Evaluating macronutrient intake and distribution in a professional football club: do players meet UEFA guidelines?

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Oliver Jones, Justin Roberts, Sanjoy Deb, Jack Manuel, Laurence Bloom, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 7 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Background Optimising nutritional intake is essential for supporting the physiological demands of professional football, yet limited evidence describes how players in lower leagues fuel their training microcycle. This study examined macronutrient intake among English League One footballers, evaluated adherence to UEFA nutrition guidelines, and assessed within-day meal distribution. Twenty-six male professional players (26 ± 5 years) were monitored across two non-consecutive weeks. Dietary intake was recorded over 7-days using food diaries and daily 24-hour recalls. Results Energy intake (EI), absolute and relative macronutrient intake, and meal-level distribution were statistically analysed. Macronutrients differed across the training week (p < 0.05). Daily EI was highest on match-day (MD)-5 (3091 ± 289 kcal·day⁻¹) and the lowest on MD-4 (2864 ± 379kcal·day⁻¹). Relative carbohydrate (CHO) intake peaked on MD-1 (4.4 ± 0.9g·kg⁻¹) but remained below UEFA recommendations throughout the microcycle. Only 50% of players met the minimum 4g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹ on MD-5 and MD-4, and 4% achieved the MD-1 target of 6g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹. Relative protein was highest on MD-5 (2.5 ± 0.2g·kg⁻¹) and MD-2 (2.5 ± 0.3g·kg⁻¹) and lowest on MD-4 (2.2 ± 0.3g·kg⁻¹). Fat intake was highest on MD-5 (1.6 ± 0.3g·kg⁻¹) and lowest on MD-1 (1.1 ± 0.2g·kg⁻¹). EI at lunch (977 ± 59kcal·day − 1 ) was significantly higher than mid–morning (458 ± 85kcal·day − 1 ) and evening snack (331 ± 127kcal·day − 1 ). CHO intake distribution was higher at breakfast (1.0 ± 0.3g.kg − 1 ), lunch (1.1 ± 0.2g·kg − 1 ) and dinner (1.1 ± 0.3g·kg − 1 ) than the evening snack (0.3 ± 0.1g·kg − 1 , all p < 0.05). Conclusions CHO intake did not meet the recommended UEFA guidelines across the training week. Lower-league professional footballers likely require nutritional education interventions to improve diet quality and EI. Nutrition Macronutrient intake Macronutrient Distribution Carbohydrate availability Professional football Soccer Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Background Football performance during training and match play is fuelled by both aerobic (~ 70%) and anaerobic (~ 30%) energy systems, with players performing 150–250 intense actions per match (Bangsbo, 2014). Nutritional requirements vary by position, training load, and match intensity, emphasising the need for tailored fuelling strategies (Jesus et al., 2021; Kalpana et al., 2023; Gallant et al., 2025). To guide practice, UEFA provides expert statements outlining macronutrient recommendations for elite football, including specific training-day targets (Collins et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021). Daily energy expenditure requirements in professional footballers are estimated to be ~ 3550 kcal·day⁻¹ and ranges between 3100—4050 kcal·day⁻¹ depending on training session intensity or match exposure (Ono et al., 2012). Earlier guidelines recommended fixed macronutrient distributions (Clark, 1994), but contemporary literature supports periodised nutrition aligned with weekly external load variation (Collins et al., 2021; Macuh et al., 2022). Carbohydrate (CHO) remains the primary substrate supporting football training and performance because of the reliance on muscle glycogen during intermittent high-intensity activity (Burke et al., 2006; Krustrup et al., 2006). Approximately 47% of muscle fibres may be partially or fully glycogen-depleted following match play (Saltin, 1973; Krustrup et al., 2006), which is of importance as glycogen reductions of ~ 40% compromise performance and contribute to peripheral fatigue (Dutka and Lamb, 2006; Mohr et al., 2005; Mohr et al., 2016; Mohr et al, 2023). Athletes who do not consume sufficient CHO may begin match play with reduced glycogen stores, compromising high-intensity performance (Burke, 2021). Consistently, diets providing ~ 8 g·kg⁻¹ of body mass (BM) of CHO have been associated with greater distance covered and up to 33% more high-intensity actions compared with lower CHO intake (Balsom et al., 1999; Souglis et al., 2013). UEFA guidelines recommend 4–8 g·kg⁻¹ across a standard one-game week, increasing to 6–8 g·kg⁻¹ on match day (MD)-1 to support glycogen restoration and fuelling (Collins et al., 2021). Despite these recommendations, achieving adequate CHO intake remains a practical challenge. For example, concentrating intake into three main meals may require large volumes of food, potentially causing gastrointestinal discomfort and psychological burden (De Oliveira and Burini, 2014; Arribalzaga et al., 2021). Anderson et al. (2022) proposed pragmatic and applied strategies for football players during a one-game week, with breakfast ranging from 0.5–1.0 g·kg − 1 , lunch requiring 1.5–2.0 g·kg − 1 , and dinner 1.0–2.0 g·kg − 1 , in addition to snacks, which include 0.5–1.5 g·kg − 1 of CHO. However, these strategies are largely derived from Premier League cohorts and may not translate to lower-league settings. Aside from CHO intake requirements, the consistent weekly mechanical load on muscles and tendons creates a continuous demand to restore protein-rich tissues, maintaining structural resilience and functional capacity (Collins et al., 2021). Recommendations of 1.6–2.2 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹, distributed evenly across meals with additional pre-sleep intake (30–40 g), have been shown to optimise skeletal muscle protein synthesis (Morton et al., 2015; Trommelen and van Loon, 2016). Dietary fat also contributes to total energy intake, essential fatty acid supply, and hormonal regulation (Devlin et al., 2017), typically comprising 20–25% of daily intake, although some players may deliberately reduce their fat intake to manage energy balance or maintain leanness. While elite top-tier footballers typically meet these targets (Anderson et al., 2017; Wardenaar et al., 2017), it remains unclear whether footballers in lower-leagues (League One/Two) achieve these targets with sufficient dietary intake, particularly with limited nutritional support. Collectively, no research has examined how English League One footballers periodise macronutrient intake and meal distribution across a training week or whether established guidelines are met. The aims of this study were to 1) characterise the macronutrient intake of professional league 1 footballers, 2) compare intake to recommended values, and 3) assess meal distribution across training days within a one-game week. It was hypothesised that participants would meet the UEFA CHO intake recommendations or macronutrient distribution across training days. Materials and methods Study design and ethical approval This study gained ethical approval from the institutional research ethics committee (ETH2425-2974) and adhered to guidelines from the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association, 2025). This study adopted an observational, analytical, longitudinal design following approval from Cambridge United Football Club, with all participants providing written, informed consent. Data collection took place across two-weeks of a competitive League One season in March 2025. A typical one-match week for the team consisted of MD-5 (Monday), MD-4 (Tuesday), a rest day on MD-3 (Wednesday), followed by MD-2 (Thursday) and MD-1 (Friday) training sessions, before MD (Saturday) and a rest day on MD + 1 (Sunday). Nutritional intake and external training load were recorded on MD-5, MD-4, MD-2, and MD-1 across two non-consecutive weeks, separated by a two-week interval due to team travel and player availability. Nutritional data for MD-1 in the second week were not collected because of external team management constraints. In total, food diaries and external load data were obtained over 7 days. Participants and Procedures All 26 male participants (age: 26 ± 5 years, height: 181.7 ± 7.5 cm, body mass: 78.1 ± 7.3 kg, body mass index [BMI]: 23.6 ± 1.2 kg·m²) were included in this study. The squad consisted of goalkeepers (n = 3), defenders (n = 8), midfielders (n = 8), and attackers (n = 7), see Table 1 . Table 1 Participant's physical characteristics relating to player position. Variables Player Position Goalkeepers (n = 3) Defenders (n = 7) Midfielders (n = 8) Attackers (n = 7) Age (years) 25 ± 3 27 ± 6 28 ± 5 23 ± 4 Height (cm) 188.0 ± 2.0 184.6 ± 7.6 180.1 ± 6.6 177.6 ± 7.6 Body mass (kg) 80.8 ± 6.8 80.5 ± 6.3 76.8 ± 6.8 75.6 ± 9.4 BMI (kg·m²) 22.9 ± 1.5 23.6 ± 0.8 23.6 ± 0.7 23.9 ± 1.9 Data presented as mean ± SD. BMI: body mass index, SD: standard deviation Dietary intake Participants completed a self-reported food diary (printed or online) over 7-days across two non-consecutive weeks to assess habitual dietary intake. Before data collection, they received verbal instruction and an example diary, including guidance on portion sizes and estimating food and fluid amounts. Participants recorded all food and supplement intake each day (as per Saravia et al., 2022). Two meals per day were consumed at the training ground, where researchers assisted with weighing food using calibrated digital scales (Salter Brecknell B140, Brecknell, Smethwick) to ensure accurate weights of cooked food. To standardise reporting, participants were instructed to record items in grams (g) or millilitres (mL) where possible, or use household measures, when necessary (e.g., cups, pounds and ounces), and to include brand names when available. Food diaries were collected the following day alongside photographs of meals consumed outside the training ground to support cross-checking (Martin et al., 2009). Any inconsistencies were clarified through follow-up questions. Additional 24-hour recalls were conducted in brief meetings with the research team to verify the previous day's nutritional intake, identify reporting errors, and confirm weights, brands, and amounts. This approach enhances validity at the group level (Karvetti, 1985). Energy and macronutrient intake were derived from the food diaries, supported by 24-hour recall and meal photographs (Thompson and Subar, 2008). All diaries were checked and analysed by the same researcher to minimise between-assessor variation. Meal distribution was categorised according to time of consumption: breakfast (05:00–10:00), mid-morning snack (10:00–12:00), lunch (12:00–17:00), dinner (17:00–21:00), and evening snack (21:00–05:00). Training load To assess training load, participants wore global positioning system (GPS) devices, which were held in a vest underneath the participant's shirt on the upper back. The devices used were Vector Pro S8 (Vector Pro, Catapult Sports), which have been identified as having high validity and reliability for measuring distance, speed, and acceleration (Ellens et al., 2025), with a sampling frequency of 10 Hz. Participants used the same devices throughout the study period and the same vest to minimise any variability in the data. Following each training session, devices were immediately collected and downloaded to a computer console (Openfield, Catapult). The sessions were edited to ensure that drill and session times were accurate and that no participant data were missing. Analysis and Statistical Procedures Individual nutrient intake was obtained for 7-days across 2 separate weeks. The 2 weeks’ data were then averaged by the individual MD and positional group. Dietary intake was assessed using Nutritics Professional Dietary Analysis software (Nutritics Ltd., Co. Dublin, Ireland). From the extensive analysis, the key outputs used for further analysis were as follows: absolute energy intake (kcal·day − 1 ), CHO (g·day − 1 ), proteins (g·day − 1 ) and fats (g·day − 1 ), and relative energy intake (kcal·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ), CHO (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ), proteins (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ), and fats (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ), to the individual's body mass. Reporting and analysis of the training data were performed using the Openfield Cloud software (Openfield, Catapult). External load variables used were total distance (TD; m), high-speed running (HSR) distance (m), sprint distance (m), and player load (PL) (arbitrary unit [A.U.]). PL was calculated as the square root of the summed squared instantaneous rates of change in acceleration across the X, Y, and Z axes, divided by 100 (Boyd et al., 2011), as shown in the equation below. $$\:PL=\:\sqrt{\frac{(ay1-ay-{1)}^{2}+(ax1-ax-{1)}^{2}+(az1-az-{1)}^{2}}{100}}$$ All data are reported as mean ± standard deviation (SD). Confirmation of normality was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. All data sets were confirmed with non-normality (p < 0.05); therefore, non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. A Friedman ANOVA test was used to assess for differences between macronutrient intake across the training days within the squad and within positional groups, as well as assessment of meal distribution patterns. Corrected Bonferroni post-hoc assessment was employed where applicable. An α level of p < 0.05 was employed for statistical significance. Results Macronutrient differences between matchdays Mean macronutrient intake is reported in Tables 2 and 3 . There were significant differences across the training weeks for macronutrient intake, including both absolute (X² [2] = 16.9, p < 0.001) and relative energy intake (X² [2] = 10.337, p = 0.016), both absolute (X² [2] = 12.4, p = 0.006) and relative CHO intake (X² [2] = 14.6, p < 0.001), and both absolute (X² [2] = 34.7, p < 0.001) and relative fat intake (X² [2] = 43.2, p < 0.001). A significant difference was also found for absolute protein intake (X² [2] = 8.0, p = 0.045), but not for relative protein intake (X² [2] = 8.1, p = 0.054). Energy intake was significantly higher on MD-5 compared to MD-4 (p = 0.001) and MD-2 (p = 0.011). Absolute CHO intake was significantly higher on MD-1 than on MD-2 (p = 0.004). No significant differences were found for absolute protein intake across assessed days. Absolute fat intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p < 0.001), MD-2 (p = 0.008), and MD-1 (p = 0.005), respectively. Table 2 Squad and positional absolute macronutrient intake across the trial period. Variable Training Day Position MD-5 MD-4 MD-2 MD-1 Energy (kcal·day − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 3091 ± 289 ^# 3226 ± 143 3251 ± 257 ^ 3027 ± 184 3158 ± 195 2864 ± 379 2364 ± 539 2954 ± 302 2892 ± 164 2924 ± 471 2947 ± 327 2674 ± 321 3062 ± 400 2903 ± 194 2983 ± 348 2998 ± 393 2650 ± 583 3105 ± 514 2982 ± 233 3042 ± 284 CHO (g·day − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 317 ± 54 309 ± 38 ^#+ 325 ± 35 297 ± 38 335 ± 48 # 301 ± 68 228 ± 78 314 ± 69 315 ± 31 303 ± 87 292 ± 66 215 ± 59 309 ± 55 190 ± 23 291 ± 22 343 ± 82 # 298 ± 82 378 ± 100 #* 336 ± 47 ^#* 330 ± 93 # Protein (g·day − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 192 ± 16 189 ± 14 ^ 201 ± 20 186 ± 16 191 ± 17 175 ± 19 159 ± 25 178 ± 13 173 ± 20 180 ± 22 191 ± 25 176 ± 32 195 ± 29 190 ± 23 193 ± 22 182 ± 26 162 ± 28 180 ± 30 185 ± 20 191 ± 27 Fat (g·day − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 127 ± 21 ^#+ 136 ± 9 ^+ 135 ± 25 ^+ 125 ± 19 ^#+ 117 ± 14 ^+ 94 ± 15 94 ± 26 101 ± 16 91 ± 10 89 ± 13 104 ± 17 124 ± 15 ^+ 110 ± 18 + 94 ± 8.7 101 ± 18 89 ± 19 90 ± 21 90 ± 25 87 ± 18 89 ± 15 Data reported as mean ± SD. Note: significant (p < 0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and + compared to MD-1. Relative energy intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p = 0.013). Relative CHO intake was significantly higher on MD-1 than on MD-4 (p = 0.011) and MD-2 (p = 0.005). No significant differences were found for relative protein intake. Relative fat intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p = 0.001), MD-2 (p = 0.006), and MD-1 (p = 0.001). Table 3 Squad and positional relative macronutrient intake across the trial period. Variable Training Day Position MD-5 MD-4 MD-2 MD-1 Energy (kcal·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 40.5 ± 3.0 ^ 42.8 ± 3.2 40.8 ± 2.6 ^ 39.1 ± 3.8 40.9 ± 1.7 36.7 ± 4.8 29.0 ± 4.5 36.7 ± 2.9 37.8 ± 2.8 38.9 ± 5.8 37.9 ± 4.4 33.2 ± 4.9 38.1 ± 4.1 37.9 ± 3.1 39.8 ± 5.2 38.6 ± 5.4 32.5 ± 4.6 38.6 ± 5.5 39.2 ± 5.3 40.6 ± 4.6 CHO (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 4.1 ± 0.6 3.8 ± 0.1 4.1 ± 0.4 3.9 ± 0.5 4.4 ± 0.8 3.9 ± 0.7 2.8 ± 0.8 3.9 ± 0.7 4.1 ± 0.4 4.0 ± 0.8 3.7 ± 0.7 2.7 ± 0.6 3.8 ± 0.6 4.0 ± 0.7 3.8 ± 0.8 4.4 ± 0.9 ^# 3.7 ± 0.7 4.7 ± 1.1 4.4 ± 0.7 + 4.3 ± 0.7 Protein (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 2.5 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.4 2.6 ± 0.3 2.4 ± 0.2 2.5 ± 0.3 2.2 ± 0.3 2.0 ± 0.1 2.2 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.3 2.4 ± 0.4 2.5 ± 0.3 2.2 ± 0.2 2.4 ± 0.4 2.5 ± 0.3 2.6 ± 0.2 2.3 ± 0.4 2.0 ± 0.2 2.2 ± 0.4 2.4 ± 0.3 2.5 ± 0.3 Fat (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) Squad Goalkeepers Defenders Midfielders Attackers 1.6 ± 0.3 ^#+ 1.7 ± 0.1 1.7 ± 0.4 + 1.6 ± 0.3 1.5 ± 0.1 + 1.2 ± 0.2 1.1 ± 0.2 1.3 ± 0.2 1.2 ± 0.2 1.2 ± 0.3 1.3 ± 0.2 1.6 ± 0.3 1.4 ± 0.2 1.2 ± 0.2 1.3 ± 0.1 1.1 ± 0.3 1.1 ± 0.2 1.1 ± 0.3 1.1 ± 0.3 1.2 ± 0.3 Data reported as mean ± SD. Note: significant (p < 0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and + compared to MD-1. Comparisons to UEFA guidelines Table 4 outlines the percentage of players, as a squad and specific position, who achieved the recommended UEFA guideline across individual training days. The data shows that for CHO intake on MD-5 and MD-4, only 50% of the squad achieved the recommended lower limit of 4 g·kg·d − 1 , whereas on MD-2, only 38% achieved this. Only 4% of the squad achieved the lower limit for the CHO MD-1 recommendation of 6 g·kg·d − 1 . The recommendation for protein intake of 1.6 g·kg·d − 1 was met by 100% of the squad on all match days. UEFA recommend fat intake to be between 20–35% of total macronutrient intake, where 46% achieved this on MD-5, 88% on MD-4, 77% on MD-2 and 96% on MD-1. Table 4 Squad comparisons of macronutrients that met the UEFA recommendations. Variable Training Day MD-5 MD-4 MD-2 MD-1 CHO (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) UEFA guideline 4 4 4 6 Squad 50% 50% 38% 4% Goalkeepers 66% 0% 0% 0% Defenders 75% 50% 25% 13% Midfielders 25% 50% 63% 0% Attackers 57% 71% 43% 0% Protein (g·kg − 1 ·d − 1 ) UEFA guideline 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.6 Squad 100% 100% 100% 100% Goalkeepers 100% 100% 100% 100% Defenders 100% 100% 100% 100% Midfielders 100% 100% 100% 100% Attackers 100% 100% 100% 100% Fat (%) UEFA guideline 20–35% 20–35% 20–35% 20–35% Squad 46% 88% 77% 96% Goalkeepers 67% 67% 33% 100% Defenders 50% 75% 75% 100% Midfielders 38% 100% 88% 88% Attackers 42% 100% 86% 100% Data reported as percentage of players achieving UEFA guidelines (%) outlined by Collins et al. (2021) Training Load Table 5 presents the mean ± SD values for the external load variables, with MD data averaged across both weeks, followed by post hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction. There were significant differences across the training weeks for TD covered (X² [2] = 69.5, p < 0.001), absolute HSR (X² [2] = 58.1, p < 0.001), absolute sprint distance (X² [2] = 54.1, p < 0.001) and PL (X² [2] = 65.7, p < 0.001). Total distance, HSR, sprint distance, and player load were significantly higher on MD-5 and MD-4 compared with MD-2 and MD-1 (all p < 0.001), except for sprint distance on MD-5 being significantly higher than on MD-2 (p = 0.022). Table 5 Total external training load metrics across the trial period for the squad average. Variable Training Day MD-5 MD-4 MD-2 MD-1 Total distance (m) 5417 ± 1127 #+ 7075 ± 1691 #+ 3191 ± 666 3429 ± 960 HSR distance (m) 189 ± 82 #+ 564 ± 270 #+ 47 ± 51 62 ± 84 Sprint distance (m) 31 ± 23 #+ 71 ± 36 #+ 2.3 ± 3.4 3 ± 15 Player load (A.U.) 773 ± 111 #+ 784 ± 125 #+ 343 ± 84 417 ± 74 Data reported as mean ± SD. Note: significant (p < 0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and + compared to MD-1. Meal Distribution Data on meal distribution across the trial period are provided in Table 6 . Comparisons of meal distribution for absolute and relative intake can be found in Figs. 1 and 2 . The daily distribution of energy intake was significantly different across meals, whether expressed as absolute (X² [2] = 52.3, p < 0.001) or relative (X² [2] = 56.3, p < 0.001). Absolute and relative energy intake were significantly higher (p = 0.003; p = 0.002) at breakfast (651 ± 150 kcal; 8.4 ± 2.1 kcal·kg − 1 ) than the evening snack (331 ± 127 kcal; 3.4 ± 2.1 kcal·kg − 1 ). Lunch energy intake (977 ± 59 kcal; 12.6 ± 1.6 kcal·kg − 1 ) was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than both the mid–morning (458 ± 85 kcal; 4.8 ± 2.5 kcal·kg − 1 ) and evening snack, whether absolute or relative. Dinner energy intake (770 ± 142 kcal; 9.9 ± 2 kcal·kg − 1 ) was significantly higher than both the mid-morning (p = 0.008, p = 0.005) and evening snack (both p < 0.001). The distribution of CHO energy intake across meals was significant whether expressed as absolute (X² [2] = 37.600, p < 0.001) or relative (X² [2] = 38.874, p < 0.001). Absolute and relative CHO energy intakes were significantly higher (p < 0.001) at breakfast (80 ± 28 g; 1.0 ± 0.3 g·kg − 1 ), lunch (90 ± 10 g; 1.1 ± 0.2 g·kg − 1 ) and dinner (82 ± 23 g; 1.1 ± 0.3 g·kg − 1 ) than the evening snack (26 ± 9 g; 0.3 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ). The distribution of protein energy intake was significant across meals, whether expressed as absolute (X² [2] = 46.8, p < 0.001) or relative (X² [2] = 48.8, p < 0.001). Lunch protein intake (64 ± 5 g; 0.8 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ) and dinner (55 ± 10 g; 0.7 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ) were significantly higher (p < 0.008) than breakfast (27 ± 5 g; 0.4 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), mid-morning snack (27 ± 8 g; 0.3 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), and evening snack (22 ± 9 g; 0.3 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), whether expressed as absolute or relative. Finally, the distribution of fat energy intake across meals was significant whether expressed as absolute (X² [2] = 48.8, p < 0.001) or relative (X² [2] = 48.8, p < 0.001). Breakfast fat intake (25 ± 10 g; 0.3 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), lunch (40 ± 3 g; 0.5 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), and dinner (27 ± 7 g; 0.4 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ) were significantly higher (p < 0.018) than the evening snack (9 ± 4 g; 0.1 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ), whether expressed as absolute or relative. Lunch energy intake was significantly higher (p < 0.001) than mid-morning snack (18 ± 5 g; 0.2 ± 0.1 g·kg − 1 ) for both absolute and relative values. Table 6 Frequency of meal intake per training day. Meal Frequency of meals consumed ( n of participants and % ) MD-5 MD-4 MD-2 MD-1 Breakfast 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) Mid-morning snack 21/26 (81%) 18/26 (69%) 16/26 (61%) 26/26 (100%) Lunch 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) Dinner 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) 26/26 (100%) Evening Snack 17/26 (65%) 21/26 (81%) 24/26 (92%) 23/26 (88%) Date reported as the total number of participants who consumed that meal compared to the full squad, and the percentage consumed compared to the full squad. Discussion This study aimed to characterise the macronutrient intake of professional League One footballers, compare intake with UEFA recommendations, and assess dietary distribution across the training microcycle. The principal finding was that 50–96% of players failed to meet the lower threshold of recommended CHO intake across most training days, rejecting our hypothesis. Although relative CHO intake was highest on MD-1 (4.4 ± 0.9 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹), only 4% of the squad achieved the recommended 6–8 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹. While the increased CHO on MD-1 aligns with guidelines advocating elevated CHO availability before competition to optimise glycogen storage and high-intensity performance (Burke et al., 2011; Collins et al., 2021), intake across the trial remained below recommendations for moderate-to-high loads (Anderson et al., 2022). The mean energy intake observed across the training week in the current cohort (2975 ± 94 kcal·d⁻¹), is lower than what was reported in the English top-division (3551 ± 507 kcal·day; 3186 ± 367 kcal·d⁻¹) (Foo et al., 2026; Anderson et al., 2017), however, was higher than that reported in Polish top-division players (2655 ± 448 kcal·d⁻¹) (Książek et al., 2020) and closely aligned with Dutch top-division footballers (2988 ± 583 kcal·d⁻¹ [Bettonviel et al., 2016] and 3285 ± 185 kcal·d⁻¹ [Brinkmans et al., 2019]). Such between-league differences likely reflect variation in competitive standards, total weekly training load, body mass, and access to sports nutrition provision, all of which have been shown to influence total energy intake in elite football environments (Anderson et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021). Importantly, professional football training microcycles in England are characterised by substantial early-week external loads (Malone et al., 2015), often exceeding 6–8 km TD with varying high-speed exposure, thereby elevating daily energy expenditure. This was observed in the current study, with MD-4 TD being 7075 ± 1691 m, HSR distances of 564 ± 270 m and sprint distances of 71 ± 36 m. In this context, an intake of ~ 2975 kcal·d⁻¹ may be sufficient for some players but could represent relative energy insufficiency for higher-mass or high-minute players, particularly midfielders who consistently demonstrate the greatest match running outputs (Bradley et al., 2016; Harper et al., 2021). These findings suggest that total energy intake in this study appears broadly comparable to that of other domestic and European professional cohorts. Energy and fat intake were highest on MD-5; however, this increase was not accompanied by a corresponding rise in CHO intake, despite MD-5 being one of the highest external-load days (Table 6 ). Given that high-intensity accelerations, decelerations, and sprint actions substantially increase glycogen utilisation during football-specific activity (Bangsbo, 2014), energy intake on high-load days as per MD-4 (Table 5 ) should preferentially be from CHO rather than fat. The observed elevation in fat intake on MD-5 may therefore indicate energy compensation rather than strategic fuelling. Players may increase fat consumption to meet overall energy requirements, a pattern previously observed in elite football cohorts (Anderson et al., 2017). This distinction is practically important where football literature consistently demonstrates that glycogen availability, rather than total caloric intake per se, is a key determinant of high-intensity running capacity and technical performance under fatigue (Souglis et al., 2013; Nassis et al., 2020). Across the squad, CHO intake consistently fell at or below the minimum threshold, with most positional groups failing to meet recommendations on multiple training days. Goalkeepers did not meet the recommended intake on any day, consistent with previous observations in elite settings (Harper et al., 2021). Notably, no positional group exceeded 5 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹, indicating failure to reach the mid-range of UEFA recommendations typically required to maximise glycogen availability before high-intensity sessions and match play (Bradley et al., 2016). Football-specific guidelines recommend 4–8 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ of CHO to support training demands, optimise glycogen resynthesis, and fuel match play (Collins et al., 2021; Anderson et al., 2017). Compliance declined as match day approached: 50% of players met the minimum recommendations for MD-5 and MD-4, 38% for MD-2, and only 4% for MD-1, higher than what's seen in previous literature (Kasper et al., 2024). This is concerning, given that MD-1 represents a key glycogen-loading window before repeated high-intensity efforts in match play (Nassis et al., 2020). Evidence suggests that a CHO-rich diet of 7–12 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ is required to normalise muscle glycogen levels within 24 hours following substantial depletion (Thomas et al., 2016). Given the consistently low CHO intakes observed in this study, it is likely that players were not fully replenishing muscle glycogen stores. Due to high training loads seen in the early part of the microcycle (Malone et al., 2015), as seen on MD-4 in this study (Table 5 ), suboptimal CHO provision during this phase may compromise glycogen restoration, neuromuscular recovery, and subsequent training quality (Ranchordas et al., 2017). Higher CHO availability has been associated with greater TD covered, improved tolerance of elevated heart rates, and enhanced high-intensity running capacity (Peuyo et al., 2024). Football-specific data further demonstrate that players consuming 6–8 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ in the days preceding a match achieve greater TD and higher maximal speeds than those consuming ~ 3 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ (Souglis et al., 2013; Collins et al., 2021). Collectively, these findings reinforce the importance of CHO periodisation and player education, particularly on MD-1, to maximise pre-match glycogen availability. Across the study, the squad demonstrated a failure to periodise CHO intake in line with training load, particularly in the 48 hours preceding competition (i.e., MD-2). Midfielders did not meet CHO recommendations on MD-1, suggesting a mismatch between positional demands and fuelling strategies, which may subsequently affect match-day performance. The high proportion of players exceeding protein recommendations likely reflects macronutrient displacement, whereby prioritisation of protein-rich foods limits CHO intake, a pattern previously reported in elite football settings (Anderson et al., 2017). Collectively, these data suggest players were under-fuelled on MD-2 and MD-1 for both training and match preparation. Inadequate CHO availability is known to impair high-intensity running, compromise technical execution under fatigue, and increase soft tissue injury risk (Nassis et al., 2020), aligning with earlier observations that elite athletes frequently fail to meet CHO guidelines in applied environments (Burke et al., 2006; Kasper et al., 2024). UEFA guidelines recommend 1–3 g·kg⁻¹ of CHO 3–4 hours before training to optimise pre-session fuelling, and approximately 1 g·kg⁻¹·h − 1 for the first 4 hours post-exercise to maximise glycogen resynthesis (Collins et al., 2021). In this study, CHO distribution differed significantly across meals. Breakfast (1.0 ± 0.3 g.kg − 1 ) and the mid-morning snack (0.8 ± 0.2 g.kg − 1 ) met pre-training recommendations. However, post-training CHO intake at lunch averaged only 1.1 ± 0.2 g.kg − 1 , falling below optimal glycogen resynthesis rates when cumulative hourly requirements are considered. Given that the first 2–4 hours post-exercise represent the most rapid phase of glycogen synthesis (Nassis et al., 2020), lunch is a critical intervention window (during which set menus could be adapted to meet training requirements). Additionally, limited evening snack consumption further reduced opportunities for late-day glycogen restoration and could be a focal point for tailored interventions. Overall, these findings demonstrate insufficient CHO periodisation across the microcycle, particularly in the 48 hours preceding competition. In lower-league contexts where nutritional support may be constrained, targeted education and structured MD-1 fuelling protocols may represent pragmatic strategies to enhance match readiness and require further investigation. Relative protein intake in this study ranged between 2.2 and 2.5 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹, thus were within and above the recommended 1.6–2.2 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ (Collins et al., 2021) for all positional groups, with 100% of players achieving this target across all training days. While this reflects strong adherence, the high protein intake may have displaced sufficient CHO intake, contributing to suboptimal fuelling. Protein intake within this study exceeds values reported in other football cohorts (1.5–1.8 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹; García-Rovés et al., 2014) but is comparable to data reported in English Premier League players, who consumed approximately 2.0–2.5 g·kg⁻¹·day⁻¹ across a 7-day in-season period (Anderson et al., 2017). Protein plays a central role in recovery and training adaptation (Areta et al., 2013). Although requirements increase with training load (Hawley et al., 2006), protein intake exceeding physiological requirements is oxidised and does not further augment myofibrillar protein synthesis (Stølen et al., 2005; Maughan and Shirreffs, 2007). Consequently, contemporary football nutrition guidance emphasises distribution and per-meal dosing, rather than simply maximising total daily intake (van Loon, 2014; Collins et al., 2021). Evidence indicates that muscle protein synthesis is maximised with ~ 20 g of high-quality protein every 3 hours, equating to ~ 0.4 g·kg⁻¹ per meal across four meals (Gillen et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021), supporting recovery from repeated high-intensity and eccentric actions typical of football training and match play (Harper et al., 2021). In this study, players consumed five servings of ≥ 20 g of protein, suggesting total intake and feeding frequency were sufficient to support muscle protein synthesis. Although mid-morning and evening snacks fell below the recommended ~ 0.4 g·kg⁻¹ of protein, these meals may represent opportunities to prioritise CHO intake, with protein strategically reserved for post-exercise and/or the pre-sleep feeding window. Dietary fat intake of 0.5–1.0 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹ is recommended for elite athletes to support hormone production, cell membrane integrity, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (Kerksick et al., 2018). All positional groups in this study exceeded these recommendations across all days. While excessively low-fat intake can compromise long-term health and glycogen storage (Książek et al., 2020), consistently high fat intake may displace CHO, further contributing to inadequate glycogen restoration. Therefore, reducing fat intake to create space for CHO may better support the metabolic demands of professional football. The external load data collected across the study weeks further contextualise the macronutrient patterns observed in this cohort. MD-4 and MD-5 imposed the greatest physical demands, with players covering substantially higher TD (7075 ± 1691 m, 5417 ± 1127 m), HSR (564 ± 270 m, 189 ± 82 m), and sprint distances (71 ± 36 m, 31 ± 23 m, respectively) compared with MD-2 and MD-1. These high-intensity actions, characterised by repeated accelerations, decelerations, and sprinting, are known to elevate glycogen utilisation and increase muscle damage (Bangsbo, 2014). Consequently, these days require greater CHO availability to support metabolic demands and higher protein turnover to facilitate tissue repair. However, as outlined above, CHO intake on MD-5 and MD-4 did not reflect these elevated demands, with 50% or fewer players meeting even the lower end of recommended intake. This mismatch between external load and fuelling suggests that players may have entered subsequent sessions with suboptimal glycogen stores, potentially compromising training quality, neuromuscular recovery, and/or readiness to train (Malone et al., 2015; Ranchordas et al., 2017). Although MD-1 involved the lowest TD and HSR in this study, it remains a critical fuelling window, as CHO intake on this day determines pre-match glycogen availability and readiness for the high-intensity and sprint demands of match play (Bangsbo, 2014; Collins et al., 2021) Application and future research The results of this study show that professional League One football players likely require tailored education on adequate energy and CHO intake. There should be greater awareness among clubs of the psychosocial and cultural factors affecting dietary intake (Costello et al., 2025), as well as greater availability of whole foods where food is provided. Meal distribution findings highlight lunch as an important post-training fuelling opportunity to initiate glycogen restoration. However, given recommendations of ~ 1 g·kg⁻¹·h⁻¹ CHO during early recovery, the relatively low intakes observed at mid-morning and evening snack occasions represent missed opportunities to support ongoing glycogen resynthesis across the day. Future research should examine meal distribution and macronutrient periodisation over a longer timeframe to reflect chronic habitual patterns. Integration of novel artificial intelligence-assisted photographic dietary assessment may also improve accuracy, adherence and/or reduce reporting bias (Cofre et al., 2025). Finally, periods of fixture congestion likely increase nutritional demands; therefore, future work should explore the relationship between intake during these intensified phases. Limitations Evaluating nutritional intake through food diaries and recalls is prone to misreporting (Livingstone and Black, 2003), which may influence data accuracy. To minimise this, best practice procedures were followed, including daily 24-hour recalls and extensive on-site verification of meals (Karvetti, 1985). Two of the three main daily meals were directly observed and weighed by researchers, while all off-site meals were photographed to support cross-checking. This approach improved the validity of entries and reduced discrepancies. A further limitation is that players may alter their habitual intake during monitoring, and meal provision at the training ground may vary over time. Caution is therefore required when generalising these findings to other squads or contexts. Finally, data were collected across only two in-season weeks; longer-term monitoring would be needed to capture seasonal variation and provide a more comprehensive representation of habitual dietary intake. However, repeated assessments of the same cohort over the study period improved internal consistency and reduced variability in reporting habitual dietary intake. Conclusion Dietary intake amongst League One professional footballers differed across individual training days during a 1-game week within a competitive season. MD-4 presented the lowest energy intake despite experiencing the highest external load. CHO intake did not meet the recommended UEFA guidelines for the days leading up to match-day, nor importantly, the day before. Macronutrient distribution differed across meals throughout the day, with CHO intake not achieving recommended amounts. These results imply that athletes at lower levels of professional football may require nutritional and educational interventions to optimise dietary intake and fuelling/recovery strategies. Abbreviations BM Body Mass CHO Carbohydrate GPS Global Positioning System HSR High Speed Running MD Match Day PL Player Load SD Standard Deviation TD Total Distance Declarations Ethics Approval and Informed Consent This study received ethical approval from the Faculty of Science and Engineering Research Ethics Committee at Anglia Ruskin University (Reference: ETH2425-2974). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before participation. Consent for publication Not applicable. Availability of data and materials The data that support the findings of this study are available from the author upon reasonable request. Due to the involvement of professional athletes and club confidentiality agreements, the data are not publicly available. No custom code or software requiring public release was used in the analysis of this study. Statistical analyses were conducted using standard statistical software. No datasets were deposited in publicly available repositories due to confidentiality agreements with the participating professional football club. Anonymised data may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Competing interests The authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article. Funding This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. CRediT author statement Jones, Willmott, Roberts : Conceptualisation; Willmott, Roberts and Deb: Supervision; Writing – review and editing; Manuel and Bloom: Resources; Project administration; Jones: Methodology; Investigation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Writing – original draft; Writing – review & editing; Visualisation; Writing – original draft. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-9305815","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":634714496,"identity":"b9b5b693-b799-4832-8050-a6a4609bb30d","order_by":0,"name":"Oliver Jones","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA3UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACfvmHDw4k/rFBEWTGq0WymSHxwMeGNBK0GBxmSD44s+EwaVoSDvPuOJ8nH32A8XNlG4M8fwOPsQFhLWduFxueS2CWPNvGYDjjAI9xAkEtPGy3Ezf2AD3W2MbAuIGBx/gAEVrOgbQw/wRqsSdCC0vCwZltBxLn8zCwgWxJBGnB6zDJZrYDBz6cSS424GFss2w4J5E84zBbMV7v8zMzN39IqLDLk+9hPnyzoczGtr+9ebMEPi0wkGBwgLEBSEsQihUkLfINRKocBaNgFIyCkQcAb/JKzh+jIKMAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"","institution":"Anglia Ruskin University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Oliver","middleName":"","lastName":"Jones","suffix":""},{"id":634714503,"identity":"d0206f6d-32dd-4510-b144-713c6a014cdb","order_by":1,"name":"Justin Roberts","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anglia Ruskin University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Justin","middleName":"","lastName":"Roberts","suffix":""},{"id":634714508,"identity":"55123d0b-fc3b-43bd-9501-0a3282fbd893","order_by":2,"name":"Sanjoy Deb","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anglia Ruskin University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Sanjoy","middleName":"","lastName":"Deb","suffix":""},{"id":634714509,"identity":"9f110da5-5ca8-41f5-857f-32278a6b66f7","order_by":3,"name":"Jack Manuel","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jack","middleName":"","lastName":"Manuel","suffix":""},{"id":634714515,"identity":"109e6b5a-dd70-42d3-a4da-6e12ab1c89a7","order_by":4,"name":"Laurence Bloom","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Laurence","middleName":"","lastName":"Bloom","suffix":""},{"id":634714519,"identity":"c8f71aa9-b40b-4c0d-9371-87592b54d31c","order_by":5,"name":"Ashley G.B. Willmott","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anglia Ruskin University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ashley","middleName":"G.B.","lastName":"Willmott","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-04-02 17:23:53","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":108579173,"identity":"85d2a843-9b52-4a27-9ba6-8742e1432750","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-06 07:50:58","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":128135,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMean (bars) and individual (circles)\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003edaily distribution of absolute (A) energy intake, (B) CHO, (C) protein, and (D) fat, with dotted lines representing upper and lower target per meal for a 78 kg player (Anderson et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021). Note: significant (p\u0026lt;0.05) differences between meal distribution data are indicated by: * compared to breakfast, ^ compared to mid-morning snack, # compared to lunch\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c/strong\u003e+ compared to dinner and / compared to evening snack.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9305815/v1/43336c09e415417f20722b41.png"},{"id":108805340,"identity":"b4155234-22c5-4e53-a232-48355c1538bb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:25:38","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":134448,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003eMean (bars) and individual (circles)\u003cstrong\u003e \u003c/strong\u003edaily distribution of Relative (A) energy, (B) CHO, (C) protein, and (D) fat, with dotted lines representing upper and lower target per meal (Anderson et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021). Note: significant (p\u0026lt;0.05) differences between meal distribution data are indicated by: * compared to breakfast, ^ compared to mid-morning snack, # compared to lunch\u003cstrong\u003e,\u003c/strong\u003e + compared to dinner and / compared to evening snack.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9305815/v1/d85af71711adee0e5cd47a3a.png"},{"id":108809690,"identity":"f75bbf78-1447-4740-b693-ad965054c198","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-05-08 15:55:02","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":746002,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-9305815/v1/4a30bbc1-f45d-44fc-85f7-58c2b6e7a6fb.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Evaluating macronutrient intake and distribution in a professional football club: do players meet UEFA guidelines?","fulltext":[{"header":"Background","content":"\u003cp\u003eFootball performance during training and match play is fuelled by both aerobic (~\u0026thinsp;70%) and anaerobic (~\u0026thinsp;30%) energy systems, with players performing 150\u0026ndash;250 intense actions per match (Bangsbo, 2014). Nutritional requirements vary by position, training load, and match intensity, emphasising the need for tailored fuelling strategies (Jesus et al., 2021; Kalpana et al., 2023; Gallant et al., 2025). To guide practice, UEFA provides expert statements outlining macronutrient recommendations for elite football, including specific training-day targets (Collins et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDaily energy expenditure requirements in professional footballers are estimated to be ~\u0026thinsp;3550 kcal\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1; and ranges between 3100\u0026mdash;4050 kcal\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1; depending on training session intensity or match exposure (Ono et al., 2012). Earlier guidelines recommended fixed macronutrient distributions (Clark, 1994), but contemporary literature supports periodised nutrition aligned with weekly external load variation (Collins et al., 2021; Macuh et al., 2022). Carbohydrate (CHO) remains the primary substrate supporting football training and performance because of the reliance on muscle glycogen during intermittent high-intensity activity (Burke et al., 2006; Krustrup et al., 2006). Approximately 47% of muscle fibres may be partially or fully glycogen-depleted following match play (Saltin, 1973; Krustrup et al., 2006), which is of importance as glycogen reductions of ~\u0026thinsp;40% compromise performance and contribute to peripheral fatigue (Dutka and Lamb, 2006; Mohr et al., 2005; Mohr et al., 2016; Mohr et al, 2023). Athletes who do not consume sufficient CHO may begin match play with reduced glycogen stores, compromising high-intensity performance (Burke, 2021). Consistently, diets providing\u0026thinsp;~\u0026thinsp;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; of body mass (BM) of CHO have been associated with greater distance covered and up to 33% more high-intensity actions compared with lower CHO intake (Balsom et al., 1999; Souglis et al., 2013). UEFA guidelines recommend 4\u0026ndash;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; across a standard one-game week, increasing to 6\u0026ndash;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; on match day (MD)-1 to support glycogen restoration and fuelling (Collins et al., 2021).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite these recommendations, achieving adequate CHO intake remains a practical challenge. For example, concentrating intake into three main meals may require large volumes of food, potentially causing gastrointestinal discomfort and psychological burden (De Oliveira and Burini, 2014; Arribalzaga et al., 2021). Anderson et al. (2022) proposed pragmatic and applied strategies for football players during a one-game week, with breakfast ranging from 0.5\u0026ndash;1.0 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, lunch requiring 1.5\u0026ndash;2.0 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, and dinner 1.0\u0026ndash;2.0 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, in addition to snacks, which include 0.5\u0026ndash;1.5 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e of CHO. However, these strategies are largely derived from Premier League cohorts and may not translate to lower-league settings. Aside from CHO intake requirements, the consistent weekly mechanical load on muscles and tendons creates a continuous demand to restore protein-rich tissues, maintaining structural resilience and functional capacity (Collins et al., 2021). Recommendations of 1.6\u0026ndash;2.2 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;, distributed evenly across meals with additional pre-sleep intake (30\u0026ndash;40 g), have been shown to optimise skeletal muscle protein synthesis (Morton et al., 2015; Trommelen and van Loon, 2016). Dietary fat also contributes to total energy intake, essential fatty acid supply, and hormonal regulation (Devlin et al., 2017), typically comprising 20\u0026ndash;25% of daily intake, although some players may deliberately reduce their fat intake to manage energy balance or maintain leanness. While elite top-tier footballers typically meet these targets (Anderson et al., 2017; Wardenaar et al., 2017), it remains unclear whether footballers in lower-leagues (League One/Two) achieve these targets with sufficient dietary intake, particularly with limited nutritional support.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Collectively, no research has examined how English League One footballers periodise macronutrient intake and meal distribution across a training week or whether established guidelines are met. The aims of this study were to 1) characterise the macronutrient intake of professional league 1 footballers, 2) compare intake to recommended values, and 3) assess meal distribution across training days within a one-game week. It was hypothesised that participants would meet the UEFA CHO intake recommendations or macronutrient distribution across training days.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Materials and methods","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eStudy design and ethical approval\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e This study gained ethical approval from the institutional research ethics committee (ETH2425-2974) and adhered to guidelines from the Declaration of Helsinki (World Medical Association, 2025). This study adopted an observational, analytical, longitudinal design following approval from Cambridge United Football Club, with all participants providing written, informed consent.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eData collection took place across two-weeks of a competitive League One season in March 2025. A typical one-match week for the team consisted of MD-5 (Monday), MD-4 (Tuesday), a rest day on MD-3 (Wednesday), followed by MD-2 (Thursday) and MD-1 (Friday) training sessions, before MD (Saturday) and a rest day on MD\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;1 (Sunday). Nutritional intake and external training load were recorded on MD-5, MD-4, MD-2, and MD-1 across two non-consecutive weeks, separated by a two-week interval due to team travel and player availability. Nutritional data for MD-1 in the second week were not collected because of external team management constraints. In total, food diaries and external load data were obtained over 7 days.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eParticipants and Procedures\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll 26 male participants (age: 26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5 years, height: 181.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.5 cm, body mass: 78.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.3 kg, body mass index [BMI]: 23.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.2 kg\u0026middot;m\u0026sup2;) were included in this study. The squad consisted of goalkeepers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3), defenders (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8), midfielders (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8), and attackers (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;7), see Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipant's physical characteristics relating to player position.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariables\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlayer Position\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDefenders\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMidfielders\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAttackers\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;7)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAge (years)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e28\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHeight (cm)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e188.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.0\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e184.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e180.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e177.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBody mass (kg)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e80.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e76.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;6.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;9.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBMI (kg\u0026middot;m\u0026sup2;)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e22.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\"\u0026plusmn;\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eData presented as mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD. BMI: body mass index, SD: standard deviation\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDietary intake\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParticipants completed a self-reported food diary (printed or online) over 7-days across two non-consecutive weeks to assess habitual dietary intake. Before data collection, they received verbal instruction and an example diary, including guidance on portion sizes and estimating food and fluid amounts. Participants recorded all food and supplement intake each day (as per Saravia et al., 2022). Two meals per day were consumed at the training ground, where researchers assisted with weighing food using calibrated digital scales (Salter Brecknell B140, Brecknell, Smethwick) to ensure accurate weights of cooked food. To standardise reporting, participants were instructed to record items in grams (g) or millilitres (mL) where possible, or use household measures, when necessary (e.g., cups, pounds and ounces), and to include brand names when available.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFood diaries were collected the following day alongside photographs of meals consumed outside the training ground to support cross-checking (Martin et al., 2009). Any inconsistencies were clarified through follow-up questions. Additional 24-hour recalls were conducted in brief meetings with the research team to verify the previous day's nutritional intake, identify reporting errors, and confirm weights, brands, and amounts. This approach enhances validity at the group level (Karvetti, 1985). Energy and macronutrient intake were derived from the food diaries, supported by 24-hour recall and meal photographs (Thompson and Subar, 2008). All diaries were checked and analysed by the same researcher to minimise between-assessor variation. Meal distribution was categorised according to time of consumption: breakfast (05:00\u0026ndash;10:00), mid-morning snack (10:00\u0026ndash;12:00), lunch (12:00\u0026ndash;17:00), dinner (17:00\u0026ndash;21:00), and evening snack (21:00\u0026ndash;05:00).\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTraining load\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo assess training load, participants wore global positioning system (GPS) devices, which were held in a vest underneath the participant's shirt on the upper back. The devices used were Vector Pro S8 (Vector Pro, Catapult Sports), which have been identified as having high validity and reliability for measuring distance, speed, and acceleration (Ellens et al., 2025), with a sampling frequency of 10 Hz. Participants used the same devices throughout the study period and the same vest to minimise any variability in the data. Following each training session, devices were immediately collected and downloaded to a computer console (Openfield, Catapult). The sessions were edited to ensure that drill and session times were accurate and that no participant data were missing.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAnalysis and Statistical Procedures\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIndividual nutrient intake was obtained for 7-days across 2 separate weeks. The 2 weeks\u0026rsquo; data were then averaged by the individual MD and positional group. Dietary intake was assessed using Nutritics Professional Dietary Analysis software (Nutritics Ltd., Co. Dublin, Ireland). From the extensive analysis, the key outputs used for further analysis were as follows: absolute energy intake (kcal\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), CHO (g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), proteins (g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and fats (g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and relative energy intake (kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), CHO (g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), proteins (g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and fats (g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), to the individual's body mass. Reporting and analysis of the training data were performed using the Openfield Cloud software (Openfield, Catapult). External load variables used were total distance (TD; m), high-speed running (HSR) distance (m), sprint distance (m), and player load (PL) (arbitrary unit [A.U.]). PL was calculated as the square root of the summed squared instantaneous rates of change in acceleration across the X, Y, and Z axes, divided by 100 (Boyd et al., 2011), as shown in the equation below.\u003cdiv id=\"Equa\" class=\"Equation\"\u003e\u003cdiv format=\"TEX\" class=\"mathdisplay\" id=\"FileID_Equa\" name=\"EquationSource\"\u003e\n$$\\:PL=\\:\\sqrt{\\frac{(ay1-ay-{1)}^{2}+(ax1-ax-{1)}^{2}+(az1-az-{1)}^{2}}{100}}$$\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll data are reported as mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;standard deviation (SD). Confirmation of normality was performed using the Shapiro-Wilk test. All data sets were confirmed with non-normality (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05); therefore, non-parametric tests were used for statistical analysis. A Friedman ANOVA test was used to assess for differences between macronutrient intake across the training days within the squad and within positional groups, as well as assessment of meal distribution patterns. Corrected Bonferroni post-hoc assessment was employed where applicable. An α level of p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05 was employed for statistical significance.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec9\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMacronutrient differences between matchdays\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eMean macronutrient intake is reported in Tables\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Tab3\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e. There were significant differences across the training weeks for macronutrient intake, including both absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;16.9, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and relative energy intake (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10.337, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.016), both absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;12.4, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006) and relative CHO intake (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;14.6, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), and both absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;34.7, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and relative fat intake (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;43.2, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). A significant difference was also found for absolute protein intake (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8.0, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.045), but not for relative protein intake (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;8.1, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.054).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy intake was significantly higher on MD-5 compared to MD-4 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001) and MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.011). Absolute CHO intake was significantly higher on MD-1 than on MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.004). No significant differences were found for absolute protein intake across assessed days. Absolute fat intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.008), and MD-1 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005), respectively.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSquad and positional absolute macronutrient intake across the trial period.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraining Day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePosition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(kcal\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3091\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;289\u003csup\u003e^#\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3226\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;143\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3251\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;257\u003csup\u003e^\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3027\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;184\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3158\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;195\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2864\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;379\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2364\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;539\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2954\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;302\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2892\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;164\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2924\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;471\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2947\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;327\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2674\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;321\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3062\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;400\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2903\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;194\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2983\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;348\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2998\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;393\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2650\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;583\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3105\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;514\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2982\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;233\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3042\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;284\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCHO\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e317\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;54\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e309\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;38\u003csup\u003e^#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e325\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;35\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e297\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;38\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e335\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;48\u003csup\u003e#\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e301\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;68\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e228\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;78\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e314\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;69\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e315\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;31\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e303\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;87\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e292\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;66\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e215\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;59\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e309\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;55\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e190\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;23\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e291\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e343\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;82\u003csup\u003e#\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e298\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;82\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e378\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;100\u003csup\u003e#*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e336\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;47\u003csup\u003e^#*\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e330\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;93\u003csup\u003e#\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProtein\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e192\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e189\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14\u003csup\u003e^\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e201\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;20\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e186\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e191\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;17\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e175\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e159\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e178\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e173\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;20\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e180\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e191\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e176\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;32\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e195\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;29\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e190\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;23\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e193\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;22\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e182\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;26\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e162\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;28\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e180\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;30\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e185\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;20\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e191\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;27\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFat\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e127\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;21\u003csup\u003e^#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e136\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;9\u003csup\u003e^+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e135\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25\u003csup\u003e^+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e125\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;19\u003csup\u003e^#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e117\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;14\u003csup\u003e^+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e94\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;15\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e94\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;26\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e101\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;16\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e91\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;13\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e104\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;17\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e124\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;15\u003csup\u003e^+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e110\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;18\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e94\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e101\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;18\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;19\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;21\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;25\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e87\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;18\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e89\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eData reported as mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD. Note: significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and +\u0026thinsp;compared to MD-1.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRelative energy intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.013). Relative CHO intake was significantly higher on MD-1 than on MD-4 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.011) and MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005). No significant differences were found for relative protein intake. Relative fat intake was significantly higher on MD-5 than on MD-4 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001), MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.006), and MD-1 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSquad and positional relative macronutrient intake across the trial period.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"6\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c6\" colnum=\"6\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c6\" namest=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraining Day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePosition\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.0\u003csup\u003e^\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e42.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.6\u003csup\u003e^\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e39.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e36.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e29.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e36.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e33.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.9\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e37.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e39.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e32.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e38.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e39.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e40.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCHO\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.5\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.6\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.9\u003csup\u003e^#\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e3.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e4.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eProtein\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFat\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e(g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003csup\u003e^#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.4\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1\u003csup\u003e+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c6\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e1.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003eData reported as mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD. Note: significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and +\u0026thinsp;compared to MD-1.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eComparisons to UEFA guidelines\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab4\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e outlines the percentage of players, as a squad and specific position, who achieved the recommended UEFA guideline across individual training days. The data shows that for CHO intake on MD-5 and MD-4, only 50% of the squad achieved the recommended lower limit of 4 g\u0026middot;kg\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, whereas on MD-2, only 38% achieved this. Only 4% of the squad achieved the lower limit for the CHO MD-1 recommendation of 6 g\u0026middot;kg\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e. The recommendation for protein intake of 1.6 g\u0026middot;kg\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e was met by 100% of the squad on all match days. UEFA recommend fat intake to be between 20\u0026ndash;35% of total macronutrient intake, where 46% achieved this on MD-5, 88% on MD-4, 77% on MD-2 and 96% on MD-1.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSquad comparisons of macronutrients that met the UEFA recommendations.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraining Day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCHO (g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUEFA guideline\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e4\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e4%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e66%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e13%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e25%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e63%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e57%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e71%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e43%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e0%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eProtein (g\u0026middot;kg\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026middot;d\u003c/b\u003e\u003csup\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/sup\u003e\u003cb\u003e)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUEFA guideline\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1.6\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eFat (%)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eUEFA guideline\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20\u0026ndash;35%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20\u0026ndash;35%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20\u0026ndash;35%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e20\u0026ndash;35%\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSquad\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e46%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e77%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e96%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGoalkeepers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e67%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e67%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e33%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDefenders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e75%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMidfielders\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e38%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e88%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAttackers\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e42%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e86%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e100%\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eData reported as percentage of players achieving UEFA guidelines (%) outlined by Collins et al. (2021)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTraining Load\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTable\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e presents the mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD values for the external load variables, with MD data averaged across both weeks, followed by post hoc analysis with Bonferroni correction. There were significant differences across the training weeks for TD covered (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;69.5, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), absolute HSR (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;58.1, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), absolute sprint distance (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;54.1, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) and PL (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;65.7, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Total distance, HSR, sprint distance, and player load were significantly higher on MD-5 and MD-4 compared with MD-2 and MD-1 (all p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001), except for sprint distance on MD-5 being significantly higher than on MD-2 (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.022).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal external training load metrics across the trial period for the squad average.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraining Day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTotal distance (m)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5417\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1127\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7075\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1691\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3191\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;666\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3429\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;960\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHSR distance (m)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e189\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;82\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e564\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;270\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e47\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;51\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e62\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSprint distance (m)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e31\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;23\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e71\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;36\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e2.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3.4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;15\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePlayer load (A.U.)\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e773\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;111\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e784\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;125\u003csup\u003e#+\u003c/sup\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e343\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;84\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e417\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;74\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003ctfoot\u003e \u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"5\"\u003eData reported as mean\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;SD. Note: significant (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05) differences between training day data are indicated by * compared to MD-5, ^ compared to MD-4, # compared to MD-2, and +\u0026thinsp;compared to MD-1.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tfoot\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eMeal Distribution\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eData on meal distribution across the trial period are provided in Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e. Comparisons of meal distribution for absolute and relative intake can be found in Figs.\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Fig1\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e and \u003cspan refid=\"Fig2\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe daily distribution of energy intake was significantly different across meals, whether expressed as absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;52.3, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) or relative (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;56.3, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Absolute and relative energy intake were significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.003; p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.002) at breakfast (651\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;150 kcal; 8.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.1 kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) than the evening snack (331\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;127 kcal; 3.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.1 kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). Lunch energy intake (977\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;59 kcal; 12.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.6 kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) was significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) than both the mid\u0026ndash;morning (458\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;85 kcal; 4.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2.5 kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and evening snack, whether absolute or relative. Dinner energy intake (770\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;142 kcal; 9.9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;2 kcal\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) was significantly higher than both the mid-morning (p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.008, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;0.005) and evening snack (both p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distribution of CHO energy intake across meals was significant whether expressed as absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;37.600, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) or relative (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;38.874, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Absolute and relative CHO energy intakes were significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) at breakfast (80\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;28 g; 1.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), lunch (90\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 g; 1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and dinner (82\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;23 g; 1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) than the evening snack (26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;9 g; 0.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe distribution of protein energy intake was significant across meals, whether expressed as absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;46.8, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) or relative (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;48.8, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Lunch protein intake (64\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5 g; 0.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and dinner (55\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 g; 0.7\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) were significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.008) than breakfast (27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5 g; 0.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), mid-morning snack (27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;8 g; 0.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and evening snack (22\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;9 g; 0.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), whether expressed as absolute or relative.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, the distribution of fat energy intake across meals was significant whether expressed as absolute (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;48.8, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) or relative (X\u0026sup2;\u003csub\u003e[2]\u003c/sub\u003e\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;48.8, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001). Breakfast fat intake (25\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;10 g; 0.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), lunch (40\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;3 g; 0.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), and dinner (27\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;7 g; 0.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) were significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.018) than the evening snack (9\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;4 g; 0.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), whether expressed as absolute or relative. Lunch energy intake was significantly higher (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.001) than mid-morning snack (18\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5 g; 0.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1 g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) for both absolute and relative values.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab6\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 6\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency of meal intake per training day.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"5\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c5\" colnum=\"5\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\" morerows=\"1\" rowspan=\"2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeal\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colspan=\"4\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrequency of meals consumed (\u003cem\u003en of participants and %\u003c/em\u003e)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-4\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-2\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMD-1\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eBreakfast\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eMid-morning snack\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21/26 (81%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e18/26 (69%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e16/26 (61%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLunch\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDinner\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e26/26 (100%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eEvening Snack\u003c/b\u003e\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e17/26 (65%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e21/26 (81%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e24/26 (92%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c5\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e23/26 (88%)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colspan=\"5\" nameend=\"c5\" namest=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDate reported as the total number of participants who consumed that meal compared to the full squad, and the percentage consumed compared to the full squad.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study aimed to characterise the macronutrient intake of professional League One footballers, compare intake with UEFA recommendations, and assess dietary distribution across the training microcycle. The principal finding was that 50\u0026ndash;96% of players failed to meet the lower threshold of recommended CHO intake across most training days, rejecting our hypothesis. Although relative CHO intake was highest on MD-1 (4.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.9 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;), only 4% of the squad achieved the recommended 6\u0026ndash;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;. While the increased CHO on MD-1 aligns with guidelines advocating elevated CHO availability before competition to optimise glycogen storage and high-intensity performance (Burke et al., 2011; Collins et al., 2021), intake across the trial remained below recommendations for moderate-to-high loads (Anderson et al., 2022).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe mean energy intake observed across the training week in the current cohort (2975\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;94 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1;), is lower than what was reported in the English top-division (3551\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;507 kcal\u0026middot;day; 3186\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;367 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1;) (Foo et al., 2026; Anderson et al., 2017), however, was higher than that reported in Polish top-division players (2655\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;448 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1;) (Książek et al., 2020) and closely aligned with Dutch top-division footballers (2988\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;583 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; [Bettonviel et al., 2016] and 3285\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;185 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; [Brinkmans et al., 2019]). Such between-league differences likely reflect variation in competitive standards, total weekly training load, body mass, and access to sports nutrition provision, all of which have been shown to influence total energy intake in elite football environments (Anderson et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021). Importantly, professional football training microcycles in England are characterised by substantial early-week external loads (Malone et al., 2015), often exceeding 6\u0026ndash;8 km TD with varying high-speed exposure, thereby elevating daily energy expenditure. This was observed in the current study, with MD-4 TD being 7075\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1691 m, HSR distances of 564\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;270 m and sprint distances of 71\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;36 m. In this context, an intake of ~\u0026thinsp;2975 kcal\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; may be sufficient for some players but could represent relative energy insufficiency for higher-mass or high-minute players, particularly midfielders who consistently demonstrate the greatest match running outputs (Bradley et al., 2016; Harper et al., 2021). These findings suggest that total energy intake in this study appears broadly comparable to that of other domestic and European professional cohorts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy and fat intake were highest on MD-5; however, this increase was not accompanied by a corresponding rise in CHO intake, despite MD-5 being one of the highest external-load days (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab6\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e). Given that high-intensity accelerations, decelerations, and sprint actions substantially increase glycogen utilisation during football-specific activity (Bangsbo, 2014), energy intake on high-load days as per MD-4 (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e) should preferentially be from CHO rather than fat. The observed elevation in fat intake on MD-5 may therefore indicate energy compensation rather than strategic fuelling. Players may increase fat consumption to meet overall energy requirements, a pattern previously observed in elite football cohorts (Anderson et al., 2017). This distinction is practically important where football literature consistently demonstrates that glycogen availability, rather than total caloric intake per se, is a key determinant of high-intensity running capacity and technical performance under fatigue (Souglis et al., 2013; Nassis et al., 2020).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcross the squad, CHO intake consistently fell at or below the minimum threshold, with most positional groups failing to meet recommendations on multiple training days. Goalkeepers did not meet the recommended intake on any day, consistent with previous observations in elite settings (Harper et al., 2021). Notably, no positional group exceeded 5 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1;, indicating failure to reach the mid-range of UEFA recommendations typically required to maximise glycogen availability before high-intensity sessions and match play (Bradley et al., 2016). Football-specific guidelines recommend 4\u0026ndash;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; of CHO to support training demands, optimise glycogen resynthesis, and fuel match play (Collins et al., 2021; Anderson et al., 2017). Compliance declined as match day approached: 50% of players met the minimum recommendations for MD-5 and MD-4, 38% for MD-2, and only 4% for MD-1, higher than what's seen in previous literature (Kasper et al., 2024). This is concerning, given that MD-1 represents a key glycogen-loading window before repeated high-intensity efforts in match play (Nassis et al., 2020).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvidence suggests that a CHO-rich diet of 7\u0026ndash;12 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; is required to normalise muscle glycogen levels within 24 hours following substantial depletion (Thomas et al., 2016). Given the consistently low CHO intakes observed in this study, it is likely that players were not fully replenishing muscle glycogen stores. Due to high training loads seen in the early part of the microcycle (Malone et al., 2015), as seen on MD-4 in this study (Table\u0026nbsp;\u003cspan refid=\"Tab5\" class=\"InternalRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e), suboptimal CHO provision during this phase may compromise glycogen restoration, neuromuscular recovery, and subsequent training quality (Ranchordas et al., 2017). Higher CHO availability has been associated with greater TD covered, improved tolerance of elevated heart rates, and enhanced high-intensity running capacity (Peuyo et al., 2024). Football-specific data further demonstrate that players consuming 6\u0026ndash;8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; in the days preceding a match achieve greater TD and higher maximal speeds than those consuming\u0026thinsp;~\u0026thinsp;3 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; (Souglis et al., 2013; Collins et al., 2021). Collectively, these findings reinforce the importance of CHO periodisation and player education, particularly on MD-1, to maximise pre-match glycogen availability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAcross the study, the squad demonstrated a failure to periodise CHO intake in line with training load, particularly in the 48 hours preceding competition (i.e., MD-2). Midfielders did not meet CHO recommendations on MD-1, suggesting a mismatch between positional demands and fuelling strategies, which may subsequently affect match-day performance. The high proportion of players exceeding protein recommendations likely reflects macronutrient displacement, whereby prioritisation of protein-rich foods limits CHO intake, a pattern previously reported in elite football settings (Anderson et al., 2017). Collectively, these data suggest players were under-fuelled on MD-2 and MD-1 for both training and match preparation. Inadequate CHO availability is known to impair high-intensity running, compromise technical execution under fatigue, and increase soft tissue injury risk (Nassis et al., 2020), aligning with earlier observations that elite athletes frequently fail to meet CHO guidelines in applied environments (Burke et al., 2006; Kasper et al., 2024).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUEFA guidelines recommend 1\u0026ndash;3 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; of CHO 3\u0026ndash;4 hours before training to optimise pre-session fuelling, and approximately 1 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;h\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e for the first 4 hours post-exercise to maximise glycogen resynthesis (Collins et al., 2021). In this study, CHO distribution differed significantly across meals. Breakfast (1.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3 g.kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and the mid-morning snack (0.8\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2 g.kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) met pre-training recommendations. However, post-training CHO intake at lunch averaged only 1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2 g.kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, falling below optimal glycogen resynthesis rates when cumulative hourly requirements are considered. Given that the first 2\u0026ndash;4 hours post-exercise represent the most rapid phase of glycogen synthesis (Nassis et al., 2020), lunch is a critical intervention window (during which set menus could be adapted to meet training requirements). Additionally, limited evening snack consumption further reduced opportunities for late-day glycogen restoration and could be a focal point for tailored interventions. Overall, these findings demonstrate insufficient CHO periodisation across the microcycle, particularly in the 48 hours preceding competition. In lower-league contexts where nutritional support may be constrained, targeted education and structured MD-1 fuelling protocols may represent pragmatic strategies to enhance match readiness and require further investigation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eRelative protein intake in this study ranged between 2.2 and 2.5 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1;, thus were within and above the recommended 1.6\u0026ndash;2.2 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; (Collins et al., 2021) for all positional groups, with 100% of players achieving this target across all training days. While this reflects strong adherence, the high protein intake may have displaced sufficient CHO intake, contributing to suboptimal fuelling. Protein intake within this study exceeds values reported in other football cohorts (1.5\u0026ndash;1.8 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;; Garc\u0026iacute;a-Rov\u0026eacute;s et al., 2014) but is comparable to data reported in English Premier League players, who consumed approximately 2.0\u0026ndash;2.5 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1; across a 7-day in-season period (Anderson et al., 2017). Protein plays a central role in recovery and training adaptation (Areta et al., 2013). Although requirements increase with training load (Hawley et al., 2006), protein intake exceeding physiological requirements is oxidised and does not further augment myofibrillar protein synthesis (St\u0026oslash;len et al., 2005; Maughan and Shirreffs, 2007). Consequently, contemporary football nutrition guidance emphasises distribution and per-meal dosing, rather than simply maximising total daily intake (van Loon, 2014; Collins et al., 2021). Evidence indicates that muscle protein synthesis is maximised with ~\u0026thinsp;20 g of high-quality protein every 3 hours, equating to ~\u0026thinsp;0.4 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; per meal across four meals (Gillen et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2021), supporting recovery from repeated high-intensity and eccentric actions typical of football training and match play (Harper et al., 2021). In this study, players consumed five servings of \u0026ge;\u0026thinsp;20 g of protein, suggesting total intake and feeding frequency were sufficient to support muscle protein synthesis. Although mid-morning and evening snacks fell below the recommended\u0026thinsp;~\u0026thinsp;0.4 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1; of protein, these meals may represent opportunities to prioritise CHO intake, with protein strategically reserved for post-exercise and/or the pre-sleep feeding window.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDietary fat intake of 0.5\u0026ndash;1.0 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;d⁻\u0026sup1; is recommended for elite athletes to support hormone production, cell membrane integrity, and the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (Kerksick et al., 2018). All positional groups in this study exceeded these recommendations across all days. While excessively low-fat intake can compromise long-term health and glycogen storage (Książek et al., 2020), consistently high fat intake may displace CHO, further contributing to inadequate glycogen restoration. Therefore, reducing fat intake to create space for CHO may better support the metabolic demands of professional football.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe external load data collected across the study weeks further contextualise the macronutrient patterns observed in this cohort. MD-4 and MD-5 imposed the greatest physical demands, with players covering substantially higher TD (7075\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1691 m, 5417\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1127 m), HSR (564\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;270 m, 189\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;82 m), and sprint distances (71\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;36 m, 31\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;23 m, respectively) compared with MD-2 and MD-1. These high-intensity actions, characterised by repeated accelerations, decelerations, and sprinting, are known to elevate glycogen utilisation and increase muscle damage (Bangsbo, 2014). Consequently, these days require greater CHO availability to support metabolic demands and higher protein turnover to facilitate tissue repair. However, as outlined above, CHO intake on MD-5 and MD-4 did not reflect these elevated demands, with 50% or fewer players meeting even the lower end of recommended intake. This mismatch between external load and fuelling suggests that players may have entered subsequent sessions with suboptimal glycogen stores, potentially compromising training quality, neuromuscular recovery, and/or readiness to train (Malone et al., 2015; Ranchordas et al., 2017). Although MD-1 involved the lowest TD and HSR in this study, it remains a critical fuelling window, as CHO intake on this day determines pre-match glycogen availability and readiness for the high-intensity and sprint demands of match play (Bangsbo, 2014; Collins et al., 2021)\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eApplication and future research\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe results of this study show that professional League One football players likely require tailored education on adequate energy and CHO intake. There should be greater awareness among clubs of the psychosocial and cultural factors affecting dietary intake (Costello et al., 2025), as well as greater availability of whole foods where food is provided. Meal distribution findings highlight lunch as an important post-training fuelling opportunity to initiate glycogen restoration. However, given recommendations of ~\u0026thinsp;1 g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;h⁻\u0026sup1; CHO during early recovery, the relatively low intakes observed at mid-morning and evening snack occasions represent missed opportunities to support ongoing glycogen resynthesis across the day. Future research should examine meal distribution and macronutrient periodisation over a longer timeframe to reflect chronic habitual patterns. Integration of novel artificial intelligence-assisted photographic dietary assessment may also improve accuracy, adherence and/or reduce reporting bias (Cofre et al., 2025). Finally, periods of fixture congestion likely increase nutritional demands; therefore, future work should explore the relationship between intake during these intensified phases.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eLimitations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvaluating nutritional intake through food diaries and recalls is prone to misreporting (Livingstone and Black, 2003), which may influence data accuracy. To minimise this, best practice procedures were followed, including daily 24-hour recalls and extensive on-site verification of meals (Karvetti, 1985). Two of the three main daily meals were directly observed and weighed by researchers, while all off-site meals were photographed to support cross-checking. This approach improved the validity of entries and reduced discrepancies. A further limitation is that players may alter their habitual intake during monitoring, and meal provision at the training ground may vary over time. Caution is therefore required when generalising these findings to other squads or contexts. Finally, data were collected across only two in-season weeks; longer-term monitoring would be needed to capture seasonal variation and provide a more comprehensive representation of habitual dietary intake. However, repeated assessments of the same cohort over the study period improved internal consistency and reduced variability in reporting habitual dietary intake.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eDietary intake amongst League One professional footballers differed across individual training days during a 1-game week within a competitive season. MD-4 presented the lowest energy intake despite experiencing the highest external load. CHO intake did not meet the recommended UEFA guidelines for the days leading up to match-day, nor importantly, the day before. Macronutrient distribution differed across meals throughout the day, with CHO intake not achieving recommended amounts. These results imply that athletes at lower levels of professional football may require nutritional and educational interventions to optimise dietary intake and fuelling/recovery strategies.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Abbreviations","content":"\u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eBM\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBody Mass\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eCHO\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eCarbohydrate\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eGPS\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eGlobal Positioning System\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eHSR\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eHigh Speed Running\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eMD\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eMatch Day\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003ePL\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePlayer Load\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eSD\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eStandard Deviation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"DefinitionListEntry\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Term\"\u003eTD\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"Description\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTotal Distance\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEthics Approval and Informed Consent\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis study received ethical approval from the Faculty of Science and Engineering Research Ethics Committee at Anglia Ruskin University (Reference: ETH2425-2974). The study was conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all participants before participation.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConsent for publication\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNot applicable.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAvailability of data and materials\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the author upon reasonable request. Due to the involvement of professional athletes and club confidentiality agreements, the data are not publicly available. No custom code or software requiring public release was used in the analysis of this study. Statistical analyses were conducted using standard statistical software. No datasets were deposited in publicly available repositories due to confidentiality agreements with the participating professional football club. Anonymised data may be made available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCompeting interests\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors report no conflict of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFunding\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCRediT author statement\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJones, Willmott, Roberts\u003c/strong\u003e: Conceptualisation; \u003cstrong\u003eWillmott, Roberts and Deb:\u003c/strong\u003e Supervision; Writing \u0026ndash; review and editing; \u003cstrong\u003eManuel and Bloom:\u003c/strong\u003e Resources; Project administration; \u003cstrong\u003eJones:\u003c/strong\u003e Methodology; Investigation; Data curation; Formal analysis; Writing \u0026ndash; original draft; Writing \u0026ndash; review \u0026amp; editing; Visualisation; Writing \u0026ndash; original draft.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAcknowledgements\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe authors would like to thank the players and staff of Cambridge United F.C. for their cooperation and commitment throughout the recruitment and data collection period.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAbreu R, Figueiredo P, Beckert P, Marques JP, Amorim S, Caetano C, et al. 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Sports Med. 2015;45(Suppl 1):13\u0026ndash;22.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"performance-nutrition","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Performance Nutrition](https://performancenutrition.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"44410","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44410/3","title":"Performance Nutrition","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Nutrition, Macronutrient intake, Macronutrient Distribution, Carbohydrate availability, Professional football, Soccer","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003ch2\u003eBackground\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eOptimising nutritional intake is essential for supporting the physiological demands of professional football, yet limited evidence describes how players in lower leagues fuel their training microcycle. This study examined macronutrient intake among English League One footballers, evaluated adherence to UEFA nutrition guidelines, and assessed within-day meal distribution. Twenty-six male professional players (26\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;5 years) were monitored across two non-consecutive weeks. Dietary intake was recorded over 7-days using food diaries and daily 24-hour recalls.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eResults\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEnergy intake (EI), absolute and relative macronutrient intake, and meal-level distribution were statistically analysed. Macronutrients differed across the training week (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). Daily EI was highest on match-day (MD)-5 (3091\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;289 kcal\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;) and the lowest on MD-4 (2864\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;379kcal\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;). Relative carbohydrate (CHO) intake peaked on MD-1 (4.4\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.9g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;) but remained below UEFA recommendations throughout the microcycle. Only 50% of players met the minimum 4g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1; on MD-5 and MD-4, and 4% achieved the MD-1 target of 6g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;\u0026middot;day⁻\u0026sup1;. Relative protein was highest on MD-5 (2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;) and MD-2 (2.5\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;) and lowest on MD-4 (2.2\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;). Fat intake was highest on MD-5 (1.6\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;) and lowest on MD-1 (1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2g\u0026middot;kg⁻\u0026sup1;). EI at lunch (977\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;59kcal\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) was significantly higher than mid\u0026ndash;morning (458\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;85kcal\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and evening snack (331\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;127kcal\u0026middot;day\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e). CHO intake distribution was higher at breakfast (1.0\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3g.kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e), lunch (1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.2g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) and dinner (1.1\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.3g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e) than the evening snack (0.3\u0026thinsp;\u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;0.1g\u0026middot;kg\u003csup\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;1\u003c/sup\u003e, all p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05).\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eConclusions\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e CHO intake did not meet the recommended UEFA guidelines across the training week. Lower-league professional footballers likely require nutritional education interventions to improve diet quality and EI.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Evaluating macronutrient intake and distribution in a professional football club: do players meet UEFA guidelines?","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-05-06 07:50:48","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-9305815/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"213935190031528034030266455503809848104","date":"2026-05-05T10:21:28+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2026-04-29T00:58:21+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"251062299696226419620224489633500821546","date":"2026-04-29T00:45:59+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2026-04-27T12:51:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2026-04-05T08:52:31+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2026-04-05T08:52:08+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Performance Nutrition","date":"2026-04-02T17:16:28+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"performance-nutrition","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"Learn more about [Performance Nutrition](https://performancenutrition.biomedcentral.com/)","snPcode":"44410","submissionUrl":"https://submission.springernature.com/new-submission/44410/3","title":"Performance Nutrition","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"d04ca35e-db9a-4039-8a14-d5cea6a2f425","owner":[],"postedDate":"May 6th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"213935190031528034030266455503809848104","date":"2026-05-05T10:21:28+00:00","index":19,"fulltext":""}],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-05-06T07:50:48+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-05-06 07:50:48","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-9305815","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-9305815","identity":"rs-9305815","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}