In 2007 Lucozade Sport was selected by The FA to fuel the England team. Three years later, having qualified in emphatic style, England are preparing to take on the rest of the world in South Africa and the boys are relying on Lucozade Sport to give them an Edge.*

There are three crucial factors for the backroom team to consider when approaching a major tournament; preparing players to be at their best every time they step onto the pitch, keeping them at 100% during the 90 minutes and ensuring that they recover as effectively as possible as soon as they step off it. Lucozade Sport products have a role in each of these areas.

Pre-match
When players are preparing for the game there are two top priorities. The first is hydration. Just a 2% decrease in body weight through dehydration can lead to a drop in performance and in big games every player needs to be physically at their peak. This means getting fluid on board, whilst also ensuring that the body is able to absorb it quickly. That’s where salts and electrolytes are critical and why water alone is not enough. The second crucial factor in preparation is ensuring players have enough carbohydrate on board to fuel their muscles. Lucozade Sport Body Fuel is chosen by the England team as it combines fluid and electrolytes with these crucial carbohydrates.

During the game
The priority during the game is to maintain these levels of fuel and hydration. Every time there’s a break in play you’ll see England players taking the opportunity to top up on Lucozade Sport Body Fuel. This becomes even more important if games move into extra time, the longer play goes on the more likely it is that players will become dehydrated and their carbohydrate levels will drop, in extra time this could make all the difference.

Post-match
As soon as the final whistle is blown the focus is on getting payers back to 100% for the next match, especially as England will be tackling three games in twelve days. This means replacing the carbohydrate players have used during the game and getting protein on board to help repair muscles. Lucozade Sport Recovery powder contains a combination of carbohydrate and protein and will be a consistent part of England’s post-match routine this summer.

For more information on Lucozade Sport products click www.lucozade.com/sport/products

*Improves endurance in top athletes