketing.
Soccer players are constantly looking for the next training gear, trend, or accessory to help them improve their performance, and sometimes don’t realize that improving the basics of player development, which includes, talent, game IQ, mindset, athleticism, fitness, recovery, and discipline, are the most important things for becoming a better player and getting in better shape. Hydration is one part of recovery and overall recovery includes everything from your sleep, to proper nutrition, to EMF protection, and how much time you spend grounding and in nature.
Hydration for soccer players is crucial before, during, and after training sessions or games, because it directly impacts energy levels, physical performance, mental clarity, recovery, and the ability to perform at one’s best level. In this blog, I will provide the best advice on hydration for soccer players to enhance their performance.
What are the best Hydration Tips for Peak Performance in Adult and Young Athletes?
Proper hydration is critical for elite football players because adequate hydration directly impacts skill performance, endurance performance, and peak performance during high-intensity training sessions and soccer matches. Elite professional soccer players must restore fluid and electrolyte losses to support body temperature regulation, avoid muscle cramps, optimize the post-exercise recovery process, and to make sure their in-game performance is not disrupted by dehydration.
Understand the Difference Between Liquid Water and 4th Phase Water
When talking about water, I also have to discuss the different phases of water. The water inside living humans is unlike the three phases most people are familiar with: solid, liquid, and gas.
This water inside living organisms, living foods, and “living” bodies of water, is called the Fourth Phase of Water (also known as Exclusion Zone water (EZ) or structured water), which means it is not any of the other three phases.
EZ water is more like a liquid gel or crystal found around the surfaces of hydrophilic, water-attracting substances, like certain molecules in our living tissues. This unique water also helps create a battery-like electrical system in the body that can give you energy, act as a messaging system, and help keep you hydrated.
This topic should be taught in schools and to the general public because it is mind-blowing once you understand that water has a unique Fourth Phase that only becomes structured inside living organisms like us. When you look at this fourth phase of structured water under a microscope, it is arranged in honeycomb-like patterns, showing the amazing patterns found throughout nature.
When you look at regular liquid water under a microscope, all of the molecules are scattered around and they are not arranged in a structured way.
Prioritize drinking natural spring water
Natural spring water is by far the best type of water you can drink because it contains minerals and electrolytes that support hydration, joint function, and nerve signaling throughout your body. Ideally, it’s best if the water is stored in glass and you avoid all tap water.
If you cannot get natural spring water, one of the next best options is purified reverse osmosis water, though you’ll need to add minerals back in since the filtration process removes both contaminants and beneficial minerals.
Add Lime, Uncooked Raw Honey, and Sea Salt to Your Water
If you’re drinking reverse osmosis water that needs added electrolytes, adding lime juice, raw honey, and sea salt to your water restores the essential minerals your body needs: sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium, turning plain drinking water into a hydrating drink. You can try different, but similar combinations to vary it up, but typically, this is one of the best combinations since it’s basically a healthy lemonade.
If you need an Electrolyte Supplement, use a High-Quality Brand
Another way to add electrolytes to water is by using a quality electrolyte supplement like Redmond Re-Lyte Hydration Powder, which is made with real sea salt and provides clean electrolytes without artificial ingredients. This is a convenient option for soccer players who need quick fluid replacement during training sessions or matches and don’t have time to make their own homemade drink.
Start your day with a vegetable juice made of local, organic vegetables
When you sleep, you go 7-8 hours without water, which means your body wakes up dehydrated and in need of minerals, electrolytes, and structured water to rehydrate your cells. Starting your morning with fresh vegetable juice made from local, organic vegetables, like celery, lime, and carrots, provides essential nutrients that support adequate hydration and prepare your body for the day.
You can also try different vegetable juice combinations, and ideally, it’s best to focus on in-season, local, organic vegetables.
After 30 minutes of drinking vegetable juice, eat 2-4 raw eggs like Rocky Balboa
After you drink your vegetable juice, eat 2-4 raw eggs to fuel your body with high-quality bioavailable protein and healthy fats that support sports nutrition and recovery. If you’re not ready to eat them raw, you can eat them soft-boiled, poached, or sunny-side up to keep the yolk intact and preserve the nutrients.
If you choose to eat raw eggs, make sure they come from a trusted local farm and have never been washed or refrigerated, as these eggs still contain their natural protective coating (called the “bloom”) that helps keep them fresh and safe. Always prioritize clean, high-quality sources for both safety and nutrient value.
Eat Hydrating Foods
As a soccer player, one way to get hydrated is by eating hydrating foods that contain structured water and essential nutrients such as fresh local fruits, vegetable juices, raw eggs, raw fish (like sushi), raw meats (like beef carpaccio), raw dairy (like raw milk), and raw honey. As you eat more of these hydrating foods throughout your daily routine, you’ll find that you stay better hydrated without needing to drink as many fluids.
Drink Fruit Juices or Coconut Water
Besides natural spring water and home-made drinks, fresh fruit juices and coconut water are other excellent natural alternatives to mainstream sports drinks. Fruit juices and coconut water provide natural electrolytes, essential nutrients, and fluid replacement that support proper hydration and restore fluid balance during and after training sessions without artificial ingredients.
Do not drink Gatorade and other Mainstream sports drinks
Mainstream sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade are loaded with artificial ingredients, excessive sugar, and preservatives that don’t support long-term soccer performance or optimal hydration status for either youth soccer players or elite professional soccer players. These carbohydrate-electrolyte drinks are basically soda with added electrolytes, and the marketing deals with professional athletes are used as a way to convince players that these products are necessary for peak performance and proper hydration when, in reality, they’re harming their body.
Store your water in glass or stainless steel bottles
No matter what you’re drinking, always store your fluids in glass or stainless steel bottles and avoid all plastic water bottles because plastic can leach chemicals into your fluid intake that disrupt proper hydration and hormone function in soccer players. This may sound like doing too much, but sourcing and storing your water correctly is crucial for maintaining optimal hydration status and avoiding toxins that can negatively impact soccer performance and recovery if they build up over a long period of time.
Listen to Your Body’s Thirst Signals
Generally, it is hard to suggest how much water to drink daily, and some water intake recommendations may not work because hydration will vary from person to person, depending on an individual’s mitochondrial function and how much hydration the food and liquids they consume provide.
As I mentioned before, the more you learn how to hydrate yourself properly, and the more you experience the benefits of hydrating with foods and improving your mitochondrial function, the better you will intuitively know how much water your body wants. Do your best to drink as much water as you feel your body needs.
As a rule of thumb, eat healthy, eat foods that hydrate, and drink natural spring water when you are thirsty.
Final Thoughts
To summarize, proper hydration is important for all soccer players, from youth players all the way up to elite professional soccer players. Proper hydration goes along with proper sports nutrition, and these are two of the most important aspects to improve daily, along with your actual training, sleep, and EMF protection.
In this blog, I covered everything you need to know about the importance of hydration. I broke down some hydration myths and provided you with hydration tips that you can start using today. Remember, to improve your chances of making your soccer dreams a reality, you have to take care of every aspect of your life that affects performance, and this includes hydration levels.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best hydration drink for soccer players?
The best hydration drink for soccer players is natural spring water with added lime juice, raw honey, and sea salt, or a homemade electrolyte drink made with coconut water, spring water, lime juice, sea salt, and raw honey. These natural options provide essential minerals and electrolytes that support proper hydration and fluid balance without the artificial ingredients found in mainstream sports drinks like Gatorade.
How to properly hydrate before a soccer match?
To properly hydrate before a soccer match, start your day with vegetable juice followed by raw eggs, then drink natural spring water with added electrolytes throughout the day while eating hydrating foods like fresh fruits. Avoid drinking excessive amounts of plain water right before the match, and instead focus on gradual fluid intake with proper electrolytes to ensure your body can actually absorb and use the fluids for peak performance.
What are the effects of dehydration?
Dehydration, even mild dehydration, leads to decreased skill performance, reduced mental and physical performance, lower energy levels, and increased risk of muscle cramps during training sessions and soccer matches. Significant dehydration can also cause heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion and heat stroke, impair body temperature regulation, and negatively impact endurance performance and subsequent performance in high-intensity situations.
What are the best soccer recovery options for players?
The best soccer recovery options for players include high-quality soccer recovery equipment, effective injury prevention tools, and structured habits built through following consistent routines, from training routines and daily routines to morning routines that support performance and longevity. It is also important for players to invest in off-field recovery tools and in-game protective gear, such as compression gear, shin guards, supportive footwear like barefoot shoes, extra recovery accessories such as EMF protection for soccer players, and foundational support from soccer supplements to help the body recover, adapt, and stay resilient throughout the season.
