Sleep Quality and Recovery in Football Players: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Background. Sleep is essential for recovery, performance, and injury prevention in football players, but is often impaired by congested schedules, travel, and late-evening matches.

Aim. This narrative review synthesised current evidence on sleep quality and recovery in football players, focusing on performance, injury risk, and circadian regulation.

Materials and methods. PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched for English-language studies published between 2015 and 2026. Twenty-nine studies involving football players of different ages, sexes, and competitive levels were included in a narrative synthesis.

Results. Poor sleep quality was common, with some studies reporting prevalence approaching 70%. Reduced sleep was associated with impaired recovery, lower performance, greater fatigue, and increased injury risk, particularly in younger players. Training load, match scheduling, and travel negatively affected sleep, partly through circadian disruption. Individualised sleep hygiene, planned napping, and melatonin improved selected recovery and performance outcomes.

Conclusions. Sleep is a central, modifiable factor influencing recovery and performance in football. Monitoring sleep and applying individualised, evidence-based interventions may improve player readiness, although further controlled research is needed, particularly in female and youth football populations.