The average outfield soccer player burns around 300 calories playing for 30 mins and over 900 playing for a full 90 minutes. There are, of course, exceptions to this rule such as playing in goal or in the striker position as less running is needed in these roles.
Calories burned Playing Soccer Calculator
How Many Calories Do You Burn Playing Soccer?
Soccer is a very demanding game requiring a mix of short bursts of speed and prolonged periods of moderate running.
Unlike ‘power’ sports such as gridiron football or rugby, soccer requires a mix of endurance-based running and covering larger distances. Games are also longer in duration compared to rugby.
As a result, soccer players have a leaner build and have higher levels of endurance compared to other athletes. However, the amount of total calories burned during a game hinges on several factors:
Position
Midfielders and full-backs do a lot of running. They’re responsible for bringing the ball into offensive positions and tracking back to defend. As a result, they’re typically the fittest players and can burn almost 1,000 calories per game.
Style of Play
There are a lot of different ways to play soccer. Weaker teams tend to focus on defending, running, and challenging, whereas stronger teams can use their superior technical skills to play longer passes, keep possession, and conserve energy.
How your team plays, and how good your players are, will have an impact on how many calories you burn.
Substitutes
Those who come off the substitute’s bench will play considerably fewer minutes than those who start a game of soccer and play for the whole duration.
Typically, substitutions are made in the final 20 minutes of a game when players are becoming noticeably fatigued and concentration is starting to wane.
How Many Calories Are Burned Playing Soccer For 30 Min?
If we’re talking about recreational soccer, however, then you can expect to burn around 300 calories if you weigh 150 to 180lbs (which is an ideal weight range for soccer).
Of course, those with lighter builds and faster metabolisms will burn more calories whereas heavy-set or overweight players will burn less. As, however, most soccer players weigh between 150 to 180-90 lbs, we can state that playing soccer for 30 minutes burns around 300 calories.
How Many Calories Are Burned Playing Soccer For 90 Min?
Playing 90 minutes of high-level, intense soccer is incredibly demanding. Professional players will have their diet, lifestyle, and sleeping habits strictly monitored to ensure peak performance throughout the season.
This is because they burn, on average, between 800-1000 calories per game. Players can play well over 40 games a season, leading to severe strain on their bodies and fitness. Barcelona midfielder Pedri, for example, played almost 70 games in the 2020/21 season – the most of any player in Europe.
All this playing time requires an optimized diet and specialized gym sessions to maintain fitness and keep injuries at bay. The recreational player must realize that soccer is a grueling sport and needs to be supplemented with adequate nutrition and rest.
Can I Lose Weight by Playing Soccer Every Day?
Absolutely. In fact, playing soccer is one of the best and most fun ways to lose weight.
You’ll be developing your fitness, improving your strength in the gym, and making close friends in your team. It’s a lot more engaging than trying to lose weight on a treadmill or by yourself in the gym.
However, there are some things you should consider before you begin your soccer endeavor.
Playing Every Day Can Backfire
You’ll probably be sore after a game of football and your body will be demanding rest. Playing again, with such little recovery, will weaken your immune system and leave you susceptible to injury.
There are, however, ways to play football every day without engaging in a game. You can engage in light training, do some recovery drills, or even go for a light jog.
Diet is Key
You can’t out-train a bad diet. No matter how much soccer you’ll play, your weight loss will still largely depend on your food intake and the overall quality of your calories.
Soccer players eat a diet rich in protein and fiber and low in saturated fat. They also need plenty of complex carbs to fuel their massive energy expenditure.
Improve your diet down to a science, combine it with soccer, and watch your weight gradually decrease. Don’t try to lose too much weight too soon, as this can harm your health and weaken your immune system. You’ll also be more likely to experience muscle cramps during games.
Final Thoughts
Soccer players burn around 1,000 calories per game. If you’re looking for a fun, engaging sport to help you shed some pounds this Holiday season, then soccer may just be the sport for you.
