Should soccer players consume alcoholic beverages?

Alcohol and football have shared a close relationship since the founding of football leagues.

Football was traditionally a hardworking blue-collar game, and in the early days of the sport, many players enjoyed a few beers after the game (and even before)...

 But modern football has distanced itself somewhat from alcohol.

There is now a greater emphasis on nutrition, the potential risks and adverse effects of alcohol consumption have led to many clubs banning their players from drinking during key stages of the season, if not for the entire season.

This begs the question: what effect can drinking alcohol, both in excessive and occasional amounts, have on your training and performance on game day?

 
The science

One of the biggest problems with alcohol consumption among elite players is dehydration.

Ethanol is known to inhibit an antidiuretic hormone and act as a vasodilator, increasing urination and evaporation, which potentially leads to severe dehydration.

This can have a negative impact on various bodily functions, greatly affecting your ability to recover.

After a match or training, your body needs fluids, nutrients and energy to help with the recovery process. If this is obstructed by the introduction of alcohol, it will directly affect your ability to recover.

Alcohol also reduces sleep quality, another important aspect of optimal recovery.

Another detail, alcohol is high in calories and nutritionally poor. If consumed in excess, it means you are consuming too many unnecessary empty calories or missing out on essential macro and micronutrients that are crucial for recovery.

What this means
There's nothing wrong with enjoying the occasional beer, but if you're serious about your career and want to reach the highest level, you'll realistically want to limit this to no more than one drink a week.

Success at the highest level is literally a matter of millimeters. So if you're serious about representing your country or one of Europe's top clubs, it makes sense not to shoot yourself in the foot.

Alcohol abuse over time will significantly reduce your fitness level, recovery capacity and also your mindset. Good nutrition is essential to allow adaptations from your hard training to take place, reducing your risk of injury, maintaining good health and maximizing your chances of reaching your highest level.