Training Secrets of the World's Greatest Footballers

'Incredibly well-researched and loaded with modern-day, high-tech football insights' - Tony Strudwick, Head of Performance, Wales national football team Professional football is more demanding than ever. Top internationals reach speeds of 36km/hr, run 12km each match and play up to 60 games each season. Sports scientists are now key figures at every top club, applying cutting-edge techniques to boost fitness, accelerate recovery and forge lean, mean, winning machines. This illuminating book uncovers the training and fuelling secrets of today's greatest footballers, drawing on access to the world's best clubs, including Barcelona, Manchester City, Manchester United, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and many more. Why does Cristiano Ronaldo have his own cryotherapy chamber? Why does Paul Pogba wear custom-made compression socks? Why does Sergio Agüero altitude-train when returning from injury? From virtual-reality units to the omnipresence of GPS vests, taking in brain-training, innovative gear and performance nutrition along the way, you'll discover what it takes to reach the top of the game - and how to apply this knowledge to your own training.

James Witts has a background in sports science, and is a writer for a number of magazines, including Cyclist, New Scientist, BikesEtc, 220 Triathlon, Runner's World, Men's Health and GQ. He is the author of The Science of The Tour de France, also published by Bloomsbury.

Introduction 1 The Numbers Game 2 Fast, Fit and Flying 3 Rapid Discovery 4 Managing Injury 5 Fuelling Peak Performance 6 Match-Day Fuelling and Supplements 7 Brain Training 8 Beat the Heat 9 Nurturing Nature 10 Pitches, Pads, Boots and Balls Epilogue: Future Football Index Acknowledgements Picture Credits