HOW
MUSLIM FOOTBALLERS COPE WITH FOOTBALL DURING RAMADAN

A THREAD

It may sound or look hard to fast and play a 90 minute game of football, but teams and players have found ways to do and to stay fit, even some have surprisingly gotten better during the period of fasting.

During Ramadan people have to sleep a lot less because they have to do their eating during the nights. Studies have found that during Ramadan, fasting players show more muscle fatigue, have less muscle power, and demonstrate reduced speed, agility, dribbling, and endurance.

However, there have been different strategies to cope with that. A study of 85 professional Tunisian players found that over the course of Ramadan, their performance on speed, agility, passing, and dribbling tests gradually improved, eventually reaching their pre-Ramadan levels.

Let’s talk about friendly match between Portugal and Tunisia. In both games they played, around the time of fasting being broken, goalkeeper Mouez Hassen went to ground ‘injured’. This allowed players who had been fasting to run the side of the pitch to take on water and dates.

Some players however don’t fast if they have a match, for example Mo Salah during the 2018 champions league final or Ozil during 2014 World Cup. You get your critics, but it doesn’t my you less devoted. You just have to fast the days you missed during Ramadan, after it’s over.

Ramadan can take a toll on you physically, but mentally it helps you grow. There is an explanation of how a long period without food "takes us away from our own minds into a more conscious state, where we observe our thoughts, emotions and sensations in a much deeper level."

Some players will tell you they play well during Ramadan like Abdel-Zaher El-Saqqa former Egyptian footballer. I always played well while fasting, I have no explanation, but I guess it's God's help and will.”

Dr Zafar Iqbal, club doctor of Crystal Palace says “Certainly the players I've worked with who have fasted have all said that they find fasting helps them mentally and that they feel even more disciplined and appreciative of what they have.”

It takes will to fast during Ramadan and footballers have shown it in the hottest conditions, toughest games, and most important matches. But if you are mentally strong than Ramadan is the least of your worries.