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Watching professional football often comes with plenty of "Wait… why did they just do that?" moments, and this is one of them
You've probably seen players take a swig from their water bottles mid-game, swish it around their mouths for a few seconds… and then spit it straight onto the pitch.
No, they're not just being wasteful or gross. There's actually some science behind it.
It's called a carbohydrate mouth rinse, and it basically tricks your brain
The technique is commonly used by endurance athletes, including footballers, cyclists, and marathon runners.
Instead of swallowing a sports drink, athletes rinse it around their mouths for around five to 10 seconds before spitting it out.
It's more common than you'd think and became especially popular during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when stars like Harry Kane and Cristiano Ronaldo were spotted doing it on camera.
Research suggests that simply having carbohydrates in the mouth can activate receptors that send signals to parts of the brain linked to motivation, reward, and motor control.
In other words, your brain thinks energy is on the way, even though you haven't actually swallowed anything
That small mental boost may help athletes maintain their performance during long periods of intense exercise.
So why not just drink it?
During a football match, players don't always have the luxury of stopping for a proper drink.
Drinking too much liquid at once can leave athletes feeling bloated or uncomfortable while they're constantly sprinting, changing direction, and jumping.
Swallowing sugary sports drinks can also take time to digest, while rinsing the mouth delivers the brain-stimulating effect almost instantly.
That's why you'll often see players take a quick swish before getting straight back into the game.
It doesn't replace staying hydrated
Of course, footballers still need to drink water throughout training and matches to replace fluids lost through sweat.
The mouth-rinse technique isn't meant to prevent dehydration. Instead, it's simply another performance strategy that can provide a short-term mental boost during high-intensity exercise.
Players usually hydrate properly before kick-off, during half-time, after the match, and whenever official cooling breaks are available.
